5 Best Night Views in Orange County (2024)
Want to know the best night views in Orange County? We’ve got you covered with our 5 favorite places to catch a sunset and enjoy the views.
While much of Orange County enjoys an impressive coastline along the Pacific Ocean, not all the best views are on the beach.
These 5 best night views in Orange County take you from Irvine to Dana Point, plus a few places in-between.
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5 Best Night Views in Orange County
Many of these hidden gems are overlooks where you get city and ocean views, making them even more impressive.
1. Turtle Rock Viewpoint Trail
Address: Chaparral Park, 19032 Turtle Rock Drive, Irvine, California 92603
When you arrive, you can park anywhere in the neighborhood, unless you see any signage that says otherwise.
This trail is 1.6 miles roundtrip to the viewpoint and back.
It’s a steep hike up to the point, but the overlook is worth the effort.
There are lots of trails intertwined in this area, so it can be a little hard to navigate, but it also makes for a great place to visit over and over and have a different experience each time.
2. Inspiration Point
Address: 3001 Ocean Boulevard, Corona Del Mar, California 92625
This observation point overlooking the ocean is very popular for sunset watchers.
There are benches here to sit and enjoy the view.
It’s a small spot in a residential area, but that’s what makes it a great hidden gem.
3. Top of the World Park
Address: 3325 Alta Laguna Boulevard, Laguna Beach, California 92651
This park is also known as Alta Laguna Park.
There are playgrounds, covered picnic tables, soccer fields, half court basketball, and a baseball diamond.
This one can be difficult to find, as the GPS may try to steer you in the wrong direction.
But if you use the address above you should get there with no problem.
Parking is free adjacent to the park, and if the parking lot is full when there are events, you can also park on the street for free.
There are actually multiple entry points so you can use the following addresses as well:
21601 Treetop Lane, Laguna Beach, California
580 Canyon Acres Drive, Laguna Beach, California 92651 (This address will take you to the trailhead)
4. Crescent Bay Point Park
Address: Crescent Bay Drive, Laguna Beach, California 92651
This park in Laguna Beach has ocean views, tide pool views, a grassy area, and benches to enjoy the sunset from the bluff overlooking Crescent Bay.
There are paved pathways along the perimeter and railings along all of the drop-offs.
There is no direct beach access since you’re above the beach, but there are plenty of panoramic views.
5. Hilltop Park
Address: 34392 Street of the Green Lantern, Dana Point, California 92629
This park has a 0.5 mile trail where you can get panoramic views of the ocean from Dana Point.
Hilltop Park is open from 7 am to sunset and has benches for at the lookout points.
What is Orange County Most Known For?
Orange County is home to the Disneyland Resort, the original Disney theme park built by Walt Disney over 65 years ago.
But that’s not the only theme park in Orange County!
Knott’s Berry Farm is also here and is known for being America’s 1st theme park.
👉 Click Here To Book Your Knott’s Berry Farm Tickets Today!
Orange County is also known for being one of the wealthier counties in California.
South Coast Plaza is a popular mall here that generates more revenue than just about any shopping center in America.
Additionally, nearby Irvine is known as the financial and business hub of the county.
If you’re not from here, you probably first learned about this area from shows like The OC or The Real Housewives of Orange County.
However, there are also many laid back beach destinations like Huntington Beach – Surf City USA!
These beach destinations such as Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, and Laguna Beach are also great areas for dolphin and whale watching excursions.
👉 Click Here To Book Your Whale Watching Excursion Today!
Orange County also has some historical spots such as Mission San Juan Capistrano, built in 1776, as part of the famous California Mission Trail.
How To Get Around Orange County
Driving is really the best way to get around Orange County.
If you’re staying in the touristy areas you can get away with riding the ART (Anaheim Resort Transportation) buses between Disneyland, neighboring hotels, Knott’s Berry Farm, and the nearby Amtrak train station.
But outside of that you’ll need a car.
Uber and Lyft are very popular here if you don’t want to rent a car or are unable to rent a car.
You usually don’t have to wait more than 15 minutes for a ride.
But Orange County is pretty large, so depending on where you’re trying to go, your ride could get expensive.
Especially with traffic, it can take more than an hour to get to Dana Point from the more northern corners of Orange County like Anaheim.
Speaking of traffic, it is crazy here almost at all times.
You should definitely use a GPS even if you know where you’re going because roads are constantly being closed due to accidents, high speed chases, construction, and more.
If you’re flying in, the closest airport is SNA, also known as the Santa Ana Airport, John Wayne Airport, or Orange County Airport.
From here, you can get roundtrip transfers from and to the airport when you’re staying in the Anaheim Resort District area of Orange County.
👉 Click Here To Book Your Roundtrip Airport Transfer Today!
What To Do In Orange County At Night
While you’re out and about checking out the sunset at nights views, there are lots of other fun things to do!
➡️ Watch the Disneyland Fireworks
Did you know you don’t have to be in the park to see the fireworks at Disneyland?
There are several other ways you can see one of the best night views in Orange County.
The closest spot will be in the Disneyland Esplanade, which is the area between the entrances of Disneyland Park and California Adventure.
You can park at Downtown Disney or if you’re staying locally you can walk in off of Harbor Boulevard.
👉 Click Here To Book Your Disneyland Tickets Today!
Another spot is from the nearby rooftop bar, The FIFTH.
It’s Anaheim’s original rooftop restaurant and bar and comes with a great view of the fireworks.
Many local hotels will also have fireworks views in their upper level hotel rooms or on their rooftops if they have public areas up there.
➡️ Get a Late Night Treat at Afters Ice Cream
Afters Ice Cream started in Fountain Valley, California in 2014 and quickly became a huge success with the rise of social media.
Their signature treat is called a “Milky Bun” and it’s a warm donut stuffed with your ice cream flavor of choice, plus additional toppings like sprinkles, cereals, chocolate, etc.
Afters Ice Cream now has over 25 locations throughout Southern California.
Their Orange County locations are in Tustin, Orange, Fountain Valley, Irvine, Fullerton, Costa Mesa, and Newport Beach.
➡️ Enjoy a Scenic View with Dinner
There are so many dining options in Orange County that you couldn’t possibly go to them all.
But some of the best are right along the beach with ocean views.
Huntington Beach especially has a ton of options with several shopping and dining centers near the pier.
If you go inland, there are several dining options with scenic views from up in the hills like Summit House Restaurant in Fullerton or Orange Hill Restaurant in Orange.
More Fun Things To Do in Orange County
Below are even more fun things to do in Orange County.
🍊 Richard Nixon Presidential Library
This museum in Yorba Linda features Richard Nixon’s childhood home, plus a museum that walks you through the timeline of Richard Nixon’s life and presidency.
🍊 15 Best Hidden Gems in Orange County
If you want to dig a little deeper into what Orange County has to offer, check out these hidden gems most residents don’t even know about!
Conclusion: Best Night Views In Orange County
There are so many great view points and overlooks throughout Orange County from oceanside cliffs to the Anaheim Hills.
You really can’t go wrong with either one.
Pair these excursions with a nice dinner or a late night snack and you’ve got the perfect date night or the perfect first night of vacation in Orange County.
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