Kelley Park is one of the most beautiful places in Orange County, and is a park that’s been built around over 200 acres worth of the crystal hot springs located there. The main reason people head to Kelly Park: inter-tubing down the stream that has been created from a rock outcropping.
Spending the Day at Kelley Park
In addition to inter-tubing or floating down the spring’s stream, families, friends, and individuals head to Kelley Park for swimming, picnicking, taking nature walks, and just hanging out in the outdoors. Whether you’re looking for an active day of volleyball, or a relaxing day of lazying on a tube in the stream, there’s something for everyone at Kelley Park. For children that are too young to get in the water, there is even a kids’ playground. Another good to note thing is that the spring has hired lifeguards and rangers to keep an eye on things, so you don’t have to worry about safety too much.
Hours of Operation and Fees
Another cool thing about Kelley Park is that it’s open year round, so you can head here to get out of the house regardless of the season. In the winter, the park is open from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and in the summer, the hours are extended to 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM. As far as entrance costs go, park fees are charged per vehicle rather than per person. As such, a vehicle of 1-2 people costs $3 to get into the park, whereas a vehicle of 3-8 will cost $5. Another good thing to know is that you should definitely try to arrive to this park as early as possible. The sooner you do so, them better your chances of even being admitted–in the summer, the park reaches capacity pretty early on. Once it’s at capacity, you’ll be turned away. Also, bring your own tubes! They don’t rent them inside of the park, but you can get them outside.
Campground for Overnight Use
If you’ve made the drive to Kelley Park and don’t want to head home quite yet, or if you simply love the idea of camping, there’s a campground at Kelley Park that you’re more than welcome to pop a tent at. However, there are only 26 campsites, and it gets full fast. If camping here sounds like something you might want to do, it is highly recommended that you make your reservation days, if not a couple months (to be safe) in advance.
Big Group? Big Party.
If you have a group of friends of family and are looking for a fun place to celebrate a reunion or party, Kelley Park is the perfect place to go. An entire bus full of people will only cost about $20 for admittance to the park, and you can rent a giant pavilion for between $50 to $75 extra.
For a day of fun in the sun, Kelley Park has something that everyone in the family will enjoy!
Reviews
Rock Springs Bar and Grill (Paul S)