Things to do in Anaheim

[zmpayne]

My wife and I will be getting into LAX at 9:00 am and have a shuttle to Disneyland but we aren't going to the park until the next day. Anyone have any suggestions on things to do for a day in/around Anaheim?

Things we have considered:

The Packing House
Huntington Beach
Ducks game

Any ideas beyond those or reviews on those?

 

[pblack]

Knotts Berry Farm? But honestly i'd probably just add a day to the park tickets and go in on your arrival day.

 

[pharmama]

There's always Downtown Disney too... The Void or Splitsville might provide some entertainment. I know others have had mixed reviews on Splitsville but I went to a work event there last week and enjoyed it. The food was pretty good and it was a fun atmosphere (though might be better for more than just 2 people).

ETA: I agree with pblack- I'd probably just add a day to park tickets in the end

 

[crystal1313]

Love Huntington Beach and the Packing House! If you like cocktails, I would check out the Blind Rabbit at the Packing House. It's like an old speak easy. So fun! You need reservations and you can only stay for a set amount of time I believe. We really enjoyed it.

I would also consider hitting up Trader Sams at the DLH. Have a wonderful trip!

 

[SteveH]

There are some great food options in the Packing District. We took our staff team there to get away from the chain restaurants, but by the time we got there some places were already closed. I wish we'd been there a bit earlier to really have time to check it out more.

 

[zmpayne]

I guess I should have clarified, we will not have enough energy for any amusement parks that day! We will be waking up at 3:00 am EST/ 12:00 am PST and flying in! We are east coast time so we will wont have enough energy for Knotts or an additional day at Disney on the front end.

Thank you all for the suggestions so far though!

 

[Indiana Scott]

If you go to Knotts, I suggest you go there before DLR or it can be a big let-down.
Have a great trip!

 

[Aurora0427]

I guess I should have clarified, we will not have enough energy for any amusement parks that day! We will be waking up at 3:00 am EST/ 12:00 am PST and flying in! We are east coast time so we will wont have enough energy for Knotts or an additional day at Disney on the front end.

Thank you all for the suggestions so far though!

I would spend some time at Trader Sam’s at the Disneyland Hotel. We went twice this last trip.... it is SO RELAXING. We had cocktails and appetizers and listened to the Hawaiian musicians.

 

[BrianL]

I recommend Trader Sam's and just exploring Downtown Disney and the DLH. There is some neat stuff to see. If you have the energy, The Void is super fun too. It's not very physical, but you do have to carry a reasonably hefty computer pack. It only lasts about 15 minutes though. There will usually also be a band at the stage down near Earl of Sandwich. There is a lot of fun to be had right there in DTD.

 

[zmpayne]

I recommend Trader Sams and just exploring Downtown Disney and the DLH. There is some neat stuff to see. If you have the energy, The Void is super fun too. It's not very physical, but you do have to carry a reasonably hefty computer pack. It only lasts about 15 minutes though. There will usually also be a band at the stage down near Earl of Sandwich. There is a lot of fun to be had right there in DTD.

Thank you! sounds right up our alley.

 

[BrianL]

Thank you! sounds right up our alley.

If you go to the DLH, make sure to walk into the tower lobbies. There are some neat exhibits in them - small, but worth seeing I think.

 

[ShoeCello]

There's some great museums around that a quick drive or Uber/Lyft from DLR. For instance, the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana is one of my favorites, and the Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba Linda is a great spot to learn about history. If you have kids, the Discovery Cube (also in Santa Ana) is wonderful for families. Anaheim also has other great attractions, such as a flight simulator right by Angel Stadium, escape rooms, and more. If you like being outdoors, there's some cool hikes in Anaheim, Orange, and surrounding areas in the state parks and reserves that I (or others) can recommend! There's also terrific botanic gardens, such as the Huntington Gardens (which is not in Huntington Beach).

 

[theluckyrabbit]

This thread has lots of suggestions for things to do around DLR: DAY SIX Podcasts of Things to Do Around Disneyland.

 

[Chickinvic]

Knotts Berry Farm! And Mrs Knotts Chicken Dinner Restaurant.

 

[Chickinvic]

If you go to Knotts, I suggest you go there before DLR or it can be a big let-down.
Have a great trip!

To me they are just different. I don't go there first. I usually go somewhere in the mid-trip. It is unique and there are things there that can hold their own.