It’s back-to-school in Southern California again already! We sincerely hope that everyone had a safe and fun summer 2016! While the days of summer are drawing to a close, they aren’t quite over yet. If you are looking to squeeze the last few drops of fun from the season before heading back-to-school inSouthern California, then we have some suggestions we think will be a perfect close to this summer.

1. OC Fair

There’s still a few days to catch the fair. It’s here through August 14, 2016. Nothing quite says back-to-school like the food and festivities of a local fair. You won’t want to miss the fried pickles and bacon everything! There’s also some fantastic entertainment at area venues surrounding the fair this year, so catch a show while you’re out. Whether you’re into sports or music, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

2. Crystal Cove State Park

Crystal Cove State Park is home to one of the last remaining examples of early 20th century Southern California coastal development. There are 46 vintage cottages occupying just over 12 acres of the park where guests can rent space for overnight. This historic district is really something to see. Why not pick up the vibe at the Beachcomber cafe and sample the atmosphere?

Aside from the historic district of the park, there is much left to do. You can explore the tidal pools, enjoy swimming, hiking, camping, surfing and scuba diving just a name a few. Everything is set among the beautiful vistas of Southern California so the visuals are never boring. Crystal Cove State Park is the perfect place to decompress and shift your mindset to be ready for that first day of school.

3. Newport Aquatic Center

There is something so cleansing and renewing about being on the water, and the Newport Aquatic Center is a great place to do that. They have a wide array of paddling choices. You can do a little kayaking or stand up paddle boarding. Their back bay kayak tour, outrigger rowing for groups, and paddle boarding are all solid choices for fun on the water. If it turns out to be something you really emjoy, check out their membership packages!

4. Discovery Cube

Maybe a fun day of discovery with the kiddos is more what you’re going for to get they old neurons firing. Through September 5, you can still catch the Extreme Dinosaurs exhibit featuring life-size animatronic dinosaurs, skeletons and more! There are more than 100 hands-on exhibits for kids to explore and interact with. This is just a fraction of the many things available to do at the Discovery Cube, so bring your thinking caps and get ready to learn things you didn’t know before!

5. San Diego Zoo

Get your animal fix with the thousands of inhabitants at the world-renowned San Diego Zoo! This is the year to go because it’s the zoo’s centennial year! The zoo is home to so many animals you can’t see anywhere else like Polar Bears, Giant Pandas, Elephants, Gorillas, Penguins, and Koalas just to name a few. There is no doubt that a trip to the zoo will be a day full of so much wonder, you will barely be able to process it all. This is one of our favorite stops before back-to-school in Southern California.

Wrap Up

That should do it for your back-to-school destination list. These are the places to be to wrap up your summer and prepare for the 2016 school year! Are you heading out to one of these great places? We would love to hear about your experience in the comments! What was your favorite ride at the fair? What’s the most entertaining animal at the zoo? What did you learn at Discovery Cube? We’d love to hear from you!