Anaheim
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Anaheim

Anaheim

Orange County city defined by Disneyland, with theme parks replacing the orange groves that shaped it

Anaheim exists because of Disneyland. Walt Disney built his Magic Kingdom among the orange groves in 1955, and the city has been defined by it ever since. The Disneyland Resort now includes two parks — Disneyland Park and Disney's California Adventure — along with the Downtown Disney shopping and dining district.

Beyond the theme parks, Anaheim is a practical base for exploring Orange County. The beaches at Huntington Beach and Newport Beach are within easy reach, and San Diego is only a couple of hours south. Knott's Berry Farm, one of the older theme parks in California, is just up the road in Buena Park.

The city itself is mostly suburban sprawl and hotel strips, but it serves its purpose: a place to sleep between theme park days, with plenty of chain restaurants and family-friendly options along Harbor Boulevard and Katella Avenue.

Guide

Getting Around

Within the resort area — the zone of hotels along Harbor Boulevard and Katella Avenue — you can walk to the parks, but distances add up quickly. Disney operates a free shuttle between most resort-area hotels and the park entrance.

Beyond the resort, Anaheim is car-dependent suburban sprawl. Getting to Angel Stadium, Honda Center, or Downtown Anaheim's Packing House is easiest by rideshare or car. The Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC) on Douglass Road has Metrolink commuter rail connections to Los Angeles Union Station (about an hour) and Amtrak Pacific Surfliner service running up and down the coast. For day trips to Los Angeles, the train is often more practical than driving.

The Anaheim Resort Transit (ART) bus runs between hotels, the parks, the Convention Center, and ARTIC — useful if your hotel is not within walking distance of the park gates.

Guide

Getting There

The closest airport is John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Santa Ana, about 15 minutes south. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is roughly an hour away depending on traffic — which in LA means it could be much longer. Several shuttle services run between LAX and the Anaheim resort area.

If you are on a budget, you can take public transit from LAX: the G Shuttle to Aviation Station on the Green Line, transfer at Norwalk Station to the 460 bus, which drops you at Disneyland. It takes around two hours but costs a fraction of a cab or rental car.

By car, Anaheim is right off the I-5 freeway, accessible from anywhere in Southern California.

Guide

Things to Do

Anaheim is essentially a one-attraction city. Disneyland and the adjacent Disney's California Adventure dominate the visitor experience, and the entire infrastructure of hotels, restaurants, and transportation has grown up around them. If you are not here for Disney, the Anaheim Packing House in the revived downtown district is worth knowing about, and the city has two major sports venues — Angel Stadium and the Honda Center — that draw visitors year-round.

For everything else, you are better off leaving: the beaches, Los Angeles, and the rest of Orange County are all within reasonable reach.