local road trips put your best foot forward an organized college life

“What makes this place so happening is the size of the
venue. However, when a well-known band plays, it fills up
quickly.” -Justin Fernandez
in Lake Forest and is as dodgy as it gets, but it’s practically
free because the drinks are so cheap! Like any other dive bar,
it is cash only and only serves beer. As you walk into the bar
located in a strip mall between a sushi restaurant and Subway,
your lungs are quickly filled with smoke as this bar has a large
smoking section.
The majority of time there are guys standing among the
four pool tables. There is also a shuffle board, darts and a old
fashioned juke box that has been updated to play the latest
hits. Customers find satisfaction in the ability to choose their
favorite songs and select from the endless amounts of tunes.
This bar is great for college students with pockets less than
deep. Returning customer and Orange County native Sarah
Housepian said: “My only suggestion is to wear clothes you
don’t like because you will end up smelling like smoke by the
end of the night!”
Coastal
Once you venture toward the coast, the cookie-cutter houses
of suburbia begin to fade out and the laid back beach scene
appears. Turk’s Dana Point is located directly on the harbor.
This cozy restaurant and bar is infamous for its friendly
staff and has been around for years. Turks is decorated
with fisherman collectives such as a large swordfish and a
variety of nautical finds. As you enter the bar, there are the
Southern California locals and a variety of boats are docked
in the harbor in view. This bar is great for small gatherings
with friendly staff and a knack for being generous with their
alcohol. Turks is filled with a variety of ages during the busy
hours on the weekend.
Costa Mesa
As you continue further down the coast, the very hip and
young Costa Mesa neighborhood appears. Trendy shopping
such as The Lab and The Camp located directly across from
each other on Bristol helps make this a hot spot for the college
demographic. Costa Mesa offers a lot of venues that local
artists play during free nights of music. One of the bigger
and more well known venue for bands to play is Detroit Bar,
which has a stage, bar and pool room. Due to the fact that
Detroit Bar offers a state-of-the-art sound system many local
indie-rock bands and critically acclaimed touring acts choose
this venue. One frequent Detroit Bar customer is 24-year-old
Justin Fernandez who often attends shows. “What makes this
place so happening is the size of the venue. However, when a
more well-known band plays, it fills up quickly,” he said.
Santa Ana
Our next stop is Santa Ana’s historic art district. This area
has continued to grow throughout the years and is known for
the annual Dia De Los Muertos festival held in November
Throughout the year, the historic art district also provides free
art walks and open mic nights for young and talented local
artists. The Crosby, is a hip lounge that features a stylish bar
and youthful vibe. With dim lighting, skeleton wallpapered
walls and booth seating, it’s a top spot Monday nights at The
Crosby due to the $2 PBR special, and during the weekends
there is often a DJ spinning vinyls or local artists performing.
Phil Nisco, manager of The Crosby, explained that the Santa
Ana historic art district is up and coming. “Santa Ana is a
great place, many people help one another out with business
ideas and it is a tight-knit community,” he said. Speaking of
business ventures, there is talk of opening up a “Build Your
Own Grilled Cheese” at The Crosby. This add-on is in the
works, and would feature late night hours and cheap prices for
hungry folks eager to get a quick bite. Not 21 yet? No worries,
this venue is located by a few other late night hidden treasures
such as The Gypsy Den.
City of Orange
As you leave Santa Ana, you’ll come see the city of
Orange, equipped with a downtown bar scene, residential
neighborhoods and a unique and exclusively hidden venue
called Orange County Mining Company.
Located in the hills of Orange, you must first travel up a
long curvy road where you find the venue perched hillside. As
you walk in, it is as though you stepped back in time during
the mining era. A variety of mining noises clank as you walk
into the front doors adorned with black and white photos of
mining men of later times. Orange County Mining Company
acts as a restaurant and bar, with a great indoor and outdoor
seating area.
The drinks are served in copper tinned mugs giving it the
antique feel of the old mining town saloons. The lighting is
dim and very intimate, which makes this a great place for a
romantic date for two or a large party. The best time to visit
this venue is at sunset because of the prime location which
overlooks a large portion of south Orange County.
Orange County offers a vast amount of venues for you to
experience. Whether you’re into dive bars like The Iron Mule
or hip lounges like The Crosby, this list offers a variety of
venues that anybody would like. So, grab a group of friends
and see what Orange County has to offer.
Orange Appeal spring 2012 19