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Orange County is California's favorite family destination, due to its many
theme parks, amusements, historic and cultural facilities, mild
climate, and great beaches.
The county is anchored by
Anaheim and
Buena Park, Southern
California's theme- park heaven. And, Orange County's splendid,
42-mile, picture-postcard-perfect coastline is recognized around the
world.
Anaheim, Buena Park, and North
Orange County:
Things began humming for Orange County
in 1955, when Walt Disney, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and Donald Duck
created the Magic Kingdom among the orange groves.
Disneyland
has made Orange County the happiest place on earth. Disneyland Park features 60 adventure rides and live entertainment in
eight lands of enchantment: Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland,
Tomorrowland, New Orleans Square, Critter Country, Main Street USA,
and Mickey's ToonTown.
Knott's
Berry Farm, in Buena
Park, is the nation's oldest themed amusement park, dating back to
the 1920s. The 150-acre theme park includes 165 rides and six
distinctive areas such as Ghost Town and Mystery Lodge.
Step into Hollywood history at the famed Movieland Wax Museum in
Buena Park. Stargaze among the 300 featured celebrities from 70 years
of movie history. At the nearby Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum,
you'll chuckle at the bizarre collections from all over the world.
And, you'll wonder at tiny versions of early American life and
mercantile living at the Mott Miniature Museum.
Buena Park also is the site of two theater-style dining
experiences. The Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament serves up
jousting with dining: Gallant knights compete in tournaments. At Wild
Bill's Wild West Dinner Extravaganza, you'll relive the Old West with
food, music, and costumed entertainers.
In Anaheim, Hobby City is home to 20 hobby shops and more than
3,000 antique dolls and toys. Adventure City, in Stanton, a theme park
for children ages 2 to 12, resembles a colorful illustration of a city
tucked into a children's book.
In 1961, Gene Autry moved into
Anaheim with his feisty California
Angels baseball team. Sports buffs can book a behind-the-scenes tour
of the Anaheim Stadium, home field for the Angels. Or, watch the
National Hockey League's Mighty Ducks of Anaheim skate at Arrowhead
Pond (October through April). Year-round indoor soccer and horse
racing at Los Alamitos Race Course also are options.
Another round of attractions begins in
Yorba Linda, east of
Anaheim. Start with the Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace for an
in-depth look at presidential history. To the south,
Garden Grove's
Crystal Cathedral is a towering 12-story architectural wonder. In
Santa Ana, there's a sense of wonder at the Discovery Museum of Orange
County and the nearby Bowers
Museum, a respected cultural institution with a new addition
called Kidseum. Shoppers on a mission can scout Main Place, which
features 190 shops in an inviting European-style setting.
Costa Mesa:
Another shopper's paradise is
Costa Mesa's world-class South
Coast Plaza. It's department stores, designer boutiques, gardens,
theater, and cinema have long been ranked among the world's finest.
Just east of the Plaza, the Orange County Performing Arts Center hosts
ballet, opera, and musical performances. While in
Costa Mesa, visit
The Lab, a zany shopping complex in a converted warehouse.
Huntington and Newport Beaches:
Huntington
Beach, has 8 1/2 miles of pristine beach and miles of biking and
jogging trails. See world-class events from the new amphitheater
located at the base of the longest concrete pier on the California
coast.
Surfing is the water recreation of choice in
Huntington Beach, home
of the International
Surfing Museum, Surfing Hall of Fame, and one of the nation's most
exciting surfing sites. When you're ready to shake the sand from your
shoes, walk Main Street for the quaint village atmosphere, with coffee
houses, restaurants, and beach boutiques. Visit Old World Village, a
European-style hamlet, complete with shops and restaurants. At dusk,
check out the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve and Wetlands, home to
more than 200 species of birds, many on the endangered list.
Farther south, Newport
Beach's pleasure-craft harbor-one of the largest in the
world-brims with activity. You'll find harbor cruises that depart from
the Fun Zone. While near the harbor, check out the Newport Harbor
Nautical Museum. Contemporary-art lovers will revel in the Newport
Harbor Art Museum's collection of California post-World War II art.
Browse in the charming shops and dine in one of the distinctive
restaurants. Or, paddle a kayak in the lagoon, then picnic on a
private beach. Rent a bike for a trip to the Upper Newport Bay
Ecological Reserve, where endangered birds live in the freshwater
marsh.
In Newport Beach, you can hop on the ferryboat to
Balboa Island.
With tight little streets and charming cottages, Balboa Island offers
the flavor of an earlier California. Balboa Pavilion, a local
landmark, was built in 1906 to serve as a Victorian bathhouse and an
electric-car terminal. Today, it's the departure point for harbor
cruises, trips to Catalina Island, and whale-watching boat
excursions-a visitor bonus from late December through March. The
Pavilion is outlined by lights at night. Nearby, nature aficionados
can enjoy tide pools at the
Corona del Mar Marine Life Refuge.
Laguna Beach to Dana Point:
From Balboa, drive south to reach
Laguna
Beach. Nature has been attracting artists here for generations.
Art aficionados can contemplate works of American Impressionists and
California artists at the Laguna Art Museum. At the annual Pageant
of the Masters, enjoy incredible artwork re-creations, with cast
members posing to look exactly like the original works of art. Savor
the coastal views along the bluffs of Cliff Drive in Laguna Beach's
Heisler Park. Hike in a picturesque canyon in the Laguna Coast
Wilderness Park.
South of Laguna Beach, at
Dana
Point, windsurf at the Dana Point Marina or sport-fish in deep
water. At the Marine Institute, take a tide-pool tour and visit the
floating laboratory. Mariner's Village, on Dana Wharf, re-creates the
feeling of the port's early trading days through its shops and cafés.
Saddleback Valley:
Saddleback Valley encompasses the communities of
Irvine,
Mission Viejo,
Laguna Niguel,
Laguna Hills, and
El Toro/Lake Forest.
The relaxed atmosphere has made this valley a popular vacation retreat
for golfers.
The Severin Wunderman Museum in Irvine holds the world's largest
collection of artwork by Jean Cocteau. A marine-life preserve is open at
Laguna Niguel.
San Juan Capistrano and San
Clemente:
The historic
Mission
San Juan Capistrano was founded in 1776 by Franciscan Junipero
Serra. Seventh in California's 21-mission chain, it's most famous for
the return of the swallows every March.
San
Clemente was the site of ex-President Richard Nixon's Western White
House. Its state beach invites water sports, hiking, and camping. Disclaimer |
