Description
Prior to being a park, the grounds of Citrus Ranch Park were part of Irvine Ranch. While much of the ranch was replaced with homes by the 1980s, a grapefruit orchard still persisted where the park is today. Sometime in the 90’s, the grapefruit orchard changed into a lemon orchard, through a process that grafts lemon branches onto the grapefruit trees.
Citrus Ranch Park was established years later in 2010, where lemons still grow on a small hill in the middle. A lawn and picnic shelter surround one side of the hill. The playground, bathrooms, and second shelter are on the other side. To get a good view of Orchard Hills in Irvine (see photo), you can take a path going through the lemon trees up to a third picnic shelter (see photo). An access route for that path is next to the parking lot, while another is at the end of the playground.
Note: The playground is next to Jamboree Rd so it can be noisey at times. Run by the City of Tustin. Phone number is (714) 573-3000.
Fee if wanting to reserve
Shelters are first come first serve unless already reserved. To reserve a shelter, visit the Tustin Reserve a City Park Page. Shelters hold up to 50 guests. The shelter on top of the hill cannot be reserved. The shelter next to the lawn is half the cost of the one next to the playground. As of 2025, the shelter next to the playground was $82 for residents and $164 for non-residents for the day. The lawn shelter was $49 for residents and $82 for non-residents.
