This year, summer break begins May 25 to accommodate for the renovations in the 100, 200, 300, 500 and 600 wings. Some students may use this an opportunity to begin vacationing earlier, but you don’t need to fly across the world to make your summer break fun. Here’s a list of different activities you can do in Southern California over the break.

Take a day trip to LA

Santa Ana is located 35 minutes from Los Angeles making it easily accessible for anyone to make a quick trip to the entertainment capital of the world. In fact, many big name Hollywood films and television shows have been shot on location in LA and you may find it interesting to explore the real life locations of your favorite pictures like Clueless, La La Land and A Star is Born. Addresses to specific locations are published on the Internet and easy to access. There are also many museums, art installations and attractions in Los Angeles that are open for public to visit. Some of the most popular are Los Angeles County Museum of the Arts (LACMA),  Exposition Park, and the Last Bookstore. Additionally, you may be inclined to try one of the many dining experiences that LA is infamous for such as vegan food or other healthy options. No matter what you do in the city, keep an open mind. You don’t need a strict itinerary to have a good time in a busy place like Los Angeles. 

Donate your old clothes or go thrifting

What better way to spend spring break than with some spring cleaning. Emptying your closet of clothing items that you don’t wear anymore is an efficient way to get some chores done around the house. After you find a decent amount of clothes, you can donate them to one of the many donation stores throughout Orange County. One of the most popular being the Salvation Army. This organization accepts gently used clothes to sell in their stores. The proceeds of their sales go towards funding the organization’s adult rehabilitation centers. If your closet seems to be lacking style, consider shopping at a thrift store. Thrift stores have become increasingly popular because of its positive benefits towards the growing textile waste issue in the United States. Purchasing clothing items at thrift stores is a small but effective option to contributing to this movement and is also an affordable way to find interesting pieces to add to your wardrobe. Select thrift stores, like the Salvation Army, donate their sales towards important causes in the area. 

Visit a historical landmark

Southern California is rich in history and many of them are just a drive away. Mission San Juan Capistrano is one of the 21  missions established by Saint Junipero Serra. The mission has a museum exhibit with artifacts from when the mission was in active. There is an admission fee of $10 that goes toward the preservation of the mission. The Richard Nixon Presidential library in Yorba Linda houses a variety of multimedia galleries with 300 original artifacts. The museum begins with an introduction to Nixon’s presidency and continues chronicling his Presidency including the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal. The library is open seven days a week and admission for students is $10. Both of these landmarks are no more than 45 minutes away from Santa Ana and offer interesting historical insights of Orange County.