What to do when traveling to Orange County, Places to visit, Things to do, Food to eat, Sightseeing

California, the golden state, home to a diverse group of people with many different interests and hobbies. Orange County has been my home all my life. I grew up in the heart of Orange County and lived around Anaheim for almost 3 decades. Over the years I’ve seen a lot of changes happen, new buildings popping up, old ones torn down, and tons of new businesses and events popping up. Orange County is a wonderful place to live, and the number of things to do in and around the area is endless.

Anywhere you’re headed from Orange County can be accessed in a 1-2 hour drive. During the summer, the beaches are the hot spot (pun intended). People flock to our beaches along the West Coast every summer and there is a wide variety to choose from. The beaches around Newport and Laguna are extremely nice, clean and not that crowded and there are plenty of places to rent water sports. If you’re looking to catch some waves, Huntington, Seal, and Bolsa Chica State Beach have some pretty nice waves, though the water is often cooler than other places. Huntington Beach also has a dog-friendly beach, perfect for pet owners looking to cool off and have some fun with their pooches. Long Beach is not a preferred beach to play in the water as the ports are located here and the water is not very hygienic (personal opinion)

For those of you looking for some nightlife, Orange County is packed with plenty of things to do in all of the surrounding cities. The downtown areas are always buzzing with people interested in having a few drinks, going to the clubs…or both. Downtown Fullerton is frequented by college students and young adults alike. There are several different bars to visit with very competitive prices, happy hours, and many different types of music. There are also a number of breweries nearby for those who aren’t as interested in partying as catching up with some old friends. Just like downtown Fullerton, so is downtown Anaheim, downtown Santa Ana, downtown Orange, and even the new and renovated downtown Buena Park.

There are quite a few places to eat and many different styles to choose from. Depending on what you’re craving, I’ll say from personal experience that different cities cater to different ethnicities more than others. For example, and by personal preference, if you’re looking for excellent noodle dishes, Westminster, Irvine, and Tustin are quite popular for their Asian dishes. Ramen, Pho, Korean BBQ and the like I think are best made in these cities. Some of my favorite places by type/city/service would be: AYCE Korean BBQ – Star BBQ (Westminster), Cham Sut Gol (Westminster), and Mr. BBQ (Fullerton). Pho – iPho (Anaheim), Pho Thang Long (Westminster) — and most places in Westminster. American: Fuddruckers (Buena Park), Buffalo Wild Wings (Buena Park/Orange), The Cheesecake Factory (Anaheim), Islands Bar & Grill (Cypress/Fullerton) or Lazy Dogs Cafe (Brea). Beyond eating something delicious, there are plenty of things to keep you entertained scattered throughout Orange County.

Starting with our theme parks: We’re central to not only Disneyland, but Knott’s Berry Farm and, during the summer, Knott’s Soak City. In addition to amusement parks, we have a plethora of movie theaters nearby ranging from basic to 4D screens involving special effects, lighting, and environmental interaction. Escape rooms are interactive group/team brain games that have been gaining popularity in Orange County. Some of my favorite companies are Crossroads, Puzzlebox, and Square Room Escape. Again, from personal experience, these are all pretty immersive and much more seamless in terms of how well the tracks connect to each other. For more sporty pursuits, there are a couple places in Anaheim and Santa Ana for indoor climbing like Rock City, Rockreation, and Factory.

If you are looking to go shopping there are countless places in all the surrounding cities. The Outlets of Orange (formerly known as The Block), as well as Anaheim Plaza, are two large malls with several different genres. Both are mostly outdoors and if you’re looking for some indoor malls, Westminster, Brea and even Cerritos have huge malls packed with different stores. With all the shopping, dining, and sightseeing, what about places to stay?

There are a number of hotels, motels, boutiques, and private airbnbs to choose from. Just about anywhere you stay there are tons of the things listed above to do and see in a matter of minutes. Many of these places offer competitive prices, great amenities, discounts, and tips on how to spend your time here.

As you can see, the limits are endless in Orange County. You can do just about anything your heart desires, from hiking, sightseeing, entertainment, dining, nightlife, and more. As we move into the future, we will only see more and more development appear. With the list of activities and the growing population, there will only be more and more things to do. Orange County is truly an amazing place and many travelers who end up here have told me how satisfying their trips were.