Bren Events Center

The Bren Events Center is UC Irvine's arena, on the corner of Mesa Road and West Peltason Drive at the edge of campus. Students just call it the Bren. It's home to the Anteaters' basketball and volleyball teams, and with about 5,000 seats on two levels it feels more like a big gym than an arena, in a good way. Nobody's seat is that far from the floor.

Retractable seating lets the staff clear the floor and set up a stage, so the building also books concerts, lectures and touring shows between games. It suits tours that want an Orange County date without trying to fill a hockey arena, and it hosts UCI's graduations every June. The campus feel never quite goes away. You walk in past student housing and eucalyptus trees, not a mall or a freeway ramp.

Driving is easiest. Take the 73 to University Drive and turn onto Mesa Road, and the parking structure is on your right with the Bren right behind it. That structure holds 1,300 cars, and there are more lots nearby when it fills. You buy a permit at the entrance, and the rate depends on the event. John Wayne Airport is only about three miles away if you're flying in for a show.

Security is tighter than the size suggests. Expect a walk-through metal detector at the door, and for UCI games only a clear bag the size of a gallon freezer bag gets in. A concert can set its own rules, so check your ticket page. Outside food and drinks stay out, apart from a factory-sealed water bottle on game days.