The city of Anaheim is best known as home to the “happiest place on earth,” also known as the Disneyland Parks. We are all aware that the Disneyland Parks are a family-friendly place for parents to take kids. However, the parks may be a source of exhaustion for seniors. The mixture of loud noise, overcrowdedness, and heat may be too overwhelming for a senior who is looking to relax on vacation. If you’re a senior tourist who is visiting the city of Anaheim, consider these alternatives to the Disneyland Parks.
Dinner Theatre On Beach Boulevard
One great alternative to the Disneyland Parks where seniors can still enjoy entertainment is dinner theatre. Located just 15 minutes away from Anaheim, the city of Buena Park offers multiple alternatives for Southern California visitors. The city is also known for its own amusement park, Knott’s Berry Farm, as well as other local sources of entertainment located on Beach Boulevard. There are multiple venues for dinner theatre entertainment such as: Medieval Times, a show boasting of medieval knights jousting on horses; Pirates Dinner Adventure, a show full of swashbuckling pirates; and Teatro Martini, an adult-aged cabaret and burlesque show.
The Outlets at Orange and the Mainplace Mall in Santa Ana
If shopping is an enjoyable activity for you, Anaheim has two neighboring shopping centers where visitors can peruse for sales and deals. The Outlets at Orange are an open-air shopping center located by the 22 and 5 freeways in the city of Orange. The Outlets have over 120 different stores such as Saks 5th Avenue OFF 5TH, Nordstrom Rack, Levi’s Outlet, and more. Santa Ana is also home to the Mainplace Mall, which has over 200 stores to shop from including Sephora, LensCrafters, Macy’s, H&M, and more. The mall also has a Round 1 bowling alley, and a 24 Hour Fitness gym.
Fullerton Arboretum
Get some fresh air and visit a botanical garden, which can be a pleasant way to spend your afternoon in Orange County. Fullerton Arboretum is only a 13-minute drive from Anaheim and is located on the California State University Fullerton campus. The Fullerton Arboretum is free to all visitors and free parking is available on its grounds. The arboretum is a 26-acre garden full of diverse plants and fauna, as well as orange trees and lemon trees. The grounds is also home to the Heritage House, a historic home built by Dr. George Crook Clark in 1894. Clark is known as one of the pioneering physicians in the city of Fullerton. Guided tours the Arboretum are held every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month.
Santa Ana Zoo
Animal-lovers can visit the Santa Ana Zoo to get away from the busy Disneyland crowds. The Santa Ana Zoo features over 80 different species of animals, and is specifically for its pygmy marmosets, a small-sized monkey that can fit into the palm of your hand! The zoo hosts several events throughout the year such as summer concerts and even has a ferris wheel, a carousel, and train ride. Kids, families, and older adults of all ages will enjoy what this zoo has to offer.
Downtown Disney
If you’re still a Disney fan but want to stay away from the crowds at the amusement park, you can still visit Downtown Disney, which is filled with restaurants and stores to shop around. Visitors can enjoy perusing the latest character-themed merchandise at the Disney store and take unique and fun gifts home to their families. In the evening, local artists and musicians liven up the night with music, art, and dancing, giving restaurant diners entertainment and live music.
Angel Stadium and Honda Center
For the sports-loving senior, the city is home to the Anaheim Angels, a Major League Baseball team. The Angel Stadium is able to seat at least 45,000 people and serves as a large event venue throughout the year. The Honda Center is also another event venue that hosts National Hockey League games for the Anaheim Ducks. Sports fans and concert-goers alike can appreciate these venues and the various events that take place during the year.
Oak Canyon Nature Center and Santiago Oaks Regional Park
Another alternative to the Disneyland Parks are the outdoor parks of Orange County. Neighboring Anaheim Hills has plentiful hiking trails in its parks such as the Oak Canyon Nature Center and Santiago Oaks Regional Park. The Oak Canyon Nature Center is a 58-acre park filled with woodland, sagebrush, and streams through the area. The park also features an interpretive center and museum, which houses a natural history exhibit and activities for families and kids. Hikers, bikers, and horseback riders will enjoy the hilly trails in the Santiago Oak Regional Park, which covers 1,269 acres of land in Anaheim Hills. The park is a serene haven away from the busyness of city life. Visitors can enter the park from 7 a.m. to sunset and will have to pay a small parking fee.
About Anaheim
Anaheim is a city located in Orange County in Southern California. With a population of over 350,000 people, the city is best-known as home to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure theme parks as well as the Angel Stadium and Honda Center. The city is also home to the Major League Baseball team the Los Angeles Angels, as well as the professional hockey team the Anaheim Ducks. Anaheim is the most populous city within Orange County and the 10th-most populous city in the state of California.
For the senior tourist visiting Southern California, there are plenty of attractions and sources of entertainment to see other than the Disneyland Parks. Seniors may be pleasantly surprised by the number of different activities they can do in the city of Anaheim and the neighborhoods surrounding it. To learn more about the various activities seniors can do in the greater Los Angeles area, check out this article on the top 5 activities for seniors visiting Los Angeles.
Finally, if you or your senior loved one is searching for the best assisted living in Anaheim, feel free to explore how Senior Care Center can help you find the best senior care home. We offer plenty of help on topics such as paying for senior care on our Help & Advice page as well as our blog.
