So your family is in town for the holiday weekend, and you’re not quite sure what to do with them. If they’re from the East Coast or Midwest, they’re probably experiencing some really nasty weather back home and can’t wait to put on some flip flops and a tank top.

Hopefully, this early morning fog will burn off and we can show off how pristine the coast can be even in November. Here are some suggestions on what to do with the in-laws to make them really jealous that they don’t live here in beautiful southern California:

Tour Newport Harbor:

A great (and inexpensive) way to see Orange County’s biggest harbor is to jump on one of the boats at the Fun Zone Boat Company.

Even locals who don’t get down to the harbor often will enjoy this cruise, which highlights some of the area’s most expensive and lavish homes and yachts. The tour guides are filled with tons of fun facts and history about the area, and it’s a great way to gawk at $10 million homes most of us will never afford or step foot in. Among the current or former celebrity homes the boats pass: Chuck Norris, Sylvester Stallone, Rock Hudson, Dean Koontz, Shirley Temple, and Nicolas Cage.

Details: Closed Thanksgiving; open Friday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is $14 for adults for the 45-minute cruise, and $17 for the 90-minute tour, which includes trying to spot sea lions. More info: 949-973-8413.

Watching for gray whales:

If you’d rather just sit then be active, jump on one of the boats at Dana Wharf Sportsfishing and Whale Watching. They’re kicking off the gray whale watching season on Friday, and will be holding charters daily starting Friday. The gray whales pass through Dana Point during their 6,000-mile migration – considered the longest of any mammal on earth – from Baja to Alaska. Cost is $29 for adults; $19 for children. More info: www.danawharfsportfishing.com

Newport surf contest:

We may take for granted the fact that surf contests happen all year long here, almost every weekend. But for those young kids in the family that are enthralled with the surfing lifestyle, dump them off at the beach at River Jetties (near the Santa Ana River mouth) in Newport so they can check out local surfers in action.

The amateur contest, called the Volcom Crustaceous Surf Series, starts at 7 a.m. on Saturday. More info: www.volcom.com/crusty

Crystal Cove State Park:

One of my favorite spots to take visitors is a little hideaway filled with cottages along the beach at Crystal Cove State Park. Many of the beachfront homes – tucked between Newport and Laguna beaches – were built in the 20s and 30s. The area has the ability to instantly transport you to another time and place.

Architecture and art buffs will love the design of the homes, which offer rich turquoise, reds and other bold colors that make this collection unique. Be sure to check out the last home south of the rest – that’s where the 80s movie “Beaches” was filmed.

There’s a great restaurant called “Beachcomber Café” that was built in one of the old homes. There’s a diverse menu, and you can order a cocktail and enjoy the sunset. The ahi mini tacos are off the hook. Be prepared to wait for a while during busy times.

Getting there: Park at Los Trancos parking lot ($10) and walk down a path under Coast Highway toward the beach.

Take a long walk on a pier:

One of the most beautiful places to take a stroll at sunset is the San Clemente pier, which has an amazing view of nearby cliffs and hillsides. The wooden pier isn’t the longest in the county at 1,200 feet, but there’s a treat at the base called Fisherman’s restaurant, which has outside seating and serves drinks named after local surf breaks such as the “Cottons.” While you’re down there, take a walk southward from the pier along a new walking trail, a great way to check out the coast without getting your toes too sandy.

Turkey Trot

For those of you who want to burn off some calories before you stuff your face with food all day long, sign up for the 30th annual Dana Point Turkey Trot. Running the 5k or 10k course is a fun way for the family to see the quaint Dana Point harbor. It kicks off at about 7 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day, for more information: www.turkeytrot.com.
 

For more happenings along the coast, plus live cams on each beach, go to ocregister.com/beaches

- Laylan Connelly

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