By on April 11th, 2016
Best Sights to Share with an International Student in Irvine
An international student attending any of the excellent universities in and around Irvine, California, is in luck. You know that the Orange County area is full of great places to visit and sights to see. Everything from outdoor sculpture gardens to modern night clubs are in the area. What kinds of sights should you, as host, keep on the Must See list? Here are a few to consider:
Performing Arts
There are many fantastic performing arts locations around Irvine. One of the most well known is the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, where symphony performances are given regularly. Before a night being wooed by the stunning work of the Philharmonic Society of Orange County, or the Pacific Symphony, you can dine in Leatherby’s Café Rouge, the upscale diner in the lobby of the Concert Hall. Some of the other performing arts centers include the Samueli Theater and the Costa Mesa Playhouse, both of which are worth checking out for a taste of fine entertainment.
Family Friendly
If you have small children that will be joining you and your international student, you might want to check out the family friendly sites around Irvine. For many international students, theme parks might be nothing new. But the LEGO Land museum, or the Angel Stadium of Anaheim might be great ways to show off unique aspects of American culture during a day out with the family. There are also zoos, aquariums, and resorts to check out. If your international guest is interested in American history, the Diego Sepulveda Adobe is always worth a visit. This historic landmark was built in the 1800s, and stands as one of Orange County’s oldest structures.
Get Up and Move
California wouldn’t be California without a slew of active options that you can choose from. You can try rock climbing, paddle boarding, sport fishing, and whale watching all from right around the Irvine area. Thanks to guided tours and afternoon tutorials, you don’t have to have any previous know-how in order to try these things out.
One fun activity that your host student may get a kick out of is the Royal Aviation flight school. Even if learning to fly a plane is out of the question, they may love to see an aerial view of the Irvine area. And you might discover a new passion if you haven’t already tried out this fun service.
Eat to Your Heart’s Content
Like many college towns, Irvine has great restaurants to offer, no matter what kind of food you want to try. You and your host students could try a favorite local spot, or you could visit one of the fancy fine dining restaurants like the Capital Grille.
The best option here is to introduce your guest to your favorite local eatery, where you can share memories of your time there, and make some new ones. You could even check out a new food together, such as the unique pizzas and donuts served at Ecco Restaurant. Food is a vital part of the American culture, and often reflects the melting pot through ethnic and exotic flavors.
No matter where you choose to show your guest around, be sure it’s somewhere that you are comfortable speaking and interacting. Going to a movie is great, but hitting a dinner spot afterwards to talk about the movie, is one way that you can help your student learn English, and form a lasting friendship. These outings are designed for that purpose, so you should keep that in mind when planning.