Orange County Around Día de los Muertos: 6 Places to Go
Guide · Published 24 October 2026
Reviewed and approved by a NearbyWise editor before publishing. Every fact is checked against the business's own website. How we check
Día de los Muertos is a time to remember loved ones with home or community altars, marigolds, candles, photos and favorite foods. This guide started from Noche de Altares in Downtown Santa Ana, but our fact pack holds no schedule, location or price details for that event or for other Día de los Muertos celebrations. Confirm times directly with the organizers before you plan your Saturday. What follows are six Orange County places with published hours, prices and contacts, in the order our method ranked them. They include a state park, a nature center, a local history museum, a games venue, a regional park and a memorial park.
1. Crystal Cove State Park
Crystal Cove State Park is a state park off Pacific Coast Highway between Corona del Mar and Laguna Beach. It opens at 6:00am and closes at sunset, with the Historic District area open until 10:00pm. The park lists $15 per vehicle on weekdays and $20 per vehicle on summer weekends and holidays. Its listed booking site is www.reservecalifornia.com, and the park phone is 949-497-7645.
| Admission | Day use fee $15/vehicle |
| Admission | $15 per vehicle; $20 per vehicle on summer weekends and holidays |
| What it is | State park |
| Booking | www.reservecalifornia.com |
- Address: Off Pacific Coast Highway between Corona del Mar and Laguna Beach, California
- Hours: Open 6:00am to sunset, with Historic District area open until 10:00pm; 6am to sunset; Historic District closes at 10pm
- Phone: (800) 444-7275
- Website: crystalcovestatepark.org
More about Crystal Cove State Park
2. Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center
The Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center is a nature preserve interpretive center at 2301 University Dr., Newport Beach. Admission is free, and it opens Tuesday through Sunday from 10am to 4pm. Friends Tours are given on the second Saturday of each month from October to March. Listed activities include birding, biking, hiking, paddle boarding and kayaking. The center can be reached at (949) 923-2290.
| Admission | Free |
| What it is | Nature preserve interpretive center |
- Address: 2301 University Dr., Newport Beach, CA 92660
- Hours: Tuesday through Sunday 10am to 4pm; Friends Tours given on the second Saturday of each month from October to March
- Phone: (949) 923-2290
- Website: newportbay.org
More about Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center
3. Tustin Area Historical Society
The Tustin Area Historical Society is a museum at 395 El Camino Real, Tustin. Admission to the museum is free. Hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays 10 am to 3 pm, and Saturdays 11 am to 3 pm. The society also lists Night at the Museum speaker events. For details, call 714 731-5701.
| Admission | Free exhibits |
| Admission | Free |
| What it is | Museum |
- Address: 395 El Camino Real, Tustin, CA 92780
- Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 10 am to 3 pm, Saturdays 11 am to 3 pm
- Phone: 714 731-5701
- Website: tustinhistory.com
More about Tustin Area Historical Society
4. Activate Tustin
Activate Tustin, at 2403 Park Ave, Tustin, offers live-action games in custom-built game rooms. Hours are Monday to Thursday 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM, Friday and Saturday 9:30 AM to 11:00 PM, and Sunday 9:30 AM to 10:00 PM. The minimum age is 6 years old. Sessions can be booked online or by phone at 949-899-8977.
| What it is | Live-action games |
| How to book | Book online or by phone |
| Ages | Minimum age 6 years old |
- Address: 2403 Park Ave, Tustin, CA 92782
- Hours: Mon–Thu: 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM, Fri–Sat: 09:30 AM - 11:00 PM, Sun: 09:30 AM - 10:00 PM
- Phone: 949-899-8977
- Website: playactivate.com
5. Irvine Regional Park
Irvine Regional Park is a regional park. Parking is $3 per vehicle entry Monday to Friday and $5 on Saturday and Sunday. The park office is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 1 to 3:30 p.m.. The park asks visitors to call ahead for office staff availability; area requests go to the Irvine Park Railroad at (714) 997-3968, and pony ride information is at (949) 469-1607 (pony rides information only).
| Admission | Parking $3 per vehicle entry Monday-Friday; $5 Saturday-Sunday |
| What it is | Regional park |
| How to book | Call ahead for park office staff availability |
- Address: 1 Irvine Park Rd, Orange, CA 92869 (from Google)
- Hours: Office Hours Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 3:30 p.m.
- Phone: (949) 469-1607
- Website: ocparks.com
More about Irvine Regional Park
6. El Toro Memorial Park
El Toro Memorial Park is a cemetery and memorial park at 25751 Trabuco Road, Lake Forest. Visitation hours are 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily, and the office is open 8:30 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday. It accepts payment by personal check, money order, cashier's check or credit card. The office can be reached at (949) 951-8244.
| What it is | Cemetery |
| How to book | Payment by personal check, money order, cashier's check or credit card |
- Address: 25751 Trabuco Road, Lake Forest, CA 92630
- Hours: Visitation hours 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. daily; Office hours 8:30 am - 5:00 pm Monday through Friday
- Phone: (949) 951-8244
- Website: occemeterydistrict.com
More about El Toro Memorial Park
Frequently asked questions
When and where does Noche de Altares take place?
This guide has no published schedule or location details for Noche de Altares. Check with the event organizers in Downtown Santa Ana before you go.
What is Día de los Muertos?
Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a Mexican tradition of honoring family and friends who have died. People build altars, called ofrendas, with photos, candles, marigolds and favorite foods, and many visit cemeteries to remember loved ones.
Which of these places are open on a Saturday?
The Tustin Area Historical Society opens Saturdays 11 am to 3 pm. Activate Tustin opens Saturdays from 9:30 AM to 11:00 PM. El Toro Memorial Park lists visitation hours of 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily.
Which places on this list are free?
The Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center lists free admission. The Tustin Area Historical Society lists free admission to its museum.
How we chose these businesses
We ranked every business in our things to do listings that publishes the relevant details on its own website. The ranking combines the business's Google rating, adjusted for how many reviews it has, how many of the facts this guide needs the business publishes, and how recently we checked them. Every price and detail listed here comes from the business's own website. We don't review or rate businesses ourselves, and no business paid to be included. Prices and menus change, so confirm with the business before you go or book. How we rank · Report a correction
Facts last checked against each business's website on 20 October 2026.