Things to do with kids in Costa Mesa

Angel's Playground (TeWinkle Park)

Thoughtfully designed accessible playground with unique climbing structures and a separate toddler section. Part of TeWinkle Park combine with the lake loop and duck feeding for a full outing.

Fairview Park

Orange County Model Engineers runs select Sunday afternoons check ocme.org for schedule before visiting. Great for nature walks and wide open space, better for older kids and adults than toddlers.

Lions Park

Nicknamed 'Airplane Park' for the vintage aircraft play structure kids can climb on a real conversation piece and genuinely fun for kids who are into planes.

Talbert Regional Park

Only about 100 feet of elevation gain total so it's genuinely accessible for little legs. No on-site parking is the catch: street park nearby and walk in. Good for burning energy without committing to a big production.

TeWinkle Park

Near South Coast Plaza. Good for toddlers and relaxed afternoons.

ARTime Barro Ceramic Studio

Local community ceramics studio with one-time workshops, kids' classes, and family sessions real instruction in an approachable environment, not just painting pre-made mugs. One-time class options exist for drop-in; perfect rainy day creative activity.

Chuck Jones Center for Creativity

Art studio named for the Looney Tunes legend born in OC private and semi-private lessons plus Girl Scout programs and camps. The animation history connection makes this genuinely fun for kids who love cartoons.

Mesa Arts Center Costa Mesa

The Studio School has kids' classes in drawing, painting, ceramics, and mixed media. Check mesaartscenter.com for current class schedules and family-friendly performances.

My Gym Costa Mesa

Classes cover movement, gymnastics basics, and cooperative games. Membership or drop-in options available.

Orange County Museum of Art (OCMA)

Monthly Family Fun Workshops on weekends. Also a Bring Your Own Baby tour for parents with infants on the first Wednesday.

South Coast Plaza

The carousel is a classic iconic enough that it's genuinely a destination for little ones and not just a mall afterthought. Beyond that, the sheer scale of the place means plenty of indoor walking and window shopping on hot or rainy days. Play areas and kiddie zones scattered through the mall.

Costa Mesa Donald Dungan Library

Costa Mesa Mesa Verde Library

OCC Planetarium

Uniquely memorable family outing. Arrive 15 min early for good seats; the dome is small and fills up.

Goat Hill Junction Model Railroad

Orange County Model Engineers operate this volunteer-run model railroad in Fairview Park kids sit in open-air cars and ride through the park. Runs select Sunday afternoons only check ocme.org for the exact schedule before visiting.

Regal Summer Movie Express at Regal Edwards South Coast Village

The South Coast Village location is convenient for central OC families and has solid parking. Films are a mix of animated hits and family classics rotate weekly.

Segerstrom Center for the Arts

OC's premier performing arts venue with excellent family programming Broadway touring shows, family concerts, and youth performances. Elevates a Saturday morning into an experience.

South Coast Repertory

Tony Award-winning professional regional theater adjacent to Segerstrom Center runs one dedicated Theatre for Young Audiences production per season on the Julianne Argyros Stage, typically February–March. Productions are bilingual or culturally rich (think *Cinderella: A Salsa Fairy Tale* in English/Spanish). This is top-tier professional theater doing family shows scr.org for current season.

Rockreation

Indoor rock climbing gym with sections for all ages great for a confidence-building, non-screen Saturday. Intro sessions available for kids who've never climbed.

Centennial Farm (OC Fairgrounds)

Kids watch cows get milked, meet pigs, and wander the massive garden. Closed during summer OC Fair; best visited spring, fall, or winter.

Costa Mesa Certified Farmers Market

Runs rain or shine in the fairgrounds parking lot, making it one of the more reliable year-round market experiences in central OC. Easy freeway access off the 405.

Afters Ice Cream

OC-born ice cream shop best known for the Milky Bun a scoop of ice cream sandwiched inside a glazed donut. It's as good as it sounds and kids consistently lose their minds over it. Flavors change seasonally and the lines move fast. Worth the detour.

Confetti Italian Ice & Custard

Easy add-on after Centennial Farm or the OC Fairgrounds. The layered rainbow combo is the signature; let kids pick their own flavor layers.

Elixir Wizard Academy

Speakeasy-style boba shop designed around fantasy worlds one-of-a-kind menu, immersive décor, and kids think they've walked into a game. Great for Harry Potter-loving tweens and parents who want boba to be an experience.

Habana Restaurant

Lively Cuban restaurant at 2930 Bristol St with a big patio, colorful atmosphere, strong cocktails for parents, and a menu that kids and adults both genuinely enjoy Cuban sandwiches, black beans and rice, ropa vieja, empanadas. The energy here is festive rather than formal. Popular for family gatherings and birthday dinners. Walk-ins are possible but reservations help on weekends.

IKEA Kids Eat Free Wednesdays (Costa Mesa)

Bonus: you're already walking through a giant maze of showrooms might as well eat.

Mitsuwa Marketplace

Japanese grocery marketplace at 665 Paularino Ave with a full food court serving fresh ramen, udon, tonkatsu, sushi, crepes, and more all made to order, all affordable, all authentic. The grocery side has Japanese snacks, produce, and goods kids find fascinating. Seasonal events (cherry blossom festival, summer matsuri) bring the whole community out. Comfortable, unhurried, genuinely fun for families who want to explore Japanese food culture.

Taco Mesa

Burritos, tacos, enchiladas, and the chipotle chicken are the standards. Counter service, casual, consistently great.

The CAMP

An outdoor 'anti-mall' with indie restaurants, Boba Guys, and community-vibe food options not a chain in sight. Good for a casual family wander and lunch. Pair with a walk to The LAB next door for a full indie afternoon.

Wahoo's Fish Taco

Fish tacos, burritos, rice bowls, blackened chicken. Surfer-casual, loud, kid-friendly, and affordable. Coming to the original gives it context that a strip mall chain doesn't.

Wanderlust Creamery

Artisan ice cream at 3033 Bristol St (SoCo/OC Mix) with globally inspired flavors sticky rice and mango, ube, matcha, and rotating travel-themed seasonal scoops. Vegan options always on menu. The flavor concept is genuinely interesting to kids who are curious about new things.

Lion & Lamb Coffee Roasters

Small-batch roasting in OC with that 'we know what we're doing' vibe. Consistent, high-quality coffee that tastes different every month because they rotate their beans. Not trying to be Instagram-famous about it.

Neat Coffee

Neat Coffee does housemade syrups - like rose mojito, mint mojito, gingersnap iced coffee. Each one tastes like someone actually tested it. Multi-roaster espresso means you get the good stuff, not whatever was on sale.

Portola Coffee Roasters

Portola's been roasting OC beans since 2011 - if you want coffee that makes the barista actually care about what they're handing you, you're in the right place. Cold brew is smooth enough you can taste the difference.

Maui Shave Ice

Maui Shave Ice is Hawaiian shaved ice that doesn't taste like red dye and regret. Customizable, light enough that it's not a whole thing, good for post-farmers-market.

OC Fair

The classic OC summer event livestock, carnival rides, absurd food, live music, and local art. Mid-July through mid-August, it runs mid-July through mid-August and draws massive crowds weekday mornings are genuinely calmer.