Anaheim – It’s Not All Mickey Mouse

Anaheim is in the heart of Southern California’s Orange County, perfectly located to access 34 different cities in the region. With a total area of ​​2,066 square kilometers, Orange County also has 68 kilometers of beautiful coastline dotted with fantastic beaches.

Climate and weather play an important role in attracting visitors to this beautiful part of California; along with the many palm trees and splendid beaches, which when combined offer the ideal setting for a relaxing vacation. There are six glorious beaches in Orange County, but surfers flock to Huntington Beach, better known as ‘Surf City,’ for its thrills and spills. For those looking for something more exclusive, Newport Beach is the place to be seen.

Other beaches are Dana Point, San Clemente and Seal, and for those visitors who like to combine the pursuit of arts and crafts with a day on the shore there is Laguna Beach. Each beach is unique and is a short drive to all of them from Anaheim.

However, the city of Anaheim is probably best known as the original home of Disneyland and its most famous resident, Mickey Mouse. Visitors come from all corners of the world to see the complex, which includes the Magic Kingdom, Disney California Adventure Park, and the Downtown Disney shopping and entertainment complex. The highly successful complex makes a profit of $ 3.6 billion a year and provides about 65,000 jobs for residents of Southern California.

An incredibly popular vacation destination, Anaheim attracts around 45 million visitors a year who collectively spend a staggering $ 8 billion. According to the latest industry figures from the PFK report, hotels in Anaheim and Orange County experienced record occupancy levels of 77.2 percent during 2007, the fourth highest in the nation’s top 25 metropolitan areas.

But, even given its dominance, not everything is Disney in the city; There is so much more to explore in and around Anaheim, including many shops! The old town has more than 100 antique shops and collectible boutiques alongside a host of art galleries and quaint little tea rooms, fully in keeping with the historic character. Alternatively, trendier shopping malls with designer stores offer the latest fashions and the opportunity to see the smartly dressed ladies of Orange County walking their equally well-dressed dogs.

Anaheim is home to the Mighty Ducks NHL franchise and an impressive Convention Center. It was originally built to attract off-peak visitors, but now, 40 years later, it attracts more than a million visitors per year who spend $ 891 million in the city. Recently renovated, the futuristic-looking convention center has been described as a spaceship and, over the years, has played host to such notable musicians as Elvis, Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie, and Neil Diamond.

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