So I go to school at UCI, and although it has some pretty famous spots there, I can only skate on campus during the weekend. 

I've never hit up any skateparks around here so I do some research and it turns out pretty much every single park within a 20 minute drive enforces the shit out of helmets and pads.

There's a park in costa mesa that's named the "volcom park" (has a giant logo plastered above the gate) that actually looks pretty nice but it's notorious for dickish cops:
http://www.ocnewsnetwork.com/localnews/2009/8/11/minus-one-elbow-pad-245-fine.html

Anyone know of good parks where they aren't super anal about safety gear?

First off, let me welcome you to one of the most boring, authoritarian and shitty places to live in the US. It is my hometown and I left there about 5 years ago (went to Berkeley for school and never left) and have no plans of stepping foot in that city again. As to your question, the only park remotely close to Irvine that does not enforce pads constantly is Santa Ana. The park ranger comes by every now and again but then you just run with the other 50 or so kids and it is no problem. If you are looking to skate tranny though, that is not the right place. The Westminister park, though crappy and old, has a pretty fun little bowl that I used to skate every now and again. I have never had to wear pads there. Same goes for the old Laguna Hills skatepark. Other than that, if you want to skate one of the decent parks, remember your helmet or get ready for a long drive!

And I would say my info should be taken with a grain of salt. I haven't lived there for years and whenever I do go down I am usually going to street spots and not skateparks.

Really?! My firend and I got tossed in the back of a patrol car for a half hour while some cop with Jerri Curls, short-shorts, and white sneakers blah blah blahed our heads off. All that for just being in the park without a helmet. Didn't even set my board down.

I always skated UIC at night and never had problems. My other usual haunt was the steep white banks behind Hollywood video in Costa Mesa. That place was fun. Also, I can't remember exactly where, but near UIC in one of those fancy neighborhoods is a fun drainage ditch.

Yeah, I mean, if it's during class hours there will be police randomly giving out warnings to bikers and skaters/longboarders on the outer ring.  But if it's night time or during the weekend, you can get away with skating on campus.  I haven't been kicked off yet.

Santa Ana is definitely the best park around here, as for Costa Mesa the cops tend to not come as much on Friday and Saturday nights.. but thats usually the only days I tend to go. There is a little park at mariners church thats real close to UCI that has a little concrete park that you can skate when they don't have chains on it too.

i live in south orange county and it succckkkkks.. there is RSM skatepark thats pretty tight but kinda shitty. san clemente park, the plus side is rich milfs lookin for suga daddys.the  downside is the razor kids take over after school gets out. laguna hills park is usually tight at night time but if your unlucky the cops come and make you wear helmets.. etnies park is 5 bucks for a year but if you just skate though the front gate and act like you always skate there, the guys in the office usually dont care/notice. theres also ladera ranch park thats reall sick but you gotta skate there in the morning before the schools get out cause that city is REALLY fucking lame and wont let you skate there unless you LIVE there and have a skatepark pass(they have private security that stops by periodically). hahah fuck oc

i didn't want to say anything to diss this guys city, but yes, Irvine is pretty much the worst.   i guess the one plus about going to UCI is there are a lot of hot asian chicks.  that's about it

Santa Ana park tried to break ankle.  We're not on speaking terms.

Oh, weird.  But as long as I get so skate I don't mind I guess.
Well if you ever see some awkward asian dude you've never seen before, that's probably me haha

That park really is fucking sick... only one I've been to in that area, but it's got every damned thing you can think of. The area with the clover-leafs and the cradle are gnarballs. I like the wall to spine that banks into the street part and that euro manny pad to. OK, the whole place. I like the whole goddamed place.

...had to wear a helmet, but after a few minutes I didn't even notice. There were also only about 5 of us there, and two of them were sitting.

whatever, that's something I can just ignore.  
I just haven't owned pads and a helmet since elementary school!

thanks, that good to know.
how late are we talking here?  Are there lights there?

Lights till 9:15 and cops aren't a problem from six .

nice