Anaheim Overview

A short distance southeast of Los Angeles and at the core of Orange County, Anaheim was founded in 1857 by German farmers. In ensuing decades it flourished as a center for citrus production. In 1954, movie producer Walt Disney bought 160 acres of citrus groves and built a theme park unlike any other. Today, Anaheim is synonymous with Disneyland. The original theme park, however, now forms part of a much larger entity--Disney Resort--encompassing Disneyland California Adventure, Downtown Disney, and three huge hotels. Together they form the core of Anaheim Resort, boasting the convention center and multiple entertainment and mega-sports venues. East of the city, the Anaheim Hills offer bucolic escapes, while the city merges into neighboring cities that together offer a panoply of eclectic and exciting diversions: from art galleries and museums to the contemporary magnificence of the Crystal Cathedral. Interstate 5, which links Los Angeles and San Diego, runs north-south through the heart of Anaheim, and the Metrolink rail system connects Anaheim Resort to downtown Los Angeles. Anaheim, the second largest city in Orange County after Santa Ana, has a polyglot population. While it has pockets of industry, the region thrives on tourism first and foremost.