Great place for Chinese comfort food. Some of our favorite dishes are the Pork Xiao Long Bao (what they are known for), Spicy Wontons, and Garlic String Beans. Also recommend the Dan Dan Noodles, Spicy Beef Noodle Soup, and Fried Rice (both chicken and pork are good).
After having lunch/dinner at Din Tai Fung, we recommend walking around South Coast Plaza. It is a high-end mall with beautiful decor and some of the best shopping in Orange County. Whether you are looking for high-quality basics at Uniqlo or J. Crew, or a designer bag at Celine or YSL, South Coast has you covered. There are also many other restaurants and bars throughout the mall and surrounding buildings.
Great outdoor mall area that lets you take advantage of the beautiful Southern California weather. It has been recently renovated with a new Apple store and various dessert and food options. Some of the places we recommend are Falasophy for Mediterranean food, Afters for ice cream, 85 degrees for pastries and boba, and Somi Somi for their soft serve.
Our favorite beach! This is sort of a hidden gem when it comes to beaches in LA/OC. It is not as crowded as Corona Del Mar, Santa Monica, or Huntington, but has some of the best views. Lots of cute stores to explore in the area as well. Check out Gelato Paradiso for some of our favorite gelato in the area!
Newly-built outdoor multipurpose area to lounge and soak in the OC sun. Right next to Huntington Beach, this mall is home to Philz Coffee, Ways & Means Oyster House, and The Bungalow.
We are always looking for new boba places to try and Omomo is our current fav! George loves the tiramisu cheese foam (what they're known for) but their regular milk teas are just as amazing. Be prepared for long lines but it's worth the wait!