Park passes cheat sheet for Orange County, CA
Ways to visit parks for free + helping you decide if you want to invest in a parks pass
When I think of how long I’ve been writing about parks in Orange County, taking this 2026 photo presented itself as a great example to share without even mentioning years! I tend to think things haven’t changed much. Until I run across an old photo in my archives from when I first covered the park. The trees are there, just newly planted. And now they shade the whole swing area!
Thought you would be entertained. Based on the photo evidence, I guess I’m really old now! Or just beautifully grown up and into my surroundings like the trees?
The cost of everything! If you are like me, there’s not a lot of extra $money$ for extras right now. So I wanted to talk a bit about how to visit the parks you love in a way that still supports the parks and also fits your 2026 budget.
I am deeply aware of the budget struggles and want to add an extra thank you to those who have been able to keep your subscription up. I strive to make sure you are getting value out of this weekly guide to getting outdoors and noticing nature. I appreciate you and your investment. I wouldn’t be here without you.
Michele
As a friendly reminder, make sure you ALWAYS check official sources when you are heading out to any of the locations I share. These are merely suggestions. Only you know what works for your family. Plus, your experience may not be the same as mine — and there can be changes to the hours or unforeseen circumstances or conditions at the suggested locations.
Is $0 parking possible?
My goal is always: Empower OC families to prioritize play and outside time. This section is all about helping that happen!
The great majority of parks in OC have free parking. In fact, it’s not the parks that cost $ to visit, it’s the parking fees. My Cheat Sheet to Parks and Beach Parking in Orange County has everything you need to know!
Parks get maintained with money from cities, counties, nonprofits, or even grants. They often need quantitative proof of their value to justify the slice of budget set to maintain them. Parking-passes-sold or vehicles entering the park and officially counted as visitors is one way to quantify demand.
So when you park outside the park, yet still use the park without paying for parking then it can make for under-counted attendance and a lower budget allocated the next time the budget comes up for a vote.
That’s an oversimplification, but just a general idea to think about. That your purchase of a pass cements that there’s demand for a park or park system.
Quick tips for $0 Parking:
Neighborhood parks might be tight on parking since they are meant designed for the residents who live around the park.
City & community parks usually have free parking.
If you want to go to an OC Parks county-run park without paying a fee, you can try Tri-City Regional Park, Upper Newport Bay Nature Reserve (and Muth Interpretive Center), Talbert Regional Park (no on-site parking, but reachable from Fairview Park in Costa Mesa), Harriett M. Wieder Regional Park, and the new Crawford Canyon Park.
Also, you normally have to pay to park at Irvine Regional Park, but if you go on Tuesday mornings during the Farmers Market hours then you can visit the market for free and explore a bit after.
Finally, the CA State Parks parking pass is the one that costs the most on an annual basis. (Because the daily fee is up there, too!) However, you can check out the pass from your local library for free and I list other ways in the Cheat Sheet to get in to state parks, even outside OC, for free.
That 70’s (90’s?) Childhood
I always talk about my magical (and, obviously, privileged) childhood because I had a lot of time and space to roam + freedom to play on my own. Each week until I run out of ideas, I’ll be sharing a play idea that could be reinvented for 2026 each week. Not all of them will work for everyone, but let’s see what we can inspire in each other.
Sourgrass soup + pickup truck forts
Okay, I’m not actually advocating for kids eating things they find outside. We did weird stuff in the 70s! Back then, my parents pointed out how this “sourgrass” was edible along with nasturtium leaves (too spicy for us kids), so we used the sour stuff in our pretend play since my parents deemed it safe.
Dad was in construction. He would back his pickup truck halfway out of the garage so we could drape a sheet off the garage door to make the truck bed into a two-room fort.
My sister and I would go out to forage like Little House on the Prairie and make a batch of Sourgrass Soup (weeds, water, and ice cubes) in the bed of Dad’s pickup. We’d stir a big batch in a plastic bowl with our wooden spoon. I remember spending hours on this game of house. Maybe it’s why I still like sour flavors?
You could do the same thing today without promoting the eating part! Kids can make “soup” out of dried leaves or rocks they find. It’s almost like having a full mud kitchen with just a bowl and spoon! You can let them gather the pieces (or what I call “play props”) and see what they play with it.
Here’s a little more about sourgrass also known as oxalis cae-caprae in California.
Below is the section for paid subscribers! This week, you’ll find:
The 2026 Noticing Nature in OC guide where you’ll get inspiration for what to look for out there and have the opportunity to share what you’ve noticed!
2 handpicked tiny hikes from the archive along with the nature you might notice while you are out there.