In November 2023 I flew to Santa Ana, California for almost 2 weeks at Disneyland Resort, Hollywood, Los Angeles, and the surrounding area. Most of that time was going to be in Disneyland. Based on past experience, it is best to get a shuttle from the John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California to a hotel near the Disneyland area. Obviously, there are lots of hotel options. Since the Disneyland area is all built up, everything is available that you need to survive. Because of the number of visitors, there are lots of tours you can take to the surrounding areas that pick you up at your hotel (or worse case, a nearby big chain hotel easily within walking distance).
Even though I have done several Los Angeles tours in the past, this particular tour had a couple places I had not been to before. One of these was the Los Angeles Coliseum built in 1923. I was amazed at how many homes and other buildings were built so close to the coliseum. But old pictures showed how remote the area used to be, which makes sense. Both the 1932 and 1984 Summer Olympics were held here, and the 2028 Olympics are planned to be held here. Another new place I saw was the grand Griffith Observatory on Mount Hollywood. I had seen both the coliseum and observatory in numerous movies and television shows over the years, but this was the first time there in person. The view overlooking LA and Hollywood from the observatory is magnificent. Additionally, you have a view of the world-famous Hollywood sign in the distance from the observatory.
Beverly Hills is a site to see, but not that spectacular. Mostly fancy shops and expensive cars. More interesting, the tour did drive by a number of celebrity homes, which was cool. But, no celebrity sightings. I did enjoy the scenery and the nice beach at the Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, California. There's always a crowd on the pier taking pictures around the starting point of the world-famous Route 66. As a 'point' of reference, the starting point of Route 66 in Chicago is at the intersection of East Adams Street and South Michigan Avenue. One of these days I have to go there.
Even though the Farmers Market in Los Angeles is primarily shopping, what I look forward to is the variety of eating establishments they have (especially after a long day touring). Take your average mall food court and then multiple that by 10. Everything you can think of to eat is there, and that includes snack food and treats. Wrapping up the tour was Venice, California, sometimes referred to as Muscle Beach this is where Arnold Schwarzenegger used to work out. Venice also has a very eclectic boardwalk with lots of shops, along with your touristy shops.
Most of my time was spent in and around Disneyland. It was the 100th anniversary of the Disney Company, and of course they had a yearlong celebration that included special decorations, souvenirs, and events in the park. Disneyland in California is divided between the Disneyland Park and the California Adventure. Also, nearby is the Downtown Disney shopping district that has that unique Disney flair that makes wandering the shopping area fun. Because I had so much time in the parks, I was able to ride all the rides and see all the shows (some more than once). Having a lot of time makes it more leisurely than having to just run around. Yes, I even took the time to ride the 'kiddy rides' in Fantasyland, like Mr. Toad's Wild Ride and Peter Pan's Flight. I did draw the line at the Mad Tea Party Cups. Disney, always fun, and indescribable...
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