Corona del Mar is a charming and quaint village within Newport Beach that hosts a bevy of award-winning restaurants, upscale boutiques and posh salons, but CDM is also the home of side-by-side strollers, designer diaper bags and moms lunching and shopping with their kids.
Boutiques
: I was always at this toy store when I was a kid. What I like about it is the dedication to keeping educational and smart toys on the shelves—games, puzzles and kits for sale where kids can actually learn while having fun. So much better than those Bratz dolls.
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: This women's apparel boutique has a section for kids. Owner Erica Dee, a mom herself, has a selection of affordable designer kids clothes and accessories to keep your kid in style.
Services
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: If only this hair salon was around when I was a kid. How cute that each little client has his own rocket ship to sit in. Kids 12 and under can get a haircut, wash, blow-dry and updo starting at $22. Adults and other big people can get the same services starting at $28. (However, I don't think they will be able to fit in the rocket ship.) The salon will broadcast live your child's first haircut live on the Internet for family and friends and will provide a DVD of the haircut, before and after pictures, a lock of the child's hair in a commemorative vinyl album and signature kids shampoo and body wash.
: Like no other fitness studio in Orange County, Seaside caters to moms who want to get fit while spending time with their kids. Studio Seaside also offers child-care services while parents engage in fitness classes, but it also offers classes for kids. ABC sign language, pre-ballet (ages 1-3), kids music (ages 1-4), kids yoga (ages 4-10), baby-and-me yoga (12 months and under), moms-on-the-move stroller class, stroller boot camp and kids art and culture are all great classes to enrich your kids and get them active while keeping you active.
Restaurants and Treats
: Here kids have many food choices all packaged in a cute Ruby's Town classic car. It starts with breakfast, which is served until 11:30 a.m. Nothing is more than $4, and with such delicious items as pigs in a blanket and silver-dollar pancakes and French toast, there surely will be no tears at this table. For lunch and dinner, Ruby's has grilled cheese, turkey corn dogs, macaroni and cheese, chicken fingers and grilled chicken breast served with trans-fat-free fries or sliced apples. To make life even better, kids eat free on Tuesdays with the purchase of an adult entrée after 4 p.m.
: Adults can't have all the fun at Avila's. It's known for tasty margaritas and jam-packed Taco Tuesdays. Kids have their spot at Avila's too. Here kids under 1o can choose from a quesadilla, burrito or taco or chicken fingers served with rice and beans or curly fries and fruit, all under $6. This also includes a soft drink or milk. Other items include a la carte quesadilla, burrito or taco for under $3 or a chicken bowl with fresh fruit for $5.25.
: A quick on-the-go meal can be had at the popular local favorite. Here kids can choose from their very own menu. Bean-and-cheese burrito, cheese quesadilla or two tacos served with chips, salsa and a drink (milk, chocolate milk or soda).
: Coco's is a great place to take the whole family on a Sunday afternoon. It has a menu that appeals to everyone and discounts for seniors. It also caters to the kiddies. It has the most extensive kids menu in Corona del Mar; there are just two many items to mention. However, I'm sure the $4.99 lunch and dinner meals, $3.99 breakfast, and $1.19 kids sundae will be enough to pull you in. This menu has everything from Silly Spaghetti to a Kids Rule! Burger. Don't forget that kids eat free Tuesdays and Wednesdays after 4 p.m. with the purchase of an adult entrée.
: It has been a favorite of mine since I was a kid. The root beer lollipops and peanut brittle would make Willy Wonka faint. It also has a nice selection of sugar-free candy.
: A newer addition to the CDM Village, this modern-day candy store is a rainbow of colors for the starry eyed child. Colorful candies in glass apothecary jars, giant gummy bears and candy-inspired apparel are just what the tooth fairy ordered.
Subway: An affordable and quick kids meal, Subway's Fresh Fit Kids' Meal is less than 6 grams of fat. A Black Forest ham sandwich, crisp veggies and your choice of fat-free condiments makes for a healthy lunch option. Roast beef, turkey and Veggie Delite are other sandwich options. All kids meals come with sliced apples and milk and a recyclable tote.
: KFC knows that kids are picky. That's why its kids meal is sure to please. The laptop meal comes with your choice of drumstick, popcorn chicken or extra-crispy strip, a choice of a side and a drink (Capri Sun or small soda) and Sargento light string cheese.
Outings
I love this beach. It's a great place to avoid the crowds and take the kids for some afternoon sun. The trail to get there is a little steep, so be careful not to run, but the end place is like reaching the end of the rainbow. A beautiful beach where you can relax and enjoy a little R&R and family time.
There are many parks in Corona del Mar, but these two are centrally located within the village and offer a quiet and non-crowded amusement for the kids. With open spaces, a playground and picnic tables, these parks are perfect for a homemade-lunch date with the kiddies or an open space for the kids to run wild and let off some of that built-up energy. Adults are welcome to run around too.
