Orange County, CA: Exploring Orange County with Ayres Hotel

Not too long ago, I was approached by one of my editors to work on a guide to Orange County for Ayres Hotel Magazine. At face value, the task seemed easy enough. After all, there’s no shortage of things to do in the area. So, obviously, without skipping a beat, I said yes. After all, this whole writing about cool places thing was kinda my forte.

But there was a bit of a catch. I had three days to schlep across three cities while staying at a different Ayres hotel each night. So I adjusted my life plans around this assignment, loaded my car with an over-packed suitcase and a Costco-sized carton of nectarines (which, had I left them, would’ve definitely gone bad over the weekend), and dropped my dog off at my mother’s apartment. I was eager to get my exploring cap on and get to work.

Over the course of those three days, I indulged in an all-vegan lunch, which was kinda healthy, kinda decadent and most definitely the most delicious thing anyone can ever whip up with a handful of vegetables. (It’s worth noting that I’m not a vegan, and I’d still choose to eat at this place over any steakhouse). I took some killer photos at the California Scenario, which earned me major Instagram style points and a lot of hearts from my fellow grammers. I also totally channeled my inner kiddo at Downtown Disneyland. 

All to say, if you’re in town for the weekend, and are sleuthing around for recs on what to do and where to go, do give my piece a read. And even if you’re a local wanting to play tourist for a few hours, I’m sure you’ll something useful in there as well. Click here to read all about my three-day vacay in Huntington Beach, Anaheim and Costa Mesa.