Anaheim Travel Guide, California

   Anaheim is located 28 miles southeast of Los Angeles, but, as the home of Disneyland, many visitors never venture that far. The population was is about one-third million residents but Anaheim is perennially swollen with tens of thousands of visitors to the theme amusement parks and sport venues.  

  Anaheim is reached by the Santa Ana Freeway (I-5), the Orange Freeway (CA-57), the Riverside Freeway (CA-91) and several of the surviving California Railroads, the Union Pacific Railroad and the BNSF Railway, Amtrak California and Metrolink. There is bus service as well, and plenty of car parking near all attractions 

   Anaheim has other industry but by far the most lucrative is the Disneyland Resort, a collection of theme parks and hotels. Angel Stadium, Honda Center, and the Anaheim Convention Center all draw crowds for major league sporting events and conventions and trade shows.

The Anaheim Garden Walk is a new offering that is meant to satisfy the needs of locals and tourists alike with nearly 500, 000 square feet of shopping, dining and entertainment venues. It is an outdoor complex near the convention center and Disney Resort with outdoor garderns and pedestrian areas wherein the shops and restaurants are located.  The gardens are a fine example of southern California native plants, many of which are drought tolerant.

The eateries are mostly of the upscale chain variety, such as California Pizza Kitchen and McCormack's Grill with quality food at reasonable prices that are favorites with both locals and visitors. The shops include good women's clothes, trendy clothes, lifestyle home shops and a Harley Davidson store that is fun to browse, even if a new motorcycle is not on your list.

   Anaheim, despite throngs of tourists which constitute its primary economic resource, is one of the safest cities of a similar size in the US. The climate is pure Southern California with hot summers and mild winters that are marred only by intermittent heavy air pollution.  Since tourism is such an strong economic factor, Anaheim is studded with restaurants of all types to service all budgets, with the majority geared in menu and price toward families. Many chains of fast food and budget restaurants can be found. I

   In addition to the theme park hotels, all of the major chains of family oriented hotels and motels are represented in Anaheim. But there is also a core to the town where locals conduct daily life and shops, supermarkets and cafes are upscale and accessible.