With their upcoming nuptials rapidly approaching, Lauri and George decide to plan a family vacation. George and his daughters are accustomed to luxury travel, fine dining and staying in five Star hotels. This year, Lauri wants the family to “bond with nature” so she rents an RV and packs up the family to go camping in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming.

With summer coming to an end, Vicki packs up her family to go to their favorite vacation spot, Puerto Vallarta. Vicki invites Jeana and her children, Kara and Colton. Recently separated from her husband, Jeana is looking forward to spending quality time with her kids and letting loose. But unfortunately for Vicki and her family, Jeana let’s a little too loose.

With her real estate business taking off, Tamra struggles to find quality time with Simon so she takes up tennis, his favorite sport. But Tamra faces an even greater challenge as she wrestles with the decision to undergo a breast reduction.

Quinn is still juggling the men in her life, but before she can move on, she needs to move out her things from her former boyfriend’s home. Quinn finds the experience a little more emotional than she expected, but her ex-boyfriend David is not sympathetic.

Family Vacation

Victoria Gunvalson

Tamra Judge

Lauri Peterson

Jeana Keough

Tammy Knickerbocker

Quinn Fry

Frienemies

Moving Violations

In the first episode of the third season of Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Orange County," Vicki surprises daughter Briana with a brand new Mercedes, literally wrapped up in a bow. Briana is now living on her own as she goes to college and Vicki has learned that with both kids out of the house, the only way she can maintain any control over them is with money.

Lauri is awash in wedding plans as her upcoming nuptials to George consume her every thought and deed. George's eldest daughter, McKenzie, is about to graduate from high school and hopes desperately to get a trip to Miami Beach as her graduation present.

Jeana is excelling as a real estate agent in the community while Shane struggles with a recent back injury, which is keeping him from playing professional baseball. As usual, Kara and Shane fight while Jeana's husband Matt tries to keep his cool. Kara and kid brother, Colton, bond after the death of their dog, Shire.

A major tragedy has befallen Tammy and her daughters, Megan and Lindsey. Their father (and Tammy's ex-husband) Lou Knickerbocker, recently died of a heart attack. Without a will to provide for them, Megan and Lindsey are now forced to fend for themselves while Lou's young widow gets everything he had. Lindsey – who was living with Lou at the time of his death – was kicked out of the house by Lou's young wife, leaving her no choice but to move in with sister, Megan. They both live above Tammy's water damaged home, which is under renovation. Their future is uncertain and their lives will never be the same again.

Meanwhile in the Keough household, Jeana's daughter Kara is graduating from high school and planning a graduation party. Younger brother Colton is becoming more like his older brother Shane as his antisocial behavior escalates. Newly single Kara (recently broken up with boyfriend Steven) is devastated when Colton doesn't show up for her graduation. Shane leaves to play minor league baseball in Canada.

Newest and hottest housewife Tamra – on the verge of turning 40 - is a realtor and mother of four. Her eldest son, Ryan, whom she had when she was only 18, is from a previous marriage. The 21-year-old moved out of the house when he turned 18 because of tension between himself and Tamra's current husband, Simon. But now that he's moving back home, sparks are about to fly, with Tamra caught in the middle.

Behind The Orange Curtain

Vicki and Jeana have made a pact to get in shape, but getting up at 5:30 a.m. every morning may prove to be the bigger challenge.

Recent empty-nesters Vicki and Donn, seek to reduce the stress in their lives by downsizing and buying a smaller home in Coto. Unfortunately, Vicki is having buyer's remorse. Vicki likes her big home in Coto and struggles with the notion that downsizing equals failure.

Having just graduated from high school, Kara has been accepted to UC Berkeley. Eager to check out the campus, the Keoughs leave for Northern California, but forget to tell Colton, leaving him home alone.

Since the death of Lou Knickerbocker, Tammy has tried to be a supportive mother to her daughters. Lindsey is keeping busy with the Lou's Legacy, the OC Angels, but a recent car accident in the Hummer sends the "Angels" to the California Speedway for some much needed driving lessons.

Meanwhile, as Lauri and George begin to build a life together, Lauri decides to put her townhouse up for sale. Unfortunately for Ashley, that means having to find another place to live – but not before a visit to the Playboy Mansion.

Tamra is rapidly approaching 40, but she's not ready to age gracefully. Conscious of the fact that she's been raising children for the last 21 years, Tamra is up for anything that will keep her youthful, including riding on the back of a Harley Davidson and hanging out with biker dudes.

My Baby is All Grown Up

For her graduation present, George’s daughter McKenzie hits the sun and fun of South Beach, Miami along with Tammy’s daughters, Lindsey and Megan, and Lauri's daughter, Ashley. Money woes put a damper on the Knickerbocker girls’ good time and a trip to a famous tattoo parlor gets McKenzie in hot water with dad George.

Vicki invites Jeana, Colton, Tammy and Frankie to spend the weekend with her and Donn at their Lake Havasu vacation home. The alcohol flows like the river on which they party, but tensions between Vicki and Donn threaten to ruin the trip. Things turn dangerous when Colton takes a shocking death defying jump.

Laurie furthers her wedding plans by choosing a photographer and wedding invitations, while newly single Kara contemplates an offer from mother Jeana to take part in a mother/daughter pictorial for Playboy magazine.

Tamra throws a big birthday bash for son, Spencer, who just turned seven. The party atmosphere can't tame the tension between her oldest son, Ryan, and her husband, Simon. Later at a family dinner, jobless Ryan bickers with step dad Simon, putting Tamra in the middle again.

Girls Gone Wild

All the Housewives decide to get together for a nice dinner and catch up on their lives. It’s a boisterous night filled with lots of fun, lots of laughter and even more alcohol. The gloves are off as inhibitions--and lips--loosen.

Since the death of her father, Lindsey has been struggling financially. But a recent modeling contract provides Lindsey with an amazing opportunity, a lot of exposure and financial independence.

It’s week six of boot camp and Vicki and Jeana are still working their “butts” off. Vicki is a little frustrated with her results so far, but insists she’s eating healthy. When she receives an unexpected visit from John, her boot camp Instructor, Vicki has a lot of explaining to do. Jeana’s been seeing results from her boot camp experience, but when John surprises her with a visit, Jeana has a bigger surprise for him.

Meanwhile, Tamra’s 40th birthday is rapidly approaching and she’s determined to be the sexiest she can be, so she decides to get Botox and do a little clubbing with her husband and her 21 year-old son.

Pantry Raid!

Overprotective Vicki visits daughter Briana with an assortment of pepper sprays to give to her for her protection. They talk about Briana's future with her long time boyfriend, Colby, and Vicki admits that she is in no rush for them to get married. Son Michael comes home from Colorado with his girlfriend, Lauren, and a double date dinner with Briana and Colby turns into a Vicki-venting session as both siblings rebel against their mother. Later, Michael's recent interest in his mother's lucrative insurance business sets the stage for him to take a training trip to Seattle with her.

Tamra begins to regret her decision to bring jobless and lazy son, Ryan, back into the house. He spends his time loafing, drinking and partying instead of getting his act together. The revelation of yet another enormous tattoo on his body sends Tamra over the edge. She may be forced to admit to husband Simon that she was wrong about letting Ryan move back home.

Jeana's daughter, Kara, is getting back into show business again. A former child actor, Kara auditions for a role in a low budget movie but things don't go exactly as planned.

Laurie spends time with her youngest daughter, Sophie, as they ready her old condo for sale and attend horseback-riding lessons together.

Tammy has her hands full as daughter, Megan, turns 21. A sunset birthday cruise with her daughters turns into an ugly, drunken debacle and the Knickerbocker women face a crisis.

Rebels Without a Cause

Lauri invites her daughter, Ashley, for lunch to fill her in on the latest wedding plans. She's found a designer for her dress and wants Ashley to be with her during her fitting. Ashley is excited, but feels that after her mother's two previous walks down the aisle, she deserves to be her Maid of Honor for number three. Lauri, however,is not sold on the idea.

Vicki's son, Michael, begins an insurance internship in Seattle. Vicki has promised to pass on the "insurance torch" to Michael if he's interested in pursuing the field as a career. Although Michael's not certain he has the passion for insurance, he does have the passion for the money.

Jeana's oldest son, Shane, is playing minor league baseball. Jeana and her youngest son, Colton, travel to Vancouver to watch him play. While there, Colton plays with the team and gets some valuable tips from his big brother.

Tamra's real estate business is taking off, but the work leaves her very little time to see her husband, Simon. Tamra decides to surprise her him with a visit to his office. Meanwhile, Tamra's son, Ryan, has finally landed a job--just not the one he expected.

Quinn, a new housewife, joins the cast, and meets the rest of the Housewives over drinks. She brings her 26-year-old boyfriend to meet the girls, and he's mistaken for her son! A serial dater and regular church-goer, Quinn makes an immediate impression on the Real Housewives.

The Boys of Summer

Jeana, Vicki, Tammy and Tamra head down to the U.S. Grant Hotel in San Diego for some housewife hijinks. Newly single Jeana is back on the market and ready for anything. The ladies are in the lap of luxury, enjoying a presidential suite and the San Diego nightlife. A conflict between Jeana and Vicki comes to light and threatens their friendship.

The OC Angels promote their energy drink at the US Open in Huntington Beach but bad driving, bad attitudes and bad luck threaten to ruin it all. Meanwhile, Tamra’s real estate business is booming, while Lauri travels to Oklahoma with daughter, Sophie, to spend some time with the US Women’s Softball Team.

Vicki rakes Jeana over the coals after a visit to her second home, which Jeana is selling, reveals it to be a disaster area. Lauri finally asks her daughter, Ashley, to be her Maid of Honor and attends a food tasting to choose the menu for her approaching nuptials. Lauri’s bridal shower is a smashing success drenched in excess. Quinn tries to force boyfriend Billy to commit while Tamra helps pave the way for Ryan to finally move out of her house.

It’s the Big 4-0 for Tamra, and everyone’s invited to celebrate aboard Simon’s new yacht. It’s drunken fun in Newport Beach as Simon surprises Tamra with a gift that has all the ladies’ tongues wagging. Quinn and Billy have been dating for three months and things are going well, but there are huge differences between them. Quinn is ready to have “the talk,” but Billy has other plans. Officially separated, Jeana contemplates divorce. But not before she enjoys the former glory of her Playboy days. Jeana is going to Glamour on, the largest celebrity autograph convention, celebrating 25 Years of Playboy. With only days until their wedding, George and Lauri are frantically caught up in preparations. But missing from the plans is Lauri’s son, Josh. Estranged for several months, Lauri really wants Josh to be part of her special day but in order for that to happen, Josh must agree to meet with a therapist.

Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend

Season 3's finale brought new beginnings and some endings to the OC, the biggest of which being the celebration of Lauri and George's wedding. Lauri continued to work things out with her son, Josh, with the help of a mediator, and Josh made it to his mom's special day. Viewers finally met "Roxie," Quinn's alter ego, but it wasn't enough to save Quinn's relationship with Billy, which ended. And finally, Jo returned to make an appearance at one of Jeana's many outdoor get-togethers, updating the ladies on the status of her musical career.

Here Comes The Bride

All six of the Housewives of season 3 reunite for a sit and tell.

Real Housewives Confess: A Watch What Happens Special

A view into the lives of several women and their families who live in one of the wealthiest communities in the country with the viewer taken "inside the gates" to show their lives aren't always perfect.

Family Vacation

Seasons20

Season 3 Episodes12

Cast6

Discussion

Episode Summary