Orange County has so many great choices for outdoor photography. I mean how lucky are we to have every type of setting from beaches to open fields and ever forest like locations? In this post I will be sharing my top 5 family photo locations. Some of these spots are beautiful hidden treasures. There is so much more to discover and I cannot wait to find more but for now here they are; The top 5 family photo locations in Orange County. Enjoy!

#1 Victoria Beach/ Pirate Tower

The pirate tower is one of Orange County’s hidden beach gems. I had heard of this place many times before I had ever had the chance to check it out myself. I really thought is was a top secret landmark that I would never have the chance to visit. Well, I was wrong and let me tell you, I am so happy that I was able to find it. It really wasn’t that difficult to find. I googled the name of the tower and voila, there it was in simple instructions, an article that pointed me right to the foot of the Pirate Tower.

I spend most of my summer sessions at this beach location. This is my favorite location of the top 5 family photo locations in Orange County. It is a perfect place to view the sunset. The tower and the green moss combined with the dreamy sky makes every family photo shoot look like a dream.

#2 Carbon Canyon Redwood Grove

The Redwood Grove Trail through Carbon Canyon Regional Park is an easy 15minute walk. So easy even my 2 year old can hike it. Once you reach the Redwoods it is like you’ve entered a portal to a completely new place full of beautiful redwoods. This place is just a giant blanket of peaceful shade. Simply GORGEOUS! The evening sunlight sneaks in through all of the trees and it creates a beautiful glow. It’s like jumping into a book of fairytales.

#3 Quail Hill Trail

I had been dreaming of a big open field with tall dry grass, a location in orange county that wasn’t going to take me longer than 30 minutes of travel time and I found it! The perfect place for a sunset photo shoot that didn’t require driving to the beach. Quail Hill trailhead is located in Irvine. Once again a pretty easy hike to find the perfect spot on top of the hill. The tall dry grass makes a calming sound that I could seriously fall asleep to. The sun and the sky create a breathtaking view. There is not a lot of foot traffic so that helps to have a quiet and intimate family photo shoot.

#4 Jeffery Open Space Trail

Jeffery Open Space trail has quite a variety of spots to photograph in. There is the rocky trail but the fun part is the bumpy grass. The fun and unique background make family photo shoots very unique in a beautiful way. This location does have a lot of foot traffic but most of the spots for photo opts are away from the main trails. This is a dog friendly location so families are welcome to bring along the family fur babies.

#5 Serrano Creek Trail

The Serrano Creek Trail is located in Lake Forest and although it can be quite a drive for some folk, it is a drive worth while. Beautiful golden hour light gleams through the large grove of eucalyptus trees. There are so many trees, I kind of feel like I’m walking in a little forest. Oh yeah, if you like horses keep an eye out, I’ve seen at least one each time I visit. This is a great location for a quit walk and fresh air.

Thank you so much for reading along about the Top 5 Family Photo Locations in Orange County. Be sure to check out some of my other blog posts for family and maternity sessions and everything photography related.

Til next time!