Brea, California is a great place to call home. We all know that Orange County is home to the Happiest Place on Earth, Disneyland of course! Yet a day trip may not always fit in the family budget.

Like many communities one only needs to look around to find low cost or no cost activities or events. Just take the time to discover the opportunities in your own back-yard.

Here's a list of some of my favorites in good ole' Brea:

• For the art lovers around town, Brea's Art In Public Places is a true delight. Over 130 works of art in a variety a mediums are local treasures ready for discovery. To see these daily is something I never take for granted, they just make my day around town that much better.

And not that I've seen them all, every now and then I discover a new one and it's always a treat for me. Take a tour and see for yourself. Cost~absolutely FREE!

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• Orange County Library, Brea Branch ~ The Brea Library offers a variety videos, books, tapes and compact discs.  To make things more fun Brea's Library offers special programs including a pre-school story time for the little ones and after school crafts and a summer reading club.The Brea Library is located at the Brea Civic and Cultural Center, (just across from the Brea Marketplace) at One Civic Center, main level.

Open 5 days a week: Hours 10:00 - 6:00 Mondays & Thursdays. 12:00 - 8:00 Tuesdays & Wednesdays and 10: a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Saturdays. Closed on Friday and Sunday. Cost of a library card?  Absolutely FREE ~ For more information, call (714) 671-1722

• Stroll through Brea's Certified Farmer's Marketin Downtown Brea on Birch Street. That's right each Tuesday downtown Brea plays host to a wide variety of local growers, vendors and crafts. It's a great way to spend the late afternoon or early evening. Cost: The event and PARKING is absolutely FREE.

Be a sport, head on over to Brea's newest addition the brand new Brea Sport Park on Birch St. I was there myself on opening day the morning of Feb. 14^th, 2009! It was an exciting event. The park is loaded with something for everyone. Sports fields of almost every imaginable variety, a colorful unique playground and even a vendor/refreshment area. Truly something for everyone! Cost: Absolutely FREE and plenty of FREE PARKING.

Enjoy the Brea's Art Gallery at the Civic Centre. In addition a gift shop is home to works of art from all over the world. When it comes to kids... a Children's Art space allows them to use their own creativity with displays and participation in hands on fun. Don't you just love that? The Gallery is located in the Brea Civic & Cultural Center (across from the Brea Marketplace) at One Civic Center Circle. Gallery hours are Wednesday - Sunday, 12 to 5 p.m., best of all it's FREE for Brea residents, all others pay $2.00.For more information, Call (714) 990-7730 for more info. o

• Brea Museum and Heritage Center in City Hall Parkat 495 S. Brea Blvd. (At Elm St.) Take a look back in time and visit the days of Good Ole' Brea, when Brea Blvd. was a little two-lane road that took visitors through the canyon on the way to the L.A. County Fair. That's the journey we took as a family years ago. ~ Hours Saturdays 19:00 to 3:30. The museum is closed on holiday week-ends. Cost ~ Although donations are welcome, once again, the cost is absolutely FREE! 

• Take a hike, Brea is surrounded on the north and a portion of the eastern boundary by the hills. Enjoy the outdoors with a nature hike at Carbon Canyon Regional Park, on Carbon Canyon Rd. in Brea, check it out.

If you're interested in learning more about Brea see why Sunset Magazine named it one of the best places in the west, or check out Living In Dowtown Brea, or Downtown Brea Nights, Visit Brea Family Fun, Brea's Curtis Theatre or Downtown Brea Dining.

For real estate, contact me, Lynda@PreferredHomeBrokers.com, we're one of the oldest independent brokerages in Orange County under the same ownership, check us out Preferred Home Brokers.

~ CA Department of Real Estate License #00402040.