If you’re wondering what you should plan to do when family comes to visit you in beautiful Mission Viejo, we have you covered. Our staff at Capistrano Volkswagen has come up with a list of some favorite spots to take your out-of-town relatives. Take a look at the following suggestions.
Embrace the Mission Viejo Outdoors
Mission Viejo is a beautiful city, recognized for more than 20 years by the Arbor Day Foundation as a Tree City. Maintaining and growing the community’s tree cover, as required by the Tree City designation, brings many benefits, including cooler temperatures and cleaner air, which translate into a healthier population. Aside from these health benefits, forests and trees create more beautiful surroundings, which adds value to property. To take full advantage of Mission Viejo’s natural beauty, try the following outdoor activities when your family visits.
Try Geocaching To Explore the Area
The city of Mission Viejo recommends geocaching as a fun way to enjoy the local parks. You can think of geocaching as a treasure hunt aided by GPS technology. Typically, people hide treasures, called caches, in see-through containers and include a log so that participants can log the experience when they have located a cache. To participate, you need to register on the geocaching website and use a smartphone. If you’re a tech-savvy family, you might enjoy it.
Hike or Walk the Local Trails
There are several local trails in Mission Viejo. When family visits, we recommend you try the Oso Creek Trail for its easy-to-moderate rating. Oso Creek offers 5.5 miles of creek-side trails with a range of native plants, community artwork, and scenic views. If your family is traveling with their furry pals, visit La Paws Dog Park, which also includes a walking trail with beautiful views.
Check Out These Cultural Hotspots Near Mission Viejo
California hosts some of the most diverse big cities in the country, according to U.S. News & World Report, and much of that rich cultural diversity is accessible through educational experiences in our local museums. We’ve included three sites that are within driving distance from Mission Viejo.
Mission San Juan Capistrano
Mission San Juan Capistrano was founded by Spanish Catholic missionaries of the Franciscan Order in the late 1700s. Today, the Mission is home to beautiful gardens and a museum with thousands of artifacts, baskets, documents, paintings, photographs, and much more. According to the Mission, there’s a picnic area with tables within the gardens that is perfect for an outdoor meal. This beautiful site is located less than 10 minutes away from our dealership. Find more information on the website, including a calendar of events and plenty of digital resources.
The Jack & Shanaz Langson Institute & Museum of California Art
Artwork can provide a window to the past. Your family may enjoy visits to art galleries when they visit in Mission Viejo. The permanent collection at the Jack & Shanaz Langson Institute & Museum of California Art features artwork ranging from 19th-century California impressionism and plein-air painting to postwar and contemporary styles. Some of the paintings in the collection depict California sites that residents may recognize.
Salvador Dali Gallery
This gallery may not be for families with small children, but if your visiting relatives are art connoisseurs, they may enjoy visiting the Salvador Dali Gallery. It is devoted exclusively to the works of Salvador Dali and is run by Bruce Hochman, a Dali expert with more than 30 years of Salvador Dali experience. Even if you’re not familiar with the name Salvador Dali, you may be familiar with his work. One of his most famous pieces is of melting clocks, and he is primarily known for his surreal artwork that reminds people of a dreamland.
Must-Try Dishes in Mission Viejo
Family meals can create community and strengthen relationships, as people share experiences and connections over delicious, nourishing food. This list of things to do in Mission Viejo when family comes to visit would not be complete without our recommendation for must-try dishes in town.
Cinnamon Roll French Toast Combo From Ruby’s Diner
Many Southern California locals have been going to Ruby’s Diner since they were kids. We recommend you try the Cinnamon Roll French Toast Combo for that perfect sweet and savory balance. It comes with two farm fresh eggs and your choice of breakfast meat. You can find Ruby’s Diner at The Shops at Mission Viejo, but there are more than 15 locations in California and four out-of-state locations.
Empanadas From The Empanada Maker
When you fall in love with a new type of food, you want everyone to join in and enjoy your discovery! This is what Cameron Davis, “The Empanada Maker” himself, experienced in Argentina as a teenager when he tried empanadas for the first time. He learned to make empanadas, and a few years later, in 2013, he opened up The Empanada Maker stateside. Now, he serves the delicious Latin American pastries to Orange County folks in three locations, including in Mission Viejo.
Try the original chicken and four-cheese empanadas. There are family packs available too, which make it a perfect place to go when you have family visiting in Mission Viejo. In fact, you can even hire The Empanada Maker food truck, if you are thinking of running an event for your family. If you’re adventurous and like spice, try The Diablo, which is made with spicy barbecue pulled pork, cheddar cheese, onions, and cilantro.
Tacos From Taco Mesa
Southern California is a great place to try authentic Mexican or Mexican-inspired dishes. In Mission Viejo, we recommend you try Taco Mesa. Reviewers rave about the always-fresh ingredients used at this Mexican restaurant. Try the Al Pastor and Alambre tacos if you eat meat. If you or your relatives only eat fish and shellfish, try the Wild Pescado Frito or the shrimp version of the Best of the West. Check out the rest of the Taco Mesa menu, drool over their stunning food photography, and order online on the restaurant website.
We would love to hear from you to find out what you thought about our recommendations. Did we miss any of your favorite spots in or around Mission Viejo to take out-of-town family? Please contact us and let us know.
Image via Pixabay by T_Tide