This city in the Californian county of Orange has experienced one of the most vertiginous expansions of recent decades in North American territory.
However, despite the fact that it has the first Disney park, it is not as mentioned internationally as New York, Los Angeles, Miami or San Francisco, so many people wonder what to do in Anaheim.
Here we present 25 unmissable things to do in the city, which will ensure that your visit is complete, fun and unforgettable.
Top 25 things to do in Anaheim:
1. Go back to childhood at Disney Park
It is the best option if you are looking for what to do in Anaheim with children. It is the most frequented place in the city. It was the first park of the famous entertainment company and the only one whose design and construction were personally supervised by Walt Disney.
It opened its doors in 1955 and due to its size and number of attractions, to get to know it in its entirety, you have to spend at least two full days on it.
Its iconic image is the castle of Sleeping Beauty, similar to the Bavarian castle of Neuschwanstein, inaugurated with the same park.
It has eight large themed spaces, including Mickey’s Toontown, where the famous mouse lives with his friends Minnie, Goofy and Donald.
2. Enjoy baseball at the Angel Stadium
Baseball is the great sports passion of the Americans and Anaheim has a Major League team.
The Anaheim Angels play at Angel Stadium and are one of the most popular franchises, which is why they are always among the ones that attract the most public throughout the season.
When the Anaheim Angels play at home, the stadium is dyed red, the color that identifies the team.
They have had outstanding Latin American players on their roster , such as the Dominican Albert Pujols, the Venezuelan Francisco Rodríguez and the Puerto Rican Bengie Molina. They won the 2002 Baseball World Series after defeating the San Francisco Giants.
The Anaheim Angels’ park fills with 45,000 cheering spectators when the team plays at home, making the game noisy fun.
3. Go to hockey or a concert at the Honda Center
After a day of baseball, you can spend another day going to ice hockey at the Honda Center, home of the Anaheim Ducks.
This sports pavilion is located in front of the Angel Stadium and has a capacity for more than 17,000 fans.
The Anaheim Ducks have won hockey’s Western Conference twice, capturing the top title, the Stanley Cup, in 2007.
The arena is also used for basketball, wrestling, martial arts matches, and musical concerts.
It was inaugurated in 1993 with a concert by Barry Manilow.
Other stars that have given him prestige are Gloria Estefan, Céline Dion, U2, Shakira, Metallica, Madonna, Queen, Britney Spears, Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, Miley Cyrus, Chayanne, The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Jennifer López and Marc Anthony.
4. Walk the Anaheim Gardenwalk
It is an outdoor shopping and entertainment center located in the Anaheim Resort district.
It has a House of Blues (House of Blues), the well-known American chain of concert halls and other related services.
There are also Bubba Gump Shrimp stores, the chain inspired by the movie Forrest Gump. Likewise, you will find The Cheesecake Factory, specialized in cheesecakes. There is also California Pizza Kitchen, a restaurant oriented to California-style pizzas.
At Anaheim GardenWalk there is a 14-screen movie complex, a gym and a bowling alley.
The shopping center is a meeting point for local artists, who perform and exhibit their works in the place.
Read our guide on how much a trip to Disney Orlando costs
5. Have fun in Ciudad Aventura
Any entertainment that wants to settle in the same city as the oldest Disney park has to be good, and Adventure Center offers the classic theme park concept at a good price.
Started in 1994 and it’s quite a bit smaller and cheaper than Disney, making it one of the kid-friendly places in Anaheim, California where kids will have a blast on a budget.
Among its attractions are airplanes, drop tower, climbing tower, roller coasters (including a family one that was the first of its kind in North America), miniature train, theme bus, vintage horse carousel, mini wheel, serpentine track with rescue vehicles , Farm Pets and puppets and outdoor theater.
6. Get to know the Anaheim Convention Center
It is the most important exhibition center on the American West Coast and its intense activity has demanded 6 important expansions since its inauguration in 1967.
There is always an event of interest at this Aanaheim Convention Center, which may include:
- VidCon, the world’s largest gathering of online video viewers.
- BlizzCon, a massive game franchise convention.
- Anime Expo, important exhibition of cartoons.
- D23 Expo, Disney’s biannual fan convention.
- WonderCon, meeting of comics and science fiction.
- NAMM Show, show dedicated to music and sound equipment.
The Anaheim Convention Center hosted wrestling during the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and is a frequent venue for sports competitions.
When you arrive in town, look up the Convention Center’s schedule of events and it’s sure to provide you with something interesting to do in Anaheim.
7. Live great moments with Mr. Lincoln
What is currently the Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln Opera House was born in the 1950s as a Disney company project to honor all American presidents on Main Street in the Anaheim park.
However, the technology of the show did not satisfy Walt Disney and the project was postponed and later taken up as a particular tribute by the famous producer to President Abraham Lincoln, for whom he had great admiration.
The show premiered in the early summer of 1964 at the New York World’s Fair and then began running at Anaheim Disney Park in July 1965.
Over time it has undergone several changes and currently reviews the fundamental milestones in the history of Disney companies, mixed with episodes related to the life of Lincoln.
8. Visit the Disneyland Hotel
If you can’t stay, at least spend some time at this hotel, which is located near the Disney Park.
Its Adventure, Fantasy and Frontier towers are a tribute to the park’s theme spaces that bear the same names and have an elegant and ultra-modern design.
The rooms’ décor is inspired by the classic era of the park’s inception, the furnishings are infused with details from Sleeping Beauty’s castle, and the accommodations feature state-of-the-art amenities.
Its themed pools feature two impressive monorail slides and feature a charming water play area.
The Mickey Spa and Minnie Spa Jacuzzis keep guests in the fantastic atmosphere of Disney and the aquatic area also has private cabanas to enjoy a more personal space.
9. Stroll through Ralph B. Clark Regional Park
This park offers many free things to do in Anaheim, although if you have a vehicle, you must pay a parking fee.
It is located on the outskirts of the city and allows various outdoor activities for the enjoyment of the whole family.
It has hiking trails, bike paths, an amphitheater, areas for picnics and barbecues, a playground, sports areas (softball, baseball, tennis, volleyball, fishing), boat rides and model sailing, among other attractions.
Dogs are allowed on condition that they are always kept on a leash.
The hiking trails are especially nice. They are shaded by the treetops along the perimeter of the park.
Bird watchers will be enchanted by the more than 130 species found within the park grounds.
10. Spend the day at Yorba Regional Park
It is a 53-hectare park located at one end of the Santa Ana Canyon, which is crossed by the Santa Ana River and several streams. It also has four lakes where you can fish.
Among the beautiful parks in Anaheim, this one is distinguished by its comfort for eating, since throughout its shady passages there are about 400 picnic tables where you can enjoy a snack or lunch in the company of fresh air and the sounds of nature.
Its access is through Avenida La Palma de Anaheim and it has shelters that can be rented with prior reservation if you wish to stay in the park. These shelters are large enough to accommodate groups.
11. Get fresh produce at the Farmers Market
This is a quaint market that takes place every Thursday in downtown Anaheim on Center Street Promenade and Lemon Street.
Local farmers sell the fresh produce from their farms at affordable prices. The commercial activity is enlivened with live artistic presentations.
If you are in the city on July 4, American Independence Day, one of the most striking celebrations of the national date in Anaheim is held here.
You get seasonal vegetables and fruits, as well as gourmet handmade products. You can eat breakfast and lunch like a king at the food stalls.
It opens on Thursdays of every week between 9 am and 1:30 pm The sector is closed to vehicular traffic.
12. Try to meet the very exclusive Club 33
This Anaheim Disney Park club is so exclusive that it was secret at first, and there are several versions of the origin of its name.
One notes that it is just his location address at 33 Royal Street in the park. Another version says that it is 33 Disney corporate sponsors when the park was under construction.
There will have been some conspiracy fanatic who has said that it comes from the enigmatic 33rd Degree of Freemasonry.
The truth is that the almost unknown members of the brotherhood have unlimited access to the park and the exclusive restaurant of the club, as well as special benefits in hotels and other Disney sites.
Membership has an initial cost of USD 25,000 and an annual fee of USD 10,000. But don’t rush to become a member, as the average waiting time is 14 years.
However, the club can be visited at the invitation of a member, and if you happen to meet one, you might have something spectacular to do in Anaheim.
It is the only place in Anaheim Disney Park that serves alcohol.
13. Visit the Oak Canyon Nature Center
It is a nature reserve located in the hills of Santa Ana, which will be liked by people who like life outdoors and intimate contact with nature.
It has an area of almost 24 hectares and small elevations that range between 160 and 250 meters in altitude.
The center operates as a summer camp and offers educational programs on ecology and conservation.
Its flora combines scrub, riparian forest, and oak woodland dominated by California live oak and California black walnut.
One of its most beautiful fauna species is the wood duck. Thanks to the work of people and environmental organizations, the population has recovered after it was on the brink of extinction.
The Oak Canyon Nature Center has about 6 km of hiking trails and its John J. Collier Interpretive Center has a small zoo and natural history museum.
14. Have fun at Pearson Park
This park, located at 400 North Harbor Boulevard, has an amphitheater that is a classic in the city. It was built in 1927 and began with its regular programming of events from 1933.
During every week of the summer, the amphitheater presents nights of starlight shows.
It can be theater, music, cinema or other entertainment, but there is always something in Pearson Park at solidarity prices for adults and free access for children under 8 years of age.
The amphitheater has a capacity for 2,000 spectators and its architecture is in the Spanish style with terracotta tiles. It is naturally adorned by date palms and Mexican palm trees.
15. Ice skate at Anaheim Ice
It’s the favorite indoor ice rink for Anaheim skaters. It is also used by amateur ice hockey teams , even the Ducks (the city’s NHL team) use it for their practices.
Skating beginners can be assisted by trained instructors. And if you want to watch youth hockey games at a very low price, this is the place.
The wonderful building, in which the structural and artistic use of wood stands out, was designed by renowned architect Frank Owen Gehry. Its shape is reminiscent of the quonset huts, which served to house thousands of soldiers during World War II.
It was originally known as Disney Ice, but changed its name to Anaheim Ice when the Disney companies sold the Ducks’ hockey franchise in 2005.
16. Immerse yourself in the Anaheim art experience
The “Art Crawl Experience”, known as ACE, invites you to take a tour of the manifestations of the city’s artists and artisans, gathered in downtown Anaheim to show their work.
It takes place four times a year, always on the second Saturday of February, May, August and November, from 6 pm to 10 pm, on Center Street Promenade, a site that has been dubbed the Anaheim Arts District. .
ACE was developed by community leaders and artists to showcase the work of local creators and galleries and to connect the public with live art. The music and the fire dancers animate the tours through the works exhibited in the middle of the street.
The handicraft pieces, shown in awnings, are of a fine elaboration. The gourmet food trucks displaced for the occasion complete the offer with their proposals in culinary art.
17. Take your kids to Seascape Kids Fun
It is a children’s playground with three separate areas to cater for children of all ages.
It has big slides, guns that shoot foam balls, an aquarium, beach balls, climbing and descending and many other amusements for the little ones. It is available for parties and sleepovers with different packages.
Seascape Kids Fun is at 4771 East Hunter Avenue, Anaheim and is open between 10 am and 6 pm
18. Eat a cake at Amazing Cakes
If you like cakes, a visit to Amazing Cakes, at 524 North Magnolia Avenue, is a must on your list of things to do in Anaheim.
They have been serving cakes since 1991 and are so highly regarded that they have been official suppliers to prestigious hotel chains such as Sheraton and Radisson.
The expert pastry chefs at Amazing Cakes are prepared not only to achieve the most delicious flavor in their cakes, but also to design and decorate them as true works of pastry art, carefully fulfilling the wishes of their customers.
In the list of flavors of the cakes, chocolate, lemon, red velvet, rum, marble, spices, banana nut, carrot, almonds and poppy seeds stand out.
Available fillings include, but are not limited to, Bavarian Cream, Coffee Chips , Sweet Cream Cheese, Toasted Almonds, Peanut Butter, Coconut Chocolate Chips , and Hazelnut , Chocolate, Raspberry, and Strawberry Mousses.
19. Go fishing with the experts
Orange County, to which Anaheim belongs, has 40 miles of Pacific coastline, and visitors to the city can comfortably go fishing just a few miles up the coast.
Davey’s Locker is a tour operator that organizes sporting trips in the county and takes you fishing without you having to put anything aside apart from your good luck catching fish.
If you are a beginner, they assist you in the art of fishing with a rod and if you are already experienced they leave you at ease so that you can win in your confrontation with the fish, although they are ready to lend you a hand if necessary.
Enjoying an ice-cold beer with the sea breeze on your face, while you wait for something to bite, is one of the most relaxing pleasures in life. And the folks at Davey’s Locker know where to go for a tuna, bass or yellowtail to take the bait.
You can put the fish back in the water or keep it for dinner, in which case the guys at Davey’s Locker help you clean it up, making it ready for the pan or pot.
20. Eat at the Casa Blanca restaurant
In 1980, a 24-year-old man named Bruno Serato, the son of Italian immigrants born in France, arrived in the United States. He crossed the ocean with his big heart, his passion for cooking and 200 USD in his pockets.
Bruno settled in Anaheim and worked his way up from the bottom rung of the restaurant industry until he was able to fulfill his dream of opening his own restaurant.
The White House is a century-old and beautiful house of that color in which the Serato kitchens operate, specializing in meats and in the exquisite food of northern Italy.
Bruno Serato does not forget that he started from the bottom and allocates a good part of his assets to help those in need. He runs the Caterina’s Club, a charitable foundation that feeds more than 3,000 low-income children daily.
The chef and philanthropist spoke at the United Nations, where he was invited to speak about his humanitarian programs and received a special blessing from Pope Francis.
Isn’t it exciting to go to dinner at the Anaheim White House with no expense spared?
21. Score a hole in one or an eagle at Camelot Golfland
Camelot Golfland is a miniature golf course, the largest in the country, where you can take your first steps in golf, before entering the great 18-hole courses and up to five shots per hole.
It has themed holes that make the courses more enchanting, including a castle, a pagoda, a jungle and Spanish forts that shoot water cannons.
It is located at 3200 Carpenter Avenue in Anaheim and although its name identifies it with golf, it is a general entertainment park.
It has a race track for fast mini cars and a lagoon for boat competitions with bumpers and built-in water jets for added excitement.
In electronic entertainment, the Arcade area offers the best video games, with the possibility of winning a prize based on performance, and Tag Lazer is an arena of more than 460 m 2 for games with laser beams.
At Camelot Golfland you can also enjoy a tasty pizza or a sandwich, accompanied by a personalized smoothie or your favorite drink.
22. Try craft beer from Backstreet Brewery
The United States is the main epicenter of the world craze for craft beers and in Anaheim and Orange County the pioneer in the production of this type of sparkling beer was Backstreet.
The Backstreet experience began in Irvine, Orange City; I continue in Vista, a town in northwestern San Diego County; and arrived in Anaheim in 2015, in a place located at the end of the street from the Angel Stadium.
Backstreet brews craft beer in four styles: Tomahawk Double IPA, Rita Red Ale, Set Sail IPA, and Rydin’ Dirty Rye IPA. The beers are bottled in local craft bottles.
Apart from the sparkling house ones, at Backstreet you can also taste some invited beers, made by other artisans with full mastery of the art of beer, so that your experience is complete.
23. Enjoy a medieval dinner at Medieval Times
Among the fun and enjoyable things to do in Anaheim, dinner at Medieval Times should be on the top list. It is a place of entertainment and show set in the Middle Ages, located in Buena Park, 11 km from Anaheim.
In the function that takes place in an auditorium, a group of knights with their horses, dressed in armor and armed as if they were in the Middle Ages, compete in tournaments and jousts in the style of the time, including simulated combat and falcon flights. real.
Meanwhile, you enjoy a four-course “dinner with the queen” (appetizer, first course, main course and dessert).
The favorite dinner of Queen Mary Elizabeth and her court is a feast of garlic bread, tomato soup, and roast chicken garnished with herbed potatoes and sweet buttered corn, plus castle cakes for dessert. Includes coffee and two select drinks per person.
There’s also a vegetarian menu, the main course of which is a three-bean stew with wood-fire-roasted tomatoes and brown rice. This menu must be requested in advance.
24. Spend a day at the beach
To enjoy beaches in Anaheim, California, you only have to travel about 40 km to Long Beach, on the Californian Pacific coast.
Long Beach has lovely sands such as Mother’s Beach, with spacious playgrounds for children; Rosie’s Dog Beach, frequented by those who like to walk their pets along the seashore; Seal Beach, with spectacular sunsets; and City Beach, with lots of beach fun.
Close to Anaheim is also the coastal town of Torrance, with many beaches full of seaside entertainment, such as Palos Verdes Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, Torrance Beach and Rat Beach.
Los Angeles County beaches are easily accessible in a short time for visitors to Anaheim.
25. Visit Los Angeles
The largest Californian city is a “stone’s throw” from Anaheim. It would be long to list what to do in Los Angeles. To start, you have to know the main sites related to the entertainment industry, one of the essential supports of the city, including Hollywood.
Among the city’s notable arts and cultural institutions worth visiting are the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, the Getty Center and the Norton Simon Museum.
There’s always a show or event at the Los Angeles Music Center, Ahmanson Theatre, Mark Taper Forum, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, Hollywood Bowl, Pantages Theater and Los Angeles Convention Center to enjoy.
For those who love architecture, the Temple of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has an impressive structure and is the second largest in the world for that congregation.
The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels is another beautiful religious building.
There will really always be a lack of space to talk about the attractions of Los Angeles.
Do you know any of the places mentioned in this list? What was your experience?
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See also:
- Click to find out how much a trip to Disney Paris costs
- Know all the Disney parks in the world
- These are the 25 best free things to do in Los Angeles
