Our Favorite Places
Casa Franco
Our favorite Mexican restaurant! Located in Mission Viejo, this hole in the wall gem has been a staple of the Ford family for 20+ years. Ask what the Special of the Day is!
Newport Landing Restaurant
Right on the water in Newport Harbor and the best spot to get brunch on the weekend. Chasen's family has been doing Easter brunch at Newport Landing probably since the restaurants founding 30+ years ago.
Cabo Cantina
Good Mexican food, but even better 7-11 big gulp margaritas. This restaurant/bar is right on the beach in Newport and was one of our consistent COVID date spots.
Javier's Restaurant - Newport Beach
Tired of Mexican food yet? This restaurant is nestled right in Crystal Cove overlooking the ocean. If you are lucky, you might see Heather Dubrow from The Real Housewives of Orange County.
Wilma's Patio Restaurant
Best place for breakfast/brunch on Balboa Island! This was Chasen's great grandparents favorite spot.
Balboa Island
Our favorite place in all of Orange County, this beautiful little island in Newport Bay is where Chasen spent his childhood visiting his great grandparents. Take a walk down Marine Ave to go window shopping or stop by Dad's to grab a world famous Balboa Bar if you are in the mood for a sweet treat.
Fashion Island
This is a gorgeous outdoor mall in Newport Beach that we frequently enjoy spending afternoons perusing, a perfect place to get your Christmas shopping started. We recommend starting at the Nordstrom that Jack used to work at.
South Coast Plaza
For those with a more luxurious taste, head on up to this mall in Costa Mesa for your Christmas shopping. For those of you that are Dim Sum fans, Din Tai Fung is one of our favorite restaurants here - be warned wait times can exceed 2+ hours!
Disneyland Park
If you are behind on your steps for the month and need to catch up, but want to still somehow gain weight and spend all your money, head up to Anaheim (20-30 minutes from Newport Beach) and have a fun day at the Happiest Place on Earth. Hit up our favorite rides, Chasen's is Thunder Mountain Railroad and Jack's is Matterhorn.
Universal Studios Hollywood
For those that don't want to break the bank, still enjoy amusement parks and don't mind a bit of a drive, head up to Universal Studios and grab a butter beer at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter or help Mario and his friends beat Bowser in the new Nintendo ride!
Pacific City - Ice Skating
For some ice skating by the beach head up to Huntington Beach and Pacific City. We actually have never done this but it's our number one date To-Do.
Laguna Beach
Located 15-20 minutes down PCH from Newport, Laguna Beach will make you feel like you are in a post card. Walk along PCH to do some boutique window shopping or hit up some amazing restaurants like Driftwood Kitchen or The Deck. Real Housewives of OC sitings are also on the table here.
Santa Monica Pier
Another one that is a bit of drive but for those of you wanting to experience the most iconic locations in Southern California this is a must see!