Enjoy the Holidays with These Activities in Orange, California

Run a Turkey Trot

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to get together with family and friends and eat lots of delicious food. Heaps of mashed potatoes, turkey legs, gravy, and pie are friendly fare for your taste buds, but they can certainly take a toll on the waistline. 

Turkey trots have become a popular activity for Thanksgiving morning to balance out the feasting to come. Earn your Thanksgiving meal by getting in some fun exercise beforehand. Many turkey trots have different course lengths, from kids’ runs and one-mile jogs all the way up to half marathons, so everyone in the family can find a run that works for them. Have a good time running a race with your friends and relatives in the morning before Thanksgiving dinner inevitably turns into a food fight over politics. 

There are several turkey trots in the area to choose from:

• The Turkey Trot OC in Tustin is a 5K on Thanksgiving morning that will get your blood pumping, but your legs won’t be too dead to get you to the dinner table later. As a bonus, this turkey trot is a fundraiser run by the Orange County Rescue Mission: While you’re running, you’ll also be helping to raise money for the hungry and homeless in Orange County.
• If you’re looking for a turkey trot that even your littlest family members can participate in, the Orange County Turkey Trot in Irvine is a fantastic option. This race features a 1-mile dash, a 5K, and a “Gobble Wobble” for the little ones. You won’t even have to wait for Thanksgiving dinner to get a delicious reward—a slice of pumpkin pie awaits you at the finish line.
• There’s no place like California to get your exercise while enjoying beautiful scenery. The Dana Point Turkey Trot has no shortage of incredible landscapes to feast your eyes on while you earn your dinner. Sign up for a 1-mile “Gobble Wobble” for the kids, or give the 5K or 10K a try. If you want a great workout, you can even sign up for the 5K and 10K together for a full 15K run.

Hitch a Ride to the North Pole

Just because you live in sunny Southern California doesn’t mean your family should be deprived of a super fun winter experience. If you feel the same way, then Orange County has just the extravaganza you’re looking for. This year’s Winter Fest OC runs from November 24 through January 7 and features over 1 million glorious lights, enough holiday decor to drive one giddy, a cornucopia of thrilling activities, a snow play area, a 150-foot tubing slide, a carnival, a holiday market, and plenty of food. Whew! Any Grinch’s heart would grow three sizes just typing that previous sentence!

New this year is the North Pole Journey, a one-of-a-kind winterland experience where wide-eyed participants learn exactly how to become an elf. Winter Fest OC will be chilling at the OC Fair and Event Center in Costa Mesa. Tickets can be purchased here.

Attend a Tree Lighting

Putting the lights on the house and decorating the Christmas tree are some of the most exciting parts of the holiday season. A tree-lighting on a grander scale is even harder to beat. The City of Orange will be hosting a tree-lighting ceremony on December 3, complete with a candlelight choir processional. Admission is free. The event runs from 3:30-7 p.m.

Orange, California, is a great place to live and visit any time of year, and it is even more special during the holidays. You and your family will love getting into the holiday spirit with some of these activities in the area. Whether you’re a fan of the arts, a running enthusiast, or just a lover of the holidays, you’ll find an activity to suit your interests in Orange, California.