Things to Do in Rancho Santa Margarita

Although it takes place at the Orange County Fair and Event Center, the Anatolian Cultures & Food Festival actually exists at the nexus of thousands of years of Anatolian history. That's the way it feels, at least. Upon arrival, guests begin this trek through time at the Gates of Civilizations, whose waypoints honor 14 historic and present-day nations ranging from the mighty Hittite Empire to the modern Turkish Republic. Towering, ornate arches and a staff of highly knowledgeable costumed actors guide them through this journey, sharing the traditional dress and customs of bygone regional residents including the Ottomans, Romans, Phrygians, and Byzantines.

Once inside, guests can extend their explorations within stunning recreations of nine different Anatolian cities, grabbing lifelike views of everything from the Topkapi Palace—once occupied by Ottoman sultans—or the Armenian Cathedral of the Holy Cross, the ancient seat of the Armenian Orthodox patriarch. Along the way, they can stop for souvenirs at the bustling Grand Bazaar, where more than 100 vendor hawk traditional Near Eastern good. A traditional Turkish coffeehouse also occupies part of the festival grounds, tempting guests with cups of rich Turkish coffee that par well with the kebabs, stews, and baked goods prepared by the festival’s food vendors.

Forty gleaming hardwood lanes sprawl the length of Concourse Entertainment Center's 42,000-square-foot bowling gallery. Overhead screens keep score, and lane-illuminating lights lie in wait until 10 p.m. on weekend nights, when the audio-visual spectacle of cosmic tenpin induces squirrels to temporarily suspend hibernation and just dance. Larger parties can rent out one of the alley's VIP suites, which sequester lanes and lounge areas behind giant curtains to create fortresses of bowling solitude that can accommodate up to 320 simultaneous bowlers. When not immediately engrossed in clobbering pins, bowlers can seek out snippets of a sports game on 1 of the alley's 25 sports-tuned plasma screens, or scarf a slice of house-made pizza and an amber pint at Kingpin's Bar & Grill, located just aft of the bowling action.

The South Coast Symphony bills itself as "the unstuffy symphony." Which isn't to say that its pro musicians have any disrespect for the classical tradition—any given season likely will be rich with mammoth orchestral works and famous operas. But the group has broad tastes, and accordingly partners with a wide range of musicians to put on evenings of Broadway show tunes, renditions of classic-rock albums, and film-score performances. Many of the concerts are designed to be welcoming to a wide audience, including kids or adults who have never listened to anything besides CDs of funny sound effects.

Though they met through the RV business, Jim Headley and Dick Burke bonded over their excitement for a different mode of transportation. They opened Segway Orange County in 2004, and have since been matching customers with Segway i2 and Segway i180 models. Their shop hosts orientations for new owners, bringing Segway representatives in to coach attendees on the machine's operation and safety features before their first ride. The training also kicks off each of Segway Orange County's guided tours, which whisk visitors on 60- to 90-minute jaunts through Newport Pier or the Balboa Peninsula. Riding atop their Segway PT, patrons glide past sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean, beachfront homes, and boardwalk highlights such as the lone wizard who controls the tides with a series of pulleys.

Calling on the alchemic knowledge of ancient mystics, Merlin's Magic & Comedy Dinner Theatre blends gut-busting comedy, jaw-dropping barbecue fare, and mind-boggling magic tricks on the Rib Trader stage. Clothed in medieval garb, Merlin unleashes a flurry of illusions, levitating water glasses and assistants and confounding minds with sleight of hand and recitations of tax manuals. While audience members attempt to make sense of their newly stretched reality, a cadre of costumed servers piles tables high with ribs and chicken—or chicken strips and french fries for wee ones—and oversees edible disappearing acts.

Merlin's Magic & Comedy Dinner Theatre Calling on the alchemic knowledge of ancient mystics, Merlin's Magic & Comedy Dinner Theatre blends gut-busting comedy, jaw-dropping barbecue fare, and mind-boggling magic tricks on the Rib Trader stage. Clothed in medieval garb, Merlin unleashes a flurry of illusions, levitating water glasses and assistants and confounding minds with sleight of hand and recitations of tax manuals. While audience members attempt to make sense of their newly stretched reality, a cadre of costumed servers piles tables high with ribs and chicken—or chicken strips and french fries for wee ones—and oversees edible disappearing acts.

With hands gripped to the wheels of karts capable of cresting 45 miles per hour, up to 12 racers hum around the hairpin turns and straightaways of K1 Speed's indoor track during adrenaline-spiking sprints toward the podium. This brand of excitement can be found at all 15 locations, where racers eschew the fumes and inflammatory skywriting of gas kart exhaust for European, eco-friendly electric karts designed to instantly accelerate out of curves, which are bordered by safety barriers that absorb impacts. To keep everyone in the chase, dialed-down junior karts (available at select locations) safely carry tiny drivers between the height of 48" and 58".