The Camp & The Lab
Costa Mesa, CA
Free to wander
By Simir Shah
★★★★★4.5(1,399 Google reviews)
What parents say
AI summary of 5 Google reviews — not a first-hand visit. How we write these
Parking is the recurring complaint: hectic at weekends and, by one recent account, hard midweek too, with valet taking rows and cars on red kerbs. Arrive early and you get a space and skip the breakfast queue. Independent shops, coffee and shaded courtyards once you are in.
Two laid-back open-air courtyards of indie cafes, bookshops, and string-lit patios, born when The LAB — "Little American Business" — was built in 1993 from a recycled night-vision-goggle factory as a deliberate answer to sterile corporate malls. The adjoining CAMP, from the same owner, leans into an eco-conscious, active-lifestyle theme — an easy, free hangout with great snacks.
Good for
- Ages 10+
Happening near here
- OC Japan Fair (19th Annual)Costa Mesa · 2 mi
- Free Public Train Rides at Goathill JunctionCosta Mesa · 2 mi · 3rd full weekend of the month, 10am–3:30pmFree
- Movies on the Beach at Newport DunesNewport Beach · 5 mi · Fridays & Saturdays at duskFree
- Bowers Museum — Free Sundays (Santa Ana residents)Santa Ana · 6 mi · 10am–4pmFree
2937 Bristol St, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, USA
Hours via Google — confirm before a special trip.
Map
What visitors say
- Christopher T★★★★★
Quite an unique hidden place in OC. Yes it busy in the weekends and holidays and parking can be Hectic. But once you got a parking and walk into the camp, it just purely cool vibe, unless holidays or weekend since foots traffic is abit overwhelming. But at every walkways, corners, or turns, there is something unique and different either with different structures, water fountain, painting, seating patio or something eye catchy. The vibe is just chill and calm (except holidays). Plenty of option of shops restaurants and coffee places. All are unique and independent and once of a kind.
4 months ago
- Anton Cervantes★★★★★
Only giving 1 star because of the parking. I’ve been coming here for years and parking is always an issue on the weekends, but now it’s a struggle any day of the week. The valet just took over another row and it’s always empty while there’s plenty of cars waiting to self park. Cars are having to park along the red curb because of the exploitative valet. This is the parking lot on a Wednesday afternoon.
a month ago
Showing 2 of 5 Google reviews · Read them all on Google Maps
Nearby places
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Eat nearby in Costa Mesa
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