Orange County Restaurant Week

Orange County Restaurant Week is the region’s most celebrated culinary event and features nearly 150 local restaurants. For fifteen years, the weeklong event has introduced locals and visitors to some of OC’s finest dining.

During OC Restaurant Week, participating Orange County restaurants will offer special three-course menus, many with a cocktail or signature item at no additional charge. Each restaurant will showcase its best offerings by talented chefs who personalize each menu to reflect their individual culinary style. Participating restaurants will offer prix-fixe menus within the following price categories: lunch for $15, $20, or $25, and dinner for $25, $35, or $45. Participating restaurants are listed on the website by name, location, and price, to help foodies find their ideal dining experience.

Orange County Restaurant Week takes place from March 5th through March 11th, 2023. I absolutely love exploring new restaurants during this annual event and I appreciate the varied styles of dining including casual, family-friendly, upscale, and even fine dining venues.

This year, the Cocktails of Restaurant Week will be highlighted to complete dining experiences, and many participating restaurants will offer Breakfast for Dinner options. Additionally, OC Restaurant Week will highlight the following dining experiences:

• Family-Friendly Dining
• Vegetarian Dining
• Breakfast and Brunch
• Cocktails of Restaurant Week
• Date Night
• Luxe Dining

Cocktails Of Restaurant Week

Many participating restaurants will showcase a special OC Restaurant Week cocktail for $10-19.

OC Restaurant Week Launch Party

OC Restaurant Week begins with the official VIP Launch Party on Saturday, March 4th from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Marriott Irvine Spectrum.  Guests attending the launch party will have the unique opportunity to experience an array of bites prepared by some of the most innovative OC Restaurant Week participants. Tickets for the event are available for purchase on OCRestaurantWeek.com. Please note that guests must be 21 years or older to attend.

Knott’s Peanuts Celebration

Every year, Knott’s Berry Farm hosts one of my favorite seasonal celebrations, paying tribute to Snoopy, Charlie Brown, and our family’s favorite Peanuts characters. Beginning January 28th, families can enjoy Peanuts-themed entertainment, foods, and photo ops. Here is what you can expect this year during Knott’s Peanuts Celebration.

At the Birdcage Theatre, there is a new game show called Charlie Brown’s Trivia Challenge. Test your knowledge on how well you know the Peanuts gang during this engaging trivia game.

During Peanuts Celebration, Town Hall features immersive exhibits. This year’s exhibit is titled To the Moon: Snoopy Soars With NASA and highlights Snoopy’s longstanding relationship with our space administration. Don’t forget to snap a photo with Snoopy!

At the Calico Mine Stage, join the Peanuts characters as they perform the musical game show, It’s Your Life, Charlie Brown. In this exciting show, Charlie Brown gets the surprise of his life. The show features music and surprise guests, including Snoopy.

At night, the Calico Mine Stage transforms as Snoopy and The Jelly of the Month Club team up for Snoopy’s Legendary Rooftop Concert. This high-energy show will have everyone dancing!

We are looking forward to the return of our favorite Peanuts-inspired activities including the Peanuts Sketch School! Every year, we test out our artistic abilities as we try to draw our favorite characters. Knott’s Berry Farm’s resident art instructor provides step-by-step instructions making it easy for families to create the perfect Peanuts masterpiece.

Peanuts Cowboy Jamboree also returns and features Franklin and Linus who have transformed into cowboys. Located at Calico Park, families can participate in fun, engaging games.

In Ghost Town at the Livery Stables, do not miss Pigpen’s Pig Pen where kids can meet their favorite animal friends.

One of the best shows the entertainment team at Knott’s Berry Farm produced is Music Goes ‘Round and Around. My son in particular thinks the music is absolutely phenomenal. Join Sally and Schroeder as they host a retrospect of melodies.

While you are in Camp Snoopy, be sure to ride the Grand Sierra Railroad to experience Beagle Bonanza, which is a fun Peanuts-inspired overlay to this classic ride.

Dining at Boardwalk BBQ? Looking for a place to sit and enjoy some music? The James Street Trio will perform at the restaurant with music from the legend Vince Guaraldi (I know where my son is going to be this season!).

Knott’s Peanuts Celebration Food Guide

It is no secret that one of my absolute favorite things about visiting Knott’s Berry Farm during the seasons is the food. Every season is an opportunity for the culinary team at the park to showcase their creativity with new sweet and savory foods. I’ve already had a sneak peek at the Peanuts Celebration food items and you are going to want to try them all! Here is the Knott’s Peanuts Celebration Food Guide for 2023 (by restaurant):

Wagon Wheel Pizza (available Sat and Sun):

• Carnitas, Pineapple, Bacon, and Jalapeno Double Stuffed Baked Potato (dining plan eligible)
• Carnitas, Pineapple, Bacon, and Jalapeno Pizza with Cilantro (dining plan eligible)

Ghost Town Bakery:

• Roasted Tomato Basil Soup with Homemade Croutons
• Cherry Pie
• Wild Blueberry Bavarian Tart
• Almond Butter Ganache Brownie
• Ultimate Peanut Butter & Jelly Cookie
• Peach Cobbler Hand Pie
• Buttermilk Lemon Pound Cake

Calico Tater Bites:

• Pepperoni Pizza Tater Bites (dining plan eligible)
• Sweet Chili Tofu Tater Bites (dining plan eligible)

Sutter’s Pizza (available Sat and Sun):

• Mexican Street Corn and Bacon Pizza (dining plan eligible)

Sutter’s Grill:

• Chocolate, Bacon, and Jam Cheeseburger (dining plan eligible)

Sutter’s Funnel:

• Berry French Toast Funnel Cake with Acai Soft Serve
• Cornbread Funnel Cake with Honey and Pulled Pork

Ghost Town Grub (available Sat and Sun):

• Berry French Toast Funnel Cake with Vanilla Soft Serve
• Cornbread Funnel Cake with Honey and Pulled Pork

Mrs. Knott’s Pie Kitchen (available select days):

• Doghouse Shaped Cookie Decorating Kit

Wilderness Broiler:

• Thai Curry Fries with Chicken Peanut Satay (dining plan eligible)
• Mac and Cheese Bites* (while quantities last) (dining plan eligible)

Gourmet Churro Factory:

• Carrot Cake Churro with Cream Cheese Filling

Mix-it-Up:

• Butter Salted Caramel Snickerdoodle Cookiewich
• Lucy Float with Coca-Cola and Vanilla Ice Cream topped with Sprinkles

Calico Saloon:

• Honey Roasted Peanut Amber
• Juice Drop Hazy IPA
• Snickerdoodle White Stout
• Peanut Butter & Jelly Seltzer
• Boysenberry Hef
• Halo Light
• Apple Cider Sangria
• Blackberry, Mint, and Cucumber Gin Spritzer
• Raspberry Lychee Spritz with Gin, Chambord, Raspberry Syrup, and Prosecco

Judge Roy Bean (available Sat and Sun):

• Mini Sugar Donuts

Calico Railroad Bar Booth:

• Pineapple Mojito
• Tequila Honeybee
• Assorted Beers

Log Ride Funnel:

• Berry French Toast Funnel Cake with Acai Soft Serve
• Cornbread Funnel Cake with Honey and Pulled Pork

Strictly-on-a-Stick(available select days):

• Buffalo Chicken Crunch Sticks (dining plan eligible)
• Mac and Cheese Crunch Sticks (dining plan eligible)

Charleston Circle Coffee:

• Almond Butter Ganache Brownie
• Ultimate Peanut Butter & Jelly Cookie
• Peach Cobbler Hand Pie
• Buttermilk Lemon Pound Cake

Charleston Circle Bar Booth(available select days):

• Pineapple Mojito
• Watermelon and Basil Margarita
• Juice Drop Hazy IPA
• Halo Light

Prop Shop Pizzeria:

• Spicy Sausage and Bolognese Rigatoni (dining plan eligible)
• Chicken Parmesan Stromboli
• Carnitas, Pineapple, Bacon, and Jalapeno Pizza with Cilantro (dining plan eligible)
• Mexican Street Corn and Bacon Pizza (dining plan eligible)
• Snickerdoodle White Stout
• Blackberry, Mint, and Cucumber Gin Spritzer

Boardwalk Bar Booth (available select days):

• Peanut Butter & Jelly Seltzer
• Boysenberry Hef
• IPA

Coasters Diner:

• Cubano Panini Burger (dining plan eligible)
• Avocado and Shrimp Citrus Salad (dining plan eligible)

Boardwalk BBQ:

• Mashed Potato Casserole with Rotisserie Chicken (dining plan eligible)
• Sesame Peanut Green Beans with Tofu (dining plan eligible)
• Parmesan Pesto Roasted Potatoes

Grizzly Creek Lodge:

• Chipotle Chicken Toastie Sandwich with Tomatoes (dining plan eligible)
• Mexican Street Corn and Bacon Pizza (dining plan eligible)

Farm Bakery:

• Cherry Pie
• Wild Blueberry Bavarian Tart
• Almond Butter Ganache Brownie
• Ultimate Peanut Butter & Jelly Cookie
• Peach Cobbler Hand Pie
• Buttermilk Lemon Pound Cake

Knott’s Season Pass 2023

The best way to enjoy all of the Seasons of Fun at Knott’s Berry Farm this year is to purchase a Knott’s Season Pass. The 2023 Season Pass includes unlimited visits to Knott’s Berry Farm during 2023, discounts on select food and merchandise, and access to all of the park’s seasonal events including Boysenberry Festival and Merry Farm. For more information, visit Knotts.com.

Beyond King Tut: The Immersive Experience

Beyond King Tut: The Immersive Experience debuted in four cities last Fall and brings the story of the ancient pharaoh to life in an immersive exhibit. The exhibition was created in partnership with the National Geographic Society and takes visitors on a time-traveling journey through the sights and sounds of the world of King Tut.

King Tutankhamun was a boy who reigned as the pharaoh of Egypt over 3,000 years ago and the last of his royal line, the 18th Dynasty, to rule Egypt. The 1922 discovery of his tomb and its treasures captured the attention and intrigue of the world. Through a series of nine galleries, Beyond King Tut invites guests to explore the historic discovery of the tomb, King Tut’s life and family, and the voyage to the afterlife. Descend into King Tut’s burial chamber to see his treasures that are now enshrined in Egypt, join his quest for immortality, and relive the discovery of his tomb with all of its treasures which were reclaimed from the desert sand after 3,000 years.

More than a traditional artifact display, Beyond King Tut uses the power of photography and technology to bring visitors an immersive experience while ensuring the artifacts from King Tut’s tomb remain in Egypt. Beyond King Tut is a multi-sensory, multimedia journey through the story of the boy king and how he changed both the ancient and the modern world. As the name implies, the exhibition goes beyond a traditional artifact display using photography and technology.

Beyond King Tut VR Experience

Want to take a deeper dive into King Tut’s tomb? Beyond King Tut offers a virtual realize experience as a separate add-on. “Tutankhamun: Enter the Tomb” will place you in the underground chambers of King Tut’s tomb where you will see the treasures that were discovered in 1922. This eight-minute VR experience is voiced by actor Hugh Bonneville and created by CityLights.

Beyond King Tut: The Immersive Experience Tickets and Information

The debut of Beyond King Tut: The Immersive Experience is perfectly timed with the 100th anniversary of the discovery of King Tut’s tomb. The discovery of his tomb influenced the world and has been infused into art, fashion, decor, architecture, entertainment, and more. Experience the royalty and mysteries of ancient Egypt as legends and myths are brought to life.

Beyond King Tut: The Immersive Experience is currently on display at Magic Box LA through February 26, 2023. Tickets start at $38 and can be purchased online. Right now, you can save 20% on LA single tickts for any date through 02/01/2023 (not valid for VIP or group tickets). For more information, visit BeyondKingTut.com.

Disney’s Frozen (Musical)

Inspired by the widely popular animated film, Disney’s Frozen tells the story of princesses Elsa and Anna, who have to learn how to lead a kingdom. Elsa possesses magical powers to freeze both people and objects, but she has not learned how to control these powers. After she has inherited the throne, Elsa leaves, which inadvertently renders the kingdom to be frozen in an eternal winter. As the story unfolds, Elsa must learn to sacrifice and demonstrate how true love can save their kingdom.

There are currently five productions of Frozen playing worldwide, including Australia, Japan, London, and Hamburg. The Tony-nominated Best Musical completed its Broadway run in March 2020 after breaking four house records at The St. James Theatre. Since its Los Angeles premiere in 2019, the North American tour of Frozen has been seen by more than one million guests in 21 cities. 

Frozen has been created for the stage by an award-winning team and features the songs you know and love from the original Oscar-winning film. The musical also includes an expanded score with a dozen new numbers by the film’s songwriters, Oscar winner Kristen Anderson-Lopez and EGOT winner Robert Lopez.

When the film debuted, I immediately thought that Frozen would make the perfect musical. We are so excited to see the show live on stage.

Frozen Tickets and Showtimes at Segerstrom Center for the Arts

Frozen will perform at Segerstrom Center for the Arts Wednesday, February 1, 2023, playing through Sunday, February 19, 2023. Performance times are as follows: Tuesdays through Fridays at 7:30 pm; Saturdays at 2:00 pm and 7:30 pm and Sundays at 1:00 pm and 6:30 pm. Tickets start at $29 and can be purchased online at scfta.org, via phone (714-556-2787), or at the box office located at 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. VIP Ticket Packages, which include prime seat locations and a VIP Fan Pack, are also available.

Jurassic Quest

The largest and most realistic dinosaur exhibition in North America returns to Orange County, bigger and better than ever. This walk-through experience invites families to see the nation’s largest herd of photorealistic dinosaurs for a limited time at the Orange County Fair & Event Center from January 14th through 16th, 2023. Having toured 41 states and Canada, the exhibition features more than 70 true-to-life-sized dinosaur replicas from the land and the sea, including the T. Rex, Triceratops, and Megalodon.

Our very first experience with Jurassic Quest took place during the early months of the pandemic when this experience was converted to a drive-through quest. We are excited to experience first-hand, some of the largest, life-like dinosaurs in North America.

During Jurassic Quest, families will walk through 165 million years of Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods to learn about the creatures that ruled on land. Take a “deep dive” into the “Ancient Oceans” exhibit to come face to face with the largest apex predator that ever existed – a moving, life-size, 50-foot-long megalodon. Additionally, you will meet the babies, hatched only at Jurassic Quest: Cammie the Camarasaurus, Tyson the T-Rex, and Trixie the Triceratops along with their star dino trainers: Safari Sarah, Dino Dustin, Prehistoric Nick or Park Ranger Marty.

7 Family-Friendy Dinosaur Encounters at Jurassic Quest

From rideable dinosaurs and live dinosaur shows to interactive science and art activities, here is what you can expect this winter during Jurassic Quest.

• Ride a Dinosaur: Jump on a dino’s back and hang on tight as some of their animatronic dinosaurs are ridable.
• Create a Dinosaur Craft: Create your own paper dinosaur, color a dino, or choose from other dinosaur-inspired crafts.
• Meet the Baby Dinosaurs:  Meet their baby Triceratops, Camarasaurus, and more.
• Dig for Fossils: Uncover ancient secrets like triceratops fossils, T-rex fossils, and more at the science tables.
• Walk With Dinosaurs: Take photos, touch a tooth or tail, and hang out with the dinos while you explore.
• Discover Ancient Oceans: Discover the secrets of underwater sea dwellers like the enormous pre-historic sea turtle, the earliest discovered dolphins, and the 50-foot megalodon!
• Explore the Dinosaur Bounce Houses: Jump and play on their big, dinosaur-themed bounce houses. It should be noted that some bounce houses are explicitly designated for small children. Socks are required.

Jurassic Quest was developed in collaboration with leading paleontologists and each dinosaur was replicated in painstaking detail. These dinosaurs are brought to life with “scaly” skin, feathers, and/or fur. The dinosaurs also exhibit realistic movement and sound and are displayed in realistic scenes with some that move and roar, allowing families to experience them as they were when they roamed the earth billions of years ago.

Encounter some of the largest dinosaurs to roam the earth and eerie marine creatures that lurked deep within the ocean.

Jurassic Quest Printables and Activities

After you’ve experienced Jurassic Quest, be sure to visit their website for virtual activities including Dino Storytime, Show & Tell, fossil lessons, craft activities, word searches, coloring pages, and more. You can also check out their YouTube Channel to join the Jurassic Quest dino trainers as they celebrate Dino Day, Fossil Day, and more Dino-tastic days.

Jurassic Quest Tour and Tickets

Experience Jurassic Quest at the following SoCal locations:

• OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa: January 14-16, 2023
• Del Mar Fairgrounds in San Diego: January 20-22, 2023
• Fairplex in Pomona: January 27-29, 2023

Tickets should be purchased in advance at JurassicQuest.com. General admission ($22) includes live shows, arts and crafts activities, and dinosaur and marine exhibits. Tickets for individual activities are available on-site. Free entry for children under 2.  

Kids Unlimited tickets ($36): Includes admission, plus unlimited access to stationery and walking dinosaur rides, fossil dig, and dinosaur-themed inflatable attractions. (Note: maximum weight for rides is 140 lbs.)