Passport to Paradise: Exploring Orange County, One Stamp at a Time
- Ashley Ryan
- Jul 13
- 8 min read
Creative passports give locals the chance to sip, savor and enjoy the arts with each new stamp.
There’s something truly captivating about collecting passport stamps. Whether lazing on the beaches of Bali, skiing the Swiss Alps or on safari in Africa, these stamps are a traveler’s finest trophies – a collection of all the awe-inspiring places one has been.
But what once exclusively symbolized far-flung journeys now doubles as a badge of local discovery. More and more companies are introducing passports of their own right here in Orange County, allowing locals to secure their stamps without ever leaving the region. From expertly crafted cocktails and ice-cold beers to a flurry of restaurants and artistic festivals, these inventive passports are putting culture front and center in a way that’s fun, interactive and beneficial for small businesses.
Chart your journey through Orange County’s food and arts scenes with these passports to paradise, and you just might discover something entirely unexpected.
Travel Santa Ana's Culinary Passport. PHOTO 1: The Culinary Passport logo. PHOTO 2: You can pick up a michelada with breakfast at Alta Baja Market. PHOTO 3: Dishes from Kaizen Shabu, an interactive restaurant highlighting hot pot dining experience. PHOTO 4: Indian flavors can be found at Masala Craft. PHOTO 5: Tuk Tuk Thai Street Food is one of many food stalls at 4th Street Market. Photos courtesy of Travel Santa Ana
Travel Santa Ana: Culinary Passport
The vibrant culinary scene in Santa Ana comes to life with Travel Santa Ana’s Culinary Passport. Just launched in April, the initiative allows locals to take their taste buds on a journey by mapping out 40 of the most thrilling dining experiences in the city, showcasing diverse venues focused on innovation or tradition. “The culinary landscape in Santa Ana is global and includes Mexican, Japanese, Indian and Korean cuisines, just to name a few,” said Wendy Haase-Roberts, president and CEO of Travel Santa Ana. “We’re excited to bring awareness to local businesses and encourage guests to try something new.”
Designed to showcase this rich variety of cuisines, the Culinary Passport is a digital experience, allowing diners to celebrate where they eat by tagging @TravelSantaAna on Instagram and using the hashtag #CulinaryPassportSA to showcase their meals. Every quarter of the year, one lucky winner will be given a $50 gift card to a participating restaurant so they can keep exploring the local food scene.
Restaurants are chosen based on their signature or “must-try” dish, their uniqueness and how integrative or representative each is of the local community. And with 15 different global cultures included, there is truly something for everyone. Highlights include Michelin-recognized sushi spot Omakase by Gino, flavorful Indian restaurant Masala Craft, classic Italian favorite Antonello Ristorante, Native Son brewery and Lola Gaspar (also Michelin-recognized), where diners can enjoy tastes of Mexico City and Sonora.
“We hope to encourage people to support local businesses while showcasing Santa Ana as a destination for authentic cuisines from across the globe,” Haase-Roberts said. “Many of the restaurants in Santa Ana are locally owned and run by passionate owners. We’re excited for foodies to discover our hidden gems and lesser-known restaurants that serve some of the best food in SoCal.”
The Pint Life's PintPass. PHOTO 1: The passport includes a map of all the participating brewhouses. PHOTO 2: Each page of the PintPass is dedicated to a different brewery, with space for a stamp, information about the venue and a QR code for redeeming your one-cent pint. PHOTO 3: Left Coast Brewing Co. is one of the participating PintPass breweries. PHOTO 4: A pint of beer and the Orange County PintPass at Pfeiffer Brewing Co. in Anaheim. Photos courtesy of Pint Life Co.
Pint Life Co.: Orange County PintPass
In early 2024, Pint Life Co. debuted its original Los Angeles craft beer passport and, toward the end of that year, announced an expansion into the Orange County market for 2025. Now in its second season of the Orange County PintPass, the passport offers an entire year of exploration for the price of only a few pints.
“Pint Life was born out of a simple idea: Southern California has an incredible craft beer community and the people who love it deserve a fun, easy and affordable way to explore it,” said Randy Morse, managing member at Pint Life Co. “The passport gives beer enthusiasts a reason to go beyond their neighborhood brewery and discover what’s happening at amazing breweries across an entire region. A physical passport, uniquely designed for each territory every year, makes the experience tangible and collectible, something you can hold in your hands as you plan your next adventure.”
The $25 booklet has individual pages for each of the 26 breweries featured. Simply stop in, get your passport stamped and enjoy a one-cent pint. Because the pass is valid throughout the calendar year, beer enthusiasts can sip at their leisure until the end of December; the 2027 iteration will go on sale in November. And the list of participants is impressive, spanning the coastline from Huntington Beach to San Clemente and venturing as far inland as Placentia and Anaheim Hills. Notable breweries include Four Sons Brewing, Chapman Crafted Beer and Villains Brewing Co. though you’ll also find lesser-known spots like RŌM Beer Co. and Broken Timbers Brewing Co. on the list.
Morse considers Pint Life Co. – and the PintPass itself – as a connecting piece between curious beer drinkers and the small businesses cultivating the experiences. “Support small. Drink local. That’s the ethos behind everything we do,” he said. “There’s a whole world of craft beer waiting to be discovered right in your own backyard. Every brewery in our program has a story, a head brewer with a signature style and a taproom that reflects the neighborhood it calls home. We hope passport holders leave each stop with a little more appreciation for the craft and a lot more loyalty to the people making it.”
Passport to the Arts. PHOTO 1: Passport to the Arts provides ticketed access to Laguna Beach’s three major summer art festivals, part of a collaboration that started back in 2004. PHOTO 2: The entrance to the Festival of Arts. PHOTO 3: The entrance to Art-a-Fair. PHOTO 4: Booths inside the Sawdust Festival. Photos courtesy of Festival of Arts
Laguna Beach’s Passport to the Arts
The only book on our list not dedicated to food and drink, Passport to the Arts provides a one-of-a-kind creative experience in Laguna Beach’s picturesque canyon. Dating back to 2004, the passport started as a collaboration between the town’s three major summer festivals, the city of Laguna Beach and the Laguna Beach Visitors & Conference Bureau.
The core mission was, of course, to make Festival of Arts, Sawdust Art Festival and Laguna Art-A-Fair more accessible with the help of a single shared ticket. But it also aimed for greater exposure for the more than 500 artists who aim to make a living working the festivals, according to Sharbie Higuchi, director of marketing/PR, merchandise and membership for Festival of Arts. “Ultimately, we hope the passport inspires a deeper appreciation for the arts, strengthens our creative community and creates meaningful connections between artists and visitors,” she said.
Running through Sept. 6, every passport provides one-time admission to each of the three festivals for $29. In addition to entrance, passholders will receive a day of complimentary parking in the Act V lot and free trolley access. And though it excludes Pageant of the Masters, visitors have access to everything else happening on the festival grounds during their visit, from live music, artist demonstrations and interactive workshops to unique dining experiences like The Cove by Starfish at the Sawdust grounds.
“Art isn’t just something to look at – it’s something to discover, interact with and connect with,” Higuchi said. “Through the passport, visitors and residents have the opportunity to meet artists, learn about their creative process, participate in hands-on activities and experience the many different ways art can inspire and bring people together.”
Dining Series Passport. PHOTO 1: A page from The District at Tustin Legacy’s Dining Series Passport, highlighting The Yellow Chilli. Each page offers space for diners to describe the dishes they’ve tried as well as learn about the restaurant and redeem special offers. PHOTO 2: The Upside Down Ube Halo Halo from Cafe 86. PHOTO 3: Dishes at Luna Rossa highlight modern Italian cuisine. PHOTO 4: At Curry Pizza House serves pizzas that marry Indian and Italian flavors. Photos courtesy of Festival of Arts
The District at Tustin Legacy: Dining Series Passport
Following a successful cocktail series, The District at Tustin Legacy introduced its Dining Series Passport in February of this year, giving visitors the chance to discover the diversity of food and drink options available throughout the Tustin shopping and entertainment complex.
Like the Travel Santa Ana Culinary Passport, international appeal drives the program. “We envision the passport as a catalyst for culinary discovery, driving foot traffic to local businesses that guests might not have tried yet,” said Alixandria Ogawa, marketing director for The District. “Whether it’s the vibrant Indian fare at The Yellow Chilli, the live music and authentic Mexican cuisine at Casa Del Sol Cocina Mexicana or the delectable ube-infused treats at Café 86, there’s something to awaken every palate and celebrate different cultures.”
The restaurants are featuring special, limited-edition dishes as part of the Dining Series, ensuring that every stop on the route provides a unique experience. Whether you’ve visited the restaurant once or 50 times, it will be unlike anything you’ve tried before. When ordered, these dishes come with an interactive passport that guides visitors on their trip around The District. Within the booklet, diners can rate the cuisine and experience as a whole as well as uncover exclusive offers for future meals. Those who manage to complete the entire book are entered into a drawing to win gift cards from The District worth up to $750.
“Because the featured menu items are created exclusively for this series, foodies get access to a highly curated, limited-time lineup of seasonal flavors. It’s the perfect excuse to revisit an old favorite or get out of a comfort zone and discover a brand-new hidden gem,” Ogawa said. “We hope it shows people that Orange County’s dining scene is incredibly vibrant, sophisticated and diverse – and that The District is a perfect macrocosm of that rich culinary landscape.”
Last Call Society. PHOTO 1: The 2026 Craft Cocktail Passport is offered through the end of the year while the 2027 edition will go on sale in November. PHOTO 2: Drinks at Casa de Onda in Costa Mesa are included in the passport. PHOTO 3: Drinks at Cafe 66 in Santa Ana include alcoholic and nonalcoholic options. PHOTO 4: The Chief Lapu Lapu is a rum drink served at the Royal Hawaiian in Laguna Beach. Photos courtesy of Last Call Society/Jose Rodriguez
Last Call Society: Craft Cocktail Passport
While working the same craft beverage events across Orange County, Adam Dahl, the creator of Pint Life Co., and Josh Buckhalter, who developed the Drunken Gentlemen drinking club, discovered that they had a shared interest in cultivating experiences, and Last Call Society was born. The group’s Craft Cocktail Passport brings the best of both worlds together, combining the PintPass concept with Buckhalter’s desire for storytelling and community.
The 2026 iteration is the brand’s first, with the limited-edition physical passport running from January through December. Later this year, they will open sales for the 2027 version, which they plan to expand to Los Angeles, Long Beach and San Diego as well. Like the PintPass, the Craft Cocktail Passport is currently priced at $25 though, instead of spending a cent per drink, passportholders will pay $5 for each cocktail.
“Our goal is not simply to offer discounted drinks. We want to create a sense of exploration and community while encouraging people to spend their time and money with local businesses,” Buckhalter said. “Orange County has many different cities and distinct communities, and the passport helps connect them through a shared experience. We also intentionally created a physical passport during a time when many people are looking for opportunities to disconnect from their phones. Members can carry the book, collect stamps and enjoy the experience without needing to use an app.”
Featuring an assortment of 38 bars and restaurants spread across 15 cities, this passport allows OC residents to truly delve into local mixology. Visit Anaheim speakeasy The Blind Rabbit, Playground Mini Golf in Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa’s contemporary Mexican restaurant Descanso and McFadden Public Market, home to both the Twisted Tiki bar and Mission Control arcade.
“We look for venues that can collectively represent the variety of Orange County’s cocktail scene. That includes established local favorites as well as newer locations and hidden gems,” Buckhalter said. “Cocktail quality is important, but we also consider hospitality, atmosphere, concept, consistency, geographic diversity and the overall experience a guest receives .… The goal is not to create a ranking of the best bars; it is to build a balanced journey that encourages members to experience different styles of cocktails, neighborhoods and hospitality.”
