25 Best Things to Do in Anaheim (CA)

When people think of Anaheim they often only think of Disneyland, but this city in California has much more to offer besides this fantastic theme park. It is a city in Southern California that has a very active population who love to take part in their favorite sports.

Located in the heart of Orange County makes the city very popular for tourists who come to explore the city and use the great transport links to reach the neighboring cities and beaches of California. With so much to see, do and get involved with let’s take a look at the top 25 things to do in Anaheim.

1. Visit Anaheim’s Star Attraction – Disneyland Park

The most famous place in Anaheim is by far Disneyland Park (originally known as just Disneyland).

The park itself is the only one that was designed and then built under the watchful eye of Walt Disney himself.

The park has gone through several renovations and expansions since it first opened in 1955 and throughout the years it has seen more visitors in total than any other theme park in the world.

There are eight themed lands within the park each with their own unique characteristics and style.

Getting around Disneyland in just one day is an impossible task so always allow for at least a couple of days when you visit.

2. Catch A Game At The Angel Stadium

The Angel Stadium of Anaheim is home to the Los Angeles Angels. The stadium is the fourth oldest in Major League Baseball and has hosted Major League Baseball All-Star Games in the past.

At the stadium there is a 230 foot sign that has a halo quite near the top of it.

Each time the Angel’s win either at home or away the halo is lit up in honor of the victory.

A home game can attract up to 45,000 screaming fans so if you are looking for a red hot atmosphere and a great afternoon or evening out then this is as good a place as any.

3. Watch The Action At The Honda Center

If ice hockey is more your taste then just opposite the Angel Stadium is the Honda Center.

Home to the Anaheim Ducks, a team in the National Hockey League.

It is not just hockey that is played at this great indoor arena though, you can also watch football, catch a live concert or any other type of sporting event.

The center opened in June 1993 and the first performance ever was a concert by Barry Manilow.

The Honda Center was also the location that the animated TV series Might Ducks used when they arrived on Earth from planet Puckworld.

4. Take On The Rides At Adventure City

When you are a theme park and you share a city with Disneyland you are going to have a tough time surviving.

However, Adventure City has been doing just that since it opened in 1994.

The park covers an area 0f 2 acres and has various rides that will keep the whole family entertained.

Adventure City is of course much smaller and less famous than Disneyland but offers a much cheaper alternative for those that wish to experience some rides whilst not spending a small fortune.

5. Listen To Some Music In A More Intimate Setting

A lot of things in Anaheim are on a large scale and sometimes it is nice to enjoy some entertainment with a lot less people and a lot more intimacy.

The City National Grove of Anaheim is an indoor live music venue that has a capacity of just 1,700.

Originally the venue was home to a restaurant called Tinseltown which was a themed restaurant, designed to look like an awards show, alas the restaurant failed and so the music venue was born.

Over the years many greats have performed here including Bob Dylan, B. B. King and Julio Eglesias.

6. Get Some Retail Therapy At Anaheim GardenWalk

Sometimes you just need a break from it all and a good trip around the shops seems to fix everything.

The Anaheim GardenWalk is an outdoor shopping center that has many places to shop.

It also houses a 14 screen cinema, a bowling alley, restaurants and a fitness center.

Many well known restaurant brands have an outlet here including Bubba Gump Shrimp Company and The Cheesecake Factory.

7. Catch A Convention At The Anaheim Convention Center

The largest convention center on the West Coast is the Anaheim Convention Center and has been open since 1967.

When the center was first opened it was home to the Anaheim Amigos who were part of the American Basketball Association.

The Amigo’s stay at the center was very short lived and so the venue changed to become a convention center.

Throughout the years many events have been held here including NAMM Show and the Anime Expo.

There are always events going on throughout the year, some for trade and some for everyone.

It is always worth checking out what is happening during the time you are in town to see what takes your fancy.

8. Stay At Disneyland Hotel

If you are traveling into Anaheim and visiting Disneyland then maybe a stay at the Disneyland Hotel will make everything just that bit more special.

The hotel has various themed areas including Fantasy, Adventure or Frontier Tower.

The service at the hotel is impeccable and the rooms offer the best in comfort.

There are various places to eat ranging from a fine dining experience to a themed eatery.

There are multiple swimming pools with waterslides that kids and adults will love.

9. See Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln

For more than fifty years the stage show that features an audio-animatronic version of President Abraham Lincoln has been shown in some form at Disneyland.

It was initially designed to be part of a show that would show off all the previous presidents of the country, but this never materialized until a much later date.

Instead a tribute to Lincoln was built and this became the focus of a stage show.

As time has gone by the show has changed on numerous occasions and now focuses on the Walt Disney story as well as moments in history that included Walt Disney’s childhood hero Abraham Lincoln.

10. Enjoy The Great Outdoors At Ralph B. Clark Regional Park

Sitting just outside Anaheim is Ralph B. Clark Regional Park. A great location for those who like the fresh air and outdoors life.

The park has many activities to enjoy with your family and friends. There are six softball fields that can be used as well as a host of other amenities.

You can go cycling, fishing, hiking, boating, stop for a picnic or barbeque and many other things.

The hiking trails are particularly good as they are shaded by trees and run along the periphery of the park.

If you like birds you can enjoy more than 130 varieties of species which is a large number given the relative small size of the area.

11. Dine At The Exclusive Club 33

Unfortunately although this may be an amazing experience it is not open to everyone in Anaheim.

Club 33 is an exclusive, private members club in the middle of New Orleans Square in Disneyland.

You enter the club by pressing a buzzer that is hidden under a panel and then you take a ride in a glass elevator.

You can dine at the exclusive club as well as receiving preferential treatment at the theme park as well.

The bad news is that there is a fourteen year waiting list to become a member of the club so you could be in for a wait if you wish to become a part of the club.

12. Spend The Day At Yorba Regional Park

In the mouth of the Santa Ana Canyon is Yorba Regional Park, a park that stretches out over 140 acres and captures perfectly the Santa Ana River that runs alongside the park.

There are over 400 picnic tables within the park and many are in the shade allowing for a peaceful lunch to be had with family and friends.

One of the highlights of the park are the four lakes and streams that run through the area, these give you an opportunity for many hours of fishing.

If you wish to stay at the park you can rent a shelter by booking in advance and they are large enough to cater to groups.

13. Find The Freshest Produce In Town

One of the best kept secrets in Anaheim is the Thursday Downtown Anaheim Certified Farmers Market.

Each Thursday for more than nineteen years the market has been open from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The market sells fresh produce from local farmers and for those that know the place exists it is a real hit.

There are regular live events that have musical performers and the Fourth of July Celebrations are always exciting and well worth attending.

14. Go For A Stroll At Oak Canyon Nature Center

Oak Canyon Nature Center is a situated in the Anaheim Hills and covers an area of 58 acres.

This is a beautiful place to go to get back to nature and enjoy being out in the great outdoors.

There is a stream that runs through the park that has three adjoining canyons.

For those that like hiking there is a four miles hiking trail and if you like seeing nature there is much native wildlife to be discovered.

Located on the site is a small center called the John J. Collier Interpretive Center, this is a small museum that is various live animal and natural history exhibits.

15. Take To The Ice At The Rinks

Anaheim Ice was originally known as Disney Ice, and is an indoor ice rink within the city of Anaheim.

The ice rink is very popular with locals and local teams, the Anaheim Ducks who are a National Hockey League team use the venue as a practice and training rink.

If you can already skate there are a lot of teams to join here for both young and older, male and female.

If you cannot skate you can come to an open session where you can take it slow and get out on the ice in a controlled manner with skilled professionals around.

With several teams playing from here you can come and watch a game several times a week for a very low price.

16. Take In Some Outdoor Entertainment

Each year during the months of summer Pearson Park comes alive as the Amphitheatre puts on a night of entertainment under the stars once a week.

Sometimes it is music and sometimes a film or a different type of performance but it is always a hit with the locals who like to pack the place out.

Prices for each show are very cheap at just $3 an adult and children under eight can get in for free.

17. Join In The Art Crawl Experience

Commonly known as A.C.E, the Anaheim Crawl Experience has been running four times per year for several years now.

Each event sees over fifty artists and craft vendors gather in Downtown Anaheim to showcase their work to the public.

There are all sorts of pieces of art to capture your imagination as well as gourmet food trucks and local entertainers.

Many local restaurants and bars transform their shop fronts for the evening to showcase the works of the local talented artists.

18. Have Your Cake And Eat It At Amazing Cakes

If you like cake then a trip to Amazing Cakes has to be on your list when you are in Anaheim.

Since 1991 Amazing Cakes has been wowing the local people with their incredible cakes.

The business has proved to make such fantastic cakes that they have worked with both Radisson Hotels and Sheraton Hotel.

A whole team of cake experts work at Amazing Cakes and will design and decorate a cake exactly to your specification.

19. Give The Kids A Blast At Seascape Kids Fun

Spread out over three separate areas and guaranteed to make your kids happy is the Seascape Kids Fun park in Anaheim.

There are three stories to the park which have enormous slides, lots of foam balls and plenty of places to climb and have fun.

You can just turn up with your children and enjoy a fun day out or book out special parts of the park for a birthday party or other event.

20. Indulge Yourself At The Anaheim White House Restaurant

If you are into the finer things in life then a trip to the Anaheim White House Restaurant is not to be missed.

This fine establishment has been serving up delicious Northern Italian food since 1987.

The restaurant has won many prestigious awards and gained worldwide fame for its exquisite food and fabulous service.

The really is a place to visit not only for the food and fantastic service but because of the man behind the business.

Bruno Serato gives away 1000 meals a night to homeless children and over the years has given away more than one million dinners.

A feat that makes him an absolute hero of the people and worthy of our time.

21. Spend A Day Sea Fishing With The Experts

If you are looking to try something a bit different why not give sea fishing a try.

Davey’s Locker offer sporting trips that take you out on the sea for the day with a chance of catching some rather big fish.

All equipment is supplied so you just need to turn up and let the experts take care of everything. You can fish for Sand Bass, Yellowtail or Tuna.

The staff know exactly where to go to get the best fish and the biggest catches.

If you want to keep any fish the on-board staff will happily gut and clean the fish for you or you can throw them back in the water and wait for the next bite.

22. Get A Hole In One At Camelot Golf Land

The largest miniature golf course facility in the country is at Camelot Golf Land in Anaheim.

There are some great courses to try your hand at including a castle themed course and a jungle or safari course.

The courses are excellently maintained and the staff are friendly and helpful.

When you have finished your games of golf you can enter the 5000 square foot laser tag arena and see if you can blast your opponents away.

The whole venue has a ton of things to do and people of all ages will get to enjoy all the activities on offer.

23. Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament

Just outside Anaheim in Buena Park is a crazy place that could easily be called North America’s number one dinner attraction.

Here you can have a two hour dinner adventure that is based around the glory of the middle ages.

Whilst you eat your four course meal you will be treated to swordplay, pageantry and horsemanship.

There is an authentic jousting tournament that takes place using six knights of the realm.

All of the action takes place inside the castles 1,100 seat auditorium.