Anaheim, CA

Anaheim, California, is in Orange County, with a population of approximately 328,000. It's located approximately 30 miles south of Los Angeles, 98 miles north of San Diego, and 13 miles from the Pacific Coast. The Santa Ana Mountains lie to the east, but most of Anaheim itself is fairly flat.

Anaheim was founded in 1857 and was incorporated in 1870. It was originally very rural and was covered with orange groves. During the 20th century, the city was an industrial center, manufacturing electronics, aircraft parts, and canned fruit.

But the biggest event in Anaheim history came in 1955 when Disneyland opened on the site of a former orange grove. Today, over 500 million people have visited the amusement park.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

• The Colonial District is the heart of downtown Anaheim. Government offices, the main library, and a farmers' market are found in this district.
• Anaheim Hills is a master-planned community in the city's eastern section.
• West Anaheim is highly residential, with most homes built in the 1950s.
• Anaheim Resort area includes Disneyland, hotels, resorts, and retail.
• Platinum Triangle is an urban development around the Angel Stadium.
• The Canyon is an industrial district between Riverside Freeway and Orange Freeway.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

The most important industry in Anaheim is tourism. In addition to Disneyland, the Anaheim Convention Center, the largest on the West Coast, hosts many national conferences. The city sees an average of 40 million visitors each year.

EDUCATION

Anaheim is home to many institutions of higher learning, including:

• Bethesda Christian University
• Bryman College
• Southern California Institute of Technology
• Trinity College of Graduate Studies
• Southern California School of Floral Design
• Pacific West College of Law

FOR VISITORS

• The Muzeo is a center for arts, education, entertainment, and culture. It features a variety of changing exhibits, special events, lectures, and classes. The museum includes Anaheim's original Carnegie Library, built in 1908.
• The Red Cross currently has offices in the Woelke-Stoffel House, which is one of the oldest structures in the city. It was built in 1895 and is an example of Victorian elegance.
• The Mother Colony House stands next to the Woelke-Stoffel House and is Orange County's first historical museum. The house was built in 1857 and exhibits furnishings and mementos of pioneer families from Anaheim.

FAMILY FUN

• Disneyland: Since opening day in 1955 more than 515 million guests have visited the park. In 2007 it was the second-most visited theme park, behind Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Florida.
• Disney's CaliforniaAdventure Park: This theme park opened in 2001 and was created to showcase different aspects of California culture, landmarks, and history. It is located next to Disneyland.
• Downtown Disney District: This area is a gathering place with shops, restaurants, and entertainment.
• Adventure City: One of the smallest amusement parks in California, Adventure City has ten exciting rides for children, as well as an arcade and a challenging rock-climbing wall.
• Flightdeck Air Combat Center: Here, visitors can pilot an authentic F-16 military jet simulator.
• K1 Speed: This indoor go-kart racing track offers Electric Pro Karts and a large road-race style track to simulate the experience of driving a real race car.

SPORTS TEAMS

Anaheim has three professional sports teams:

• The Anaheim Ducks play in the National Hockey League. When they are at home, they play at the Honda Center. The team won the Stanley Cup in 2007.
• The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a Major League Baseball team. The Angels won the World Series in 2002.
• The National Basketball Association Development League's expansion team is the Anaheim Arsenal.

GETTING AROUND

• The Anaheim Resort Transit (ART) offers daily shuttle service between area hotels, resorts, and attractions.
• Two public bus systems serve Anaheim: the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) and the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA).
• Amtrak offers rail service to Anaheim.
• Anaheim residents and visitors have access to four major airports: John Wayne Orange County Airport, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Ontario International Airport and Long Beach Airport.
• Traveling by car will take visitors along California freeways I-5, SR 57, SR 91, SR 55, and SR 241.