Tips on nabbing a fire ring this weekend

Looking to nab a fire ring along Orange County beaches this weekend?

Good luck.

Well, if this weather stays funky, you might have a chance. But be warned: Get there early and set up (talkin' 8 a.m., especially Monday).

Regardless of the occasion, lighting up the fire rings at the beach is one of those annual rituals that you have to do at least once a year, just as a reminder of how lucky you are to live here. Not only that - it's a pretty cheap outting if you do it right. Here's tips, and a list of where you can find fire rings along Orange County's coastline:

Bolsa Chica: 182 fire rings.
Huntington State Beach: 180 fire rings.
Huntington City Beach: A few hundred fire pits on a 3/4 mile stretch between Beach and First Street.
Newport Beach:  About 50 fire pits on Balboa Peninsula and Corona del Mar.
Laguna Beach: County-run Aliso Beach has about a dozen fire rings.
Doheny State Beach: About 35 or so spots,
San Clemente City Beach: Four rings on the south side of the pier, five on the north side, stretching from North Beach to T-Street. 

What to bring:

blankets or sweaters (can get chilly at night)
beach chair to sit on
cooler full of booze, um, soda.
a friend who plays the guitar

 
Food: Easiest is good ol' fashion hot dogs to cook over the fire. But last time, we got creative and brought prepared chicken skewers made with green peppers, onions and mushrooms(we brought a separate grill to put on the barbeque), and chicken to cook for tacos (bag of tortillas and homemade guacamole, kept in cooler). Don't forget the S'mores - graham crackers, marshmellows and Hershey's chocolate bar. Yum!