Downtown Anaheim

Rediscovering Its Past and Reinventing Its Future

The vibe found in downtown Anaheim today focuses on food and community with a fresh new look inspired from the city's agricultural roots.

This innovative energy emanates from the Anaheim Packing District, a two-block hub of community centric events and locally based food and beverage artisans located just two miles from Disneyland. This vibrant new district includes the restored 1925 Packard Building that now houses Anaheim Brewery and Umami Burger, adjacent Farmers Park with its rolling green hills is the perfect location for its weekly farmers market and special events and the crown jewel is the historic Anaheim Packing House, a gourmet food hall featuring more than 20 modern day mom and pop restaurants and bars.

Visitors will be intrigued by the history and unpretentious feel of this fully refurbished 1919 Sunkist Orange packing house, now home to the area's best and brightest chefs and mixologists. Try Indian street foods at ADYA, soul food at Georgia's Restaurant, a waffle sandwich and craft beer at The Iron Press or sustainable meats at Wheat & Sons Butcher. Grab a signature cocktail made by a 'spirit guide' at the Blind Rabbit Speakeasy and listen to local musicians play everything from funk to rockabilly.

Across the street is the Muzeo, a museum whose exhibits tend toward unconventional subjects such as the history of the black leather jacket or delicacies of chocolate. The area's history is preserved in the Carnegie Building.

Just steps away visitors will find Center Street Promenade, the heart of the revitalized historic commercial center. Browse an artisan home goods store, relax at The Yoga Mat; guys can get a shave, haircut and beer at BARBEER. Share homemade culinary treats or drinks with friends at the local cafes such as Gypsy Den, 118 Degrees or the locals' vegan restaurant Healthy Junk. Stroll among eclectic public art and handmade artifacts during the quarterly art walk or weekly farmers market. It's clear, in Anaheim they're rediscovered history with a new twist.

Fullerton

Where History, Education and Hip Converge

Fullerton…. part college town, historic downtown, pub-crawl paradise, cultural enclave and sanctuary.

Recognized by Sunset Magazine as “one of Southern California's prettiest downtowns,” Fullerton is a gem located just six miles north of Disneyland.  Standing at the historic downtown train station, visitors can view a blending of vintage buildings adjacent to modern homes, quirky shops next to contemporary nightclubs.

There are more than 40 unique restaurants in downtown Fullerton. In the SOCO district, which stands for “South of Commonwealth.” You'll find jazz clubs, sushi havens, coffee houses and plenty of trendy bar comfort food---here visitors will find an eatery for every taste and budget. Angelo's and Vinci's Ristorante offers a truly diverse mix of classic Italian cuisine, with a decor that is part Italy and part vintage Hollywood. When Rutabagorz opened its doors in 1971, it became the first vegan, health conscious restaurant in OC. Slidebar is a rock 'n roll-themed restaurant/bar with live music and an 80's style arcade. The Twisted Vine offers friendly service and a wide selection of wines and craft beers for the expert or novice to enjoy.

Exploring Fullerton can be done on a budget with numerous free or low-cost, and family and date-night events, such as concerts in the park, parades, historical architecture at every turn, a monthly art walk and weekly farmers markets.

Fullerton's culture extends to the Fullerton Museum Center, home of the Leo Fender Gallery, to see the best multidisciplinary exhibitions and educational programs in history, science and art. Learn about botany at the Fullerton Arboretum, a 26-acre garden on the California State Fullerton campus where ponds, streams, wildlife, and more than 4,000 unique and unusual plant species from around the world can be seen. The Muckenthaler Cultural Center offers extraordinary exhibitions, performances, engaging and educational programs. The gardens at the Self-Realization Center, founded by Paramahansa Yogananda in 1920 share Yoga Meditation with the Western world.

Huntington Beach

Southern California's Original Surf City

OC shaped a generation by popularizing the surfing movement in the mainland, U.S. Today, Orange County's Huntington Beach is internationally recognized as Surf City USA™. -

As the heart center of surfing, this is where the Woody car, bikinis, surf literature and even a specific surf lingo was first popularized. Godfathers of the surf culture are immortalized at the International Surf Museum. On display is the first guitar of Dick Dale, the pioneer of surf music, the wind up camera that Bruce Brown used to shoot the all-time iconic surf movie "Endless Summer" and Jon Van Hamersveld's poster for "Endless Summer," as well as a shrine to Duke Kahanamoku, the father of modern surfing.

A few of blocks away the praise and delight in surf culture continues with legendary landmarks such as the Surfing Walk of Fame and Hall of Fame. Every summer, large crowds gather to watch the Vans U.S Open of Surfing, the largest surfing contest in the world, near the iconic Huntington Beach Pier, one of the longest piers in California. 

Visitors can learn to surf from Corky Carroll, the first paid surfer and the original surfing wild child, at his surfing school or rent boogie boards from the several beach vendors to enjoy the waves or rent a bike and cruise the wide boardwalk or even fly a kite along its windy shores.

There's plenty to do from playing volleyball on the sand, learning how to surf at one of the many schools to gathering with family and friends for a cookout at one of the many the fire pits. On Main Street you'll find a handful of 1900s brick buildings, eclectic pubs, well-known restaurants, and classic owned surf wear shops.

Even bird watching becomes a sport in Huntington Beach. Bolsa Chica Wetlands, 1,445-acre wildlife preserve, is a vital migratory bird refuge where more than 300 species of birds on their journeys up and down the Western World.

Little Arabia

Middle East Culture in the Middle of Suburbia

The Little Arabia District is a home away from home for many locals and tourists looking for the authentic flavor and culture of the Middle East.

Just a mile from Disneyland on Brookhurst Street, signs for restaurants, clothing stores, bakeries, ethnic supermarkets and businesses from legal services to insurance providers appear in Arabic letting you know you have found this ethnic enclave. 

The dining choices in Little Arabia alone are worth the visit as they feature exquisite dishes of Middle Eastern cuisine. Sahara Falafel is locally known to have the best falafel in the district. The hospitality in Papa Hassan's Grill make locals and tourists alike feel right at home. Known for their Beiruti burger with stuffed French fries, they also offer sandwiches, plates, salads, and an incredible list of burgers, rotisserie chicken and Paninis. 

For those missing mom's Middle Eastern cooking, there's no place in Little Arabia than Kareem's Restaurant. Locals recommend the hummus with grilled steak, fattoush salad, chicken skewers, and baba ghanouj. Try the special of the day at Olive Tree Restaurant. Visit Al Wadee Bakery and Restaurant for their chicken sarwarma sandwich or bamya (okra with tomato and lamb sauce). La Mirage Pastry offers rows upon rows of flakey baklava in all shapes and sizes, cookies, cakes (whole and by the slice), knafeh and chocolates.

For those who want to make their own Middle Eastern dishes, Altayebat Market and Fresh Choice Marketplace are chock-full with fresh bread, halal meats, cheeses, herbs and spices

It's like a vacation halfway around the world, without waiting for your luggage at the baggage claim. Visit Little Arabia, you'll be glad you did.

Santa Ana

Orange County's most diverse downtown

Santa Ana's downtown scene is not cookie-cutter; it is a colorful and eclectic blend of cultures, from its Spanish roots to an Avante Garde trendsetting locale. It is a mixture of intricately carved historic buildings; commissioned graffiti walls; traditional Mexican street food vendors and ethnic shops and a burgeoning urban oasis of cutting edge restaurants, hip retailers, and entertainment venues… all within walking distance.

The culinary adventures begin with the Playground, a restaurant owned by Jason Quinn, chef from The Lime Truck and winner of Food Network's The Great Food Truck Race. Chapter One, local gastropub serves local produce, seasonal fare, craft beers and culinary cocktails, Boldo, a completely sustainable, earth to table restaurant, or the Gypsy Den, OC's first alternative coffee house cafe.

Opening late 2014, visit 4th Street Market, a gourmet food hall that features ten mini restaurants, a wine bar and beer garden, butcher, bakery, coffee roaster, ten incubator kitchens (including gluten free and confection), a demonstration kitchen and a multitude of culinary adventures, from chef demonstrations to hands-on cooking classes.

Santa Ana also has a monthly Art Walk, the recently renovated Yost Theater (built in 1912) that houses a diverse range of concerts and the Frida Cinema which showcases independent films, film festivals, student films, foreign films, and film related programming.

Got an urge to shop? Several new and completely unique experiences await with Blends, a cutting edge sneaker boutique, Bespoke Cut & Sew's, hat customization brand or Brooklyn Harper, a hip women's street wear boutique, and much more.

Just down the street, the renowned Bowers Museum of Cultural Arts offers stimulating lectures, world-class exhibits to learn about other cultures through their arts, traditions and customs and family festivals. Adjacent to the museum, Kidseum is a fun-filled space in where children can explore the world around them hands-on in a culturally rich, creative, imaginative environment. Nearby the Discovery Cube features more than 100 interactive exhibits designed to spark children's natural curiosity and appreciation of science, math and technology in a fun and hands-on environment. A transformation also is underway at the Discovery Cube, where a 44,000-square-foot new wing has risen behind the existing building. Expected to open in 2015, it will increase the venue's overall space to 115,000 square feet, including its large outdoor exhibit of model dinosaurs.

Not too far away the regional Santa Ana Zoo at Prentice Park is a great family outing that features 80 species of animals and 50 monkeys. Adults and children can also get up close to see farm animals, enjoy the inventive kid's playground and train as well as an array of special events and concerts throughout the year.

Contact: Elaine Cali

ecali@anaheimoc.org

714.458.8628