So in the almost 15 years I have lived in Orange County, and the 4.5 years I have been a dad, I have found the best spot to take kids trick or treating.
Now we don’t go for the candy. The kids get enough of that on their school trick or treating trip. They go around two office buildings and end up coming home with 2 large bags each. Enough to fill a whole target shopping bag full of candy.
“Balboa island is the best location for trick or treating with the kids.”
Though there is a load of houses and plenty of candy to be had, we go to Balboa Island for the atmosphere. The people who live down there are extremely nice and love passing candy out to the kids. Not only that but it is a safe place to take your kids. It’s well lit, and the perimeter has no vehicle traffic with the exception of the fairy landing. Balboa island is the best location for trick or treating with the kids. We have been going here for 4 years ever since our daughter was a baby. If you decide to go below is a list of tips to make the night enjoyable for all.
Get There Early
I always have a problem with this one because our kids’ school is so far away. I suggest you get there as early as possible though. It gets mighty busy on Balboa Island so the earlier you get there the more time your kids will have to go door to door instead of begging you to park so they can get their candy fix. Also, some houses will have lines for the kids to get to the candy. So the earlier the better.
Parking
Don’t drive onto the island, the parking is near impossible. Also, don’t park in the shopping center just off the island, they may have you towed according to what the signs say. I suggest to park either down on Newport Beach, not sure how parking is down there on Halloween, then take the ferry to the island. You could also drop the kids & spouse off at the shopping center and go park at fashion Island. Once there you can get a Lyft to the shopping center and walk onto the island. The best spot though is a little community up the hill on PCH. There is a gate at the corner you can access on foot making for a stress-free parking spot.
Bathroom
This is the biggest struggle we have down there. If you go to the shopping center just off the island I’d try to find a bathroom there before starting. There are 2 bathrooms at the firehouse on Balboa Island but they are usually crazy busy nor are they the cleanest (go figure with all the people right?). The other thing we have done is go to Picante Martin’s Mexican Restaurant order some food, I suggest their Asada Fries, and use their bathroom in the back.
Where To Walk
We prefer to walk the boardwalk first as they have the best decorations and most likely will be participating in Halloween. After that, depending on the time, we will walk up and down a few streets so the kids can have more fun trick or treating. By that time Dominic is usually asleep but not Aaliyah she is in full candy mode.
Good Places To Eat
So you already know about Picante Martin’s. They also have Crocker’s (Hot dogs), Wilma’s (great for families), Ciao ( maybe not with younger kids but the food is really good), Shanghai (Chinese). There are a bunch of other places to include Starbucks, a few ice cream shops, and a couple of bakeries.
Other Tips
If it’s your first time on the island I suggest you try one of the two ice cream shops on the main strip (Marine Ave). The Original Frozen Banana or Dad’s Original. They have some of the best ice cream treats ever. What we do is walk the kids to do their trick or treating and when they are both passed out in the stroller and we are heading out we stop by there so mommy and daddy can have their treat.
Glow Sticks Or Bracelets
With so many kids running around having a way to quickly spot your kids is extremely helpful. You can usually find glow sticks & bracelets at Target or Walmart. Also if you do have your stroller you might find it useful to add a few to it as well. Even better is adding some battery powered lights to it. That way it’s easy for you and the kids to spot.
Bring A Stroller
This is really only important if you have younger kids. They will get tired and you will be carrying them. Plus if you tend to carry a bunch of stuff it helps. I use ours as a place to stand so I’m not getting crowded. The only downside is people will just stand in front of you when you are trying to get by, stop in front of you, or walk in front of you as you’re trying to walk through the crowd because they are in a hurry.
So as you can see my family and I love Balboa Island on Halloween. I hope, if you decide to go, these tips help. If you have another place other than Balboa Island to take kids trick or treating please share in the comments below.
