When making plans with friends, the dreaded question, always met with blank stares and an irritating lack of response, is inevitable– where should we go? Instead of the seemingly endless cycle of Irvine Spectrum hang-outs, boba runs and wandering aimlessly through Target, here are a few spots to explore around Orange County with rich histories.
Old Town Tustin
Charmingly quaint yet full of hidden gems, Old Town Tustin’s rustic atmosphere is rooted in the architecture of buildings dating back to the 1880s, where it was once a bustling plaza filled with grocery markets and blacksmith shops.
Beyond its idyllic beauty, Old Town Tustin is filled with small businesses and local shops to browse. Coffee shops with delicious bites, such as White Sparrow Coffee, Morning Lavender and Hola Adios Coffeeshop, line the streets. Arvida Book Co. is a must-see, with its wide selection of used books and magical small-bookshop energy.
Around the area, multiple houses are constructed in different architectural styles, ranging from Romanesque, with its decorative arches and smaller windows, to Queen Anne Victorian, full of elaborate ornaments and playful blends of colors. Taking a stroll through the neighborhood incorporates a splash of architectural color to your life—a fun break from Irvine’ssuburban uniformity.
If you’re interested in learning more about the fascinating past that once inhabited the streets of Old Town Tustin, check out their museum, which is open every Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and every first and third Saturday of the month from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Reminiscent of both the beauty of Spanish architecture and the centuries of oppression inflicted upon Native Americans through assimilation, the San Juan Capistrano Mission is open to the public today as a historic landmark.
Founded in 1776, the San Juan Capistrano was the seventh out of 21 Spanish missions across California. On the grounds of the mission, Spanish settlers attempted to convert indigenous Acjachemen to Catholicism, erasing traditional native language, culture, food, clothing and religion.
Today, the mission acknowledges its dark history through education, hosting multiple guided tours and curating exhibits. The site is open Tuesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
A great local library and a student study-spot favorite, the Katie Wheeler Library is surprisingly a historic landmark—with a dark twist.
The library is a faithful recreation of Irvine Company founder James Irvine II’s ranch house, which burned down in 1965. In 2008, the site opened to the public in the form of a library.
However, beyond its layout and past, the Katie Wheeler Library is rumored to be haunted by the ghost of Kathryn Helena Irvine, who died on site during childbirth in 1920. Multiple individuals have reported sightings of ghosts wandering the property, creating a creepy twist to the library’s interesting historicism.
If you want to check out their wide array of books or to try to catch a glimpse of the ghosts of the Irvine family, the Katie Wheeler Library is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Friday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
