Orange County: look beyond the gates of Orange County's renowned theme parks to make discoveries about life in this major urban center

Sunset, June, 2004

* DRIVING DISTANCE: 62mi/102km round trip

* DURATION: 2-4 days

* DON'T MISS: South Coast Plaza, Edison Field, GhostRider at Knott's Berry Farm

* DID YOU KNOW: Disneyland, which opened in 1955, was built on a 160-acre orange grove.

SANTA ANA. Make discoveries of all kinds at the Bowers Museum of Cultural Arts and the 45,000-square-foot Grand Central Art Center. MainPlace features 190 specialty stores, and an official California Welcome Center. Continue south on Main St. Turn right on Sunflower Ave. and left onto Avenue of the Arts, to Town Center Dr. in ...

COSTA MESA (7mi/11km). It's home to the thriving Orange County Theatre District and California Scenario, a unique sculpture garden by the legendary Isamu Noguchi. The footbridge off Town Center Dr. leads to South Coast Plaza, a world-class shopping complex comprising two enclosed malls. Get on I-405 and head south to ...

IRVINE (9mi/14km). Exit at Irvine Center Dr. for the Irvine Spectrum, a dining-shopping-entertainment complex containing the Improv comedy nightclub and a 38-foot carousel. Take 1-5 north to Harbor Blvd. to ...

ANAHEIM (17mi/27km). The heart of Orange County's vacationland is the Anaheim Resort District. The 1,100-acre area surrounds the Anaheim Convention Center and the Disneyland Resort[R], now composed of Disneyland Park[R], Disney's California Adventure[TM], and Downtown Disney[R]. Other noteworthy attractions in Anaheim include the 58-acre Oak Canyon Nature Center and the Anaheim Museum. Take I-5 north to Beach Blvd. to ...

BUENA PARK (9mi/14km). Built in 1930, Knott's Berry Farm was the first theme park in Orange County. Don't miss the GhostRider, one of the longest and tallest wooden roller coasters in the world. Next door is Knott's Soak City U.S.A., with slides and a children's pool. Nearby is Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament, Wild Bill's Wild West Dinner Extravaganza, Movieland Wax Museum, and Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum. From Beach Blvd. take Hwy. 91 east to Harbor Blvd. north to ...

FULLERTON (9mi/14km). The Fullerton Arboretum is an exceptional 26-acre botanical garden in an urban setting. The Fullerton Museum Center emphasizes contemporary culture. Stay north on Harbor Blvd. to Hwy. 90 east to ...

YORBA LINDA (3mi/5km). Take Yorba Linda Blvd. to the Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace. One-hundred miles of maintained horse trails make Yorba Linda an equestrian paradise. Continue on Hwy. 90 to Hwy. 91 west, to Hwy. 57 south to I-5 south, and return to ...

SANTA ANA (8mi/13km).

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