Things to Do in Orange County and Disneyland
Theme parks inland, then forty-some miles of beach towns from Seal Beach to San Clemente.
See top-rated activities »The Best Southern California Beach Towns, and Disneyland
Orange County lies between Los Angeles and San Diego, and for many visitors it begins at the gates of Disneyland. Walt Disney opened his first park in Anaheim in 1955, and the Disneyland Resort now includes Disney California Adventure and the Downtown Disney shopping and dining district. In neighboring Buena Park, Knott's Berry Farm grew from a roadside berry stand into a theme park with roller coasters, a ghost town and the fried chicken dinners that started it all. Both are easy to combine with a few days at the coast.
The coastline is where Orange County shows its range, and it holds several of the best Southern California beach towns. Huntington Beach is a surf town with a long pier, a broad sandy beach and an international surfing museum. Newport Beach is built around a harbor of yachts and canals; a three-car ferry crosses to Balboa Island, and the Balboa Fun Zone has a small Ferris wheel by the water. Laguna Beach is the artistic one, with coves and tide pools below the cliffs, galleries along Coast Highway and the Festival of Arts each summer. Dana Point, farther south, has a busy harbor known for year-round whale and dolphin watching trips.
Between the towns, Crystal Cove State Park preserves a stretch of undeveloped beach and a row of 1930s cottages, some of which are rented to overnight guests. Inland from Dana Point, Mission San Juan Capistrano, founded in 1776, has gardens, ruins of a great stone church and the story of the swallows that return each spring. Picking among the best Southern California beach towns comes down to mood: Huntington for surf culture, Newport for boating, Laguna for art and coves, Dana Point for a slower harbor. Ferries to Catalina Island leave from Newport Beach and Dana Point, and the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner stops in Anaheim, Irvine, San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente on its way along the coast.
Don’t Miss
Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure, side by side with the Downtown Disney district.
Roller coasters, a historic ghost town, Camp Snoopy for younger children and the original chicken dinner restaurant.
Three miles of beach, tide pools, backcountry trails and a historic district of beach cottages.
A walkable island of cottages, the little car ferry across the harbor and a waterfront Ferris wheel.
One of the longest public piers on the West Coast, with surfers on both sides and Main Street at its foot.
A 1776 mission with gardens, an adobe chapel and the ruins of its Great Stone Church.
A base for whale and dolphin watching boats, the Ocean Institute and ferries to Catalina.
Top-Rated Tours, Tickets & Activities in Orange County
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ViatorTours, tickets, prices and reviews from Viator (a Tripadvisor company) and Tiqets — prices are per person, from, and were checked October 31, 2026. Best in SoCal may earn a commission when you book, at no extra cost to you.
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Get free trip quotes »Orange County — FAQ
Which Orange County beach town should I stay in?
Laguna Beach for art, coves and restaurants you can walk to; Newport Beach for the harbor and Balboa Island; Huntington Beach for surfing and a lively pier; Dana Point for a quieter harbor base. All are within about 45 minutes of Disneyland.
How far is Disneyland from the beach?
Huntington Beach and Newport Beach are about 15 to 20 miles from the Disneyland Resort, roughly half an hour by car outside rush hour.
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