Most of us know Orange County from movies and television, there was even TV show called "The OC." We know it's the home of Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm and Gwen Stefani. Though much smaller than it's neighboring counties to the north (LA) and south (San Diego) it belies its size by having most of the best-known California icons within its borders.
You would be forgiven for thinking that the only reason anyone visits California is to shop and go to theme parks, and that is what I did during the challenge, but those aren't the only things going here.
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When I talk with people about California, after Disneyland and Hollywood, the thing they mention the most is the freeways and the hazards of driving there. To that I say, base yourself in the OC and forgo the rental car in favour of the excellent OC Bus.
I know, I know, Southern California is not famous for its public transport (although during 1920s-1960s it had one of the best transportation systems in the world, the famous Red Cars), but this excellent bus system will take you to all over the OC to major attractions, beaches, shopping centres and hotels eliminating the need for an expensive rental car - which, for most visitors, would only be used to get them to and from the airport - saving parking fees and allaying the fear of driving on the freeways.
You can easily get an airport shuttle to your hotel - they may even provide one - visit Disney using their transport, then use the bus to go further afield, like the beach. It's a stress free way to travel the OC.
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Because I spread my eight days over five communities, I am going to break this Destination Guide up into pieces and link to those Guides below. For those places where I didn't stay overnight (Anaheim and Buena Park), please read their guides on this page.
Anaheim - German for home on the (Santa) Ana River - was founded in 1857 by German immigrants who were hoping to make wine. By 1867 they had established 47 wineries and scores of vineyards, however, in the 1880s a grape blight killed off most of the crops and, after toying with other crops, they settled on oranges and the rest, as they say, is history.
The citrus industry flourished until the 1950s when Disneyland appeared and the city's focus turned from oranges to tourism.
The majority of visitors to Anaheim are here for Disneyland and probably couldn't tell you the name of the town. However, they would missing an interesting and culturally rich area.
This fabulous new development has transformed a former industrial estate into a hip and happening entertainment district with live music every weekend. The newly opened Anaheim Brewery, 'a revived pre-Prohibition brewery' is doing a roaring trade with a 100-seat Beer Garden fronting onto Farmer’s Park. On the other side of the park is the Anaheim Packing House, a landmark 1919 building and one of the few remaining packing houses from the agricultural era. Here local farmers would unload trucks of freshly picked citrus to begin the process of washing, grading and eventual packing into wooden crates. Once completed, the crated and labeled citrus would be loaded onto rail cars parked on the side of the building to be shipped nationwide.
It now houses 23 eating establishments over two floors under its vast roof span. With a central atrium, communal dining, a building-length dining porch and outdoor picnic gardens it's a fabulous place to stop in Anaheim. Choosing what to eat was a difficult decision but we plumped for some plump Southern chicken at Georgia's. Okay, it wasn't exactly local cuisine, but at least we were in Southern California.
Muzeo Museum and Cultural Center
Muzeo is mostly a place for temporary and roving exhibits, for instance, the Downtown Abbey costumes took up the main rooms when I visited, but is also houses Anaheim: A Walk Through Local History. This permanent exhibit is housed in the last remaining Andrew Carnegie Library in Orange County, built in 1908.
Did you know? Oranges are not native to the Americas. They originated in China and were brought to Europe by Portuguese traders. However, it was the Spanish who introduced them to California in the 1790s.
Downtown Anaheim/Center Street Promenade
Just behind Muzeo is Center Street Promenade in the newly revitalised, historic downtown of Anaheim. With outdoor cafes, cool independent shops, Farmers Market which was on when I visited (image above centre), seasonal art shows and street fairs it's a vibrant place to be. The two stand-outs for me:
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1.Ink & Bean, Coffee Saloon and Workshop (image above, bottom left) an über cool cafe from the creators of The CAMP & The LAB. They've cracked a winning formula and this place is full all day with people working their laptops and drinking (good) lattés surrounded by flying books and vintage typewriters to keep them inspired to “drink write here,” (boom tish).
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2.RARE by Goodwill (image above, bottom right), located down the end of Center Street, is the place to come for vintage, funky and unique finds. A division of the charity Goodwill, the store is curated like a museum where almost everything is for sale. I could have spent hours rummaging through looking for bargains and it was hard to leave empty-handed...but I'm only allowed One Packed Bag.
Disneyland and California Adventure
What hasn't already been said about Disneyland? They are the masters of the game and they deliver every time.
This visit I spent 13 hours and walked 13 miles between both parks. Spookily, the address of Disneyland is 1313 Disneyland Drive!
Really nothing more to say, just GO!
The Packed Bag was a guest of Visit Anaheim.
Buena Park is a small town on the western edge of Orange County, in between Los Angeles and Anaheim. It started life as a 'rancho' gifted to a Spanish solider by the King of Spain in 1783.
It was a township before Orange County existed, the Santa Fe and Southern Pacific Railroads build depots here and the dairy industry held sway from the late 1800s. It's now most famous for being the location of Knott's Berry Farm and Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament.
Knott's Berry Farm is a strange amalgam of the past and present. Half of the main park is given over to the Old West with stagecoach and steam trains rides (both of which I took), blacksmith shops and saloons. The other side is screaming rollercoasters and 3D amusements. It's more like a permanent state fair.
It actually was a farm owned by Walter and Cordelia Knott, who bought it in 1920. They started growing rhubarb, asparagus and berries that they sold at a roadside stand. Soon Cordelia opened a tea room, where she sold her homemade jellies and jams. In 1932, family friend, Anaheim Parks Superintendent Rudolph Boysen, handed over his troublesome experimental new strain of berry - a raspberry, loganberry and blackberry cross - to Walter who succeeded where he had failed and named it 'boysenberry' after his friend.
Cordelia expanded her tea room and began making fried chicken dinners and boysenberry pies that she served on her good wedding china. Soon people were going out of their way to visit the farm and as the restaurant grew in popularity, the family sold their famous jellies, jams and preserves far and wide. The Boysenberry Festival is held annually in April.
The day I went it was an unseasonably hot March day (85F/30C) and absolutely overrun with families there for the duration. The queues were immense and most everyone had packed a picnic lunch prepared for the long haul.
This is one way in which it varies from other amusement parks, as you are welcome to self-cater and there are parks and picnic benches scattered outside of the main amusement park in the older part of the farm. Kids can feed the ducks and assorted critters that wander freely throughout the property and around Independence Hall, an exact replica of the one in Philadelphia, which Mr Knott built out of patriotism.
It's a strange mashup, but it seems to work and it's very popular with locals and visitors alike.
This new interactive brunch show features circus performers from around the world. Created by, and at the same venue, as the established Pirates Dinner Adventure, this is only on weekends and caters to the whole family.
The Packed Bag was a guest of Visit Buena Park.
