If you are arriving before the NCBC Annual Conference, or extending your stay, there are many fun day trips you can take throughout Southern California.
Hollywood, CA is just a short 30 miles away from Anaheim. There are many famous Hollywood attractions just along Hollywood Blvd., such as Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, exhibits at The Hollywood Museum, Hollywood Walk of Fame Stars, and the Pantages Theatre. Of course, don’t forget the famous Sunset Boulevard. The mile-and-a-half stretch that passes through West Hollywood, CA., has been renowned since the 1930s for its glitzy array of nightclubs, music venues, and colorful billboards.
Looking for more Hollywood excitement? Universal Studios Hollywood has many rides and attractions, including the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Jurassic Park: The Ride, and the world-famous studio tour. Directly connected to Universal Studios Hollywood, is Universal CityWalk, which is an outdoor three-block entertainment, dining and shopping promenade, featuring the iconic Hard Rock Café Hollywood, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., and more!
If you’re looking for a little adventure, California is also home to many beautiful wineries. Located about an hour away from Anaheim, is Temecula Valley Wine Country. Temecula is home to over 40 wineries, as well as their distinct ale trail featuring roughly six up and coming breweries. You can visit visittemeculavalley.com for more information.
It’s an observatory, planetarium, and astronomy museum with great views of Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and the Hollywood sign. The Griffith Observatory is one of Los Angeles’s most visited destinations. Inside the beautifully restored building are three levels of state-of-the-art hands-on exhibits and displays. The grounds surrounding the observatory have many points of interest, including an Egyptian sundial and a memorial to James Dean. Griffith Park features several interesting attractions including the Los Angeles Zoo and the Los Angeles Live Steamers. Admission to the Griffith Park Observatory is free.
Explore the beautiful J. Paul Getty Museum. Most commonly referred to as “The Getty,” it is situated on two campuses: The Getty Center and Getty Villa. Combined, they receive millions of visitors each year.
It’s free to visitors and is regarded as one of the best art museums in the world. The Getty Center features works of art dating from the eighth through the twenty-first centuries, showcased against a backdrop of dramatic architecture, tranquil gardens, and breathtaking views of Los Angeles. At the Getty Villa, collections feature 44,000 Greek, Roman, and Etruscan antiquities in the setting modeled after a first-century Roman country house, the Villa dei Papiri in Herculaneum, Italy.
Santa Barbara’s many attractions are near Stearns Wharf. Visitors can rent bicycles, relax on the beach, visit the nearby Santa Barbara Zoo, or take a stroll through historic Mission Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara is about two hours from Los Angeles, within range for an easy day trip. Another option to get there is via Amtrak’s Coast Starlight train which takes about three hours, while allowing you to enjoy a traffic-free, relaxing, and scenic train ride.
La Jolla is a beautiful coastal community only an hour and a half drive south from Anaheim. It is also accessible via Amtrak Pacific Surfliner. It features picturesque sandy beaches, hidden coves, and beautiful sea caves to explore. One of the most fun things to do in La Jolla is the Seven Sea Caves Kayak Tour. If you want to stay on dry land, you can visit Sunny Jim Cave without getting your feet wet. Another popular attraction in La Jolla is the Birch Aquarium, part of the of the world-renowned Scripps Institute of Oceanography.
Pacific Coast Highway has been the subject of many iconic songs and is a large part of the California experience. The highway runs the whole length of California, and as it passes through Malibu, you are literally yards away from some of the most scenic beaches in the world. There is plenty to see and do in Malibu, including the 7,000 acre Malibu Creek State Park, the historic Adamson House adjacent to Malibu Beach Lagoon, and, of “The Fast and the Furious” fame, Neptune’s Net Diner. In Malibu, nothing beats the beautiful El Matador State Beach!
Hollywood, CA is just a short 30 miles away from Anaheim. There are many famous Hollywood attractions just along Hollywood Blvd., such as Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, exhibits at The Hollywood Museum, Hollywood Walk of Fame Stars, and the Pantages Theatre. Of course, don’t forget the famous Sunset Boulevard. The mile-and-a-half stretch that passes through West Hollywood, CA., has been renowned since the 1930s for its glitzy array of nightclubs, music venues, and colorful billboards.
Looking for more Hollywood excitement? Universal Studios Hollywood has many rides and attractions, including the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Jurassic Park: The Ride, and the world-famous studio tour. Directly connected to Universal Studios Hollywood, is Universal CityWalk, which is an outdoor three-block entertainment, dining and shopping promenade, featuring the iconic Hard Rock Café Hollywood, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., and more!
If you’re looking for a little adventure, California is also home to many beautiful wineries. Located about an hour away from Anaheim, is Temecula Valley Wine Country. Temecula is home to over 40 wineries, as well as their distinct ale trail featuring roughly six up and coming breweries. You can visit visittemeculavalley.com for more information.
It’s an observatory, planetarium, and astronomy museum with great views of Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and the Hollywood sign. The Griffith Observatory is one of Los Angeles’s most visited destinations. Inside the beautifully restored building are three levels of state-of-the-art hands-on exhibits and displays. The grounds surrounding the observatory have many points of interest, including an Egyptian sundial and a memorial to James Dean. Griffith Park features several interesting attractions including the Los Angeles Zoo and the Los Angeles Live Steamers. Admission to the Griffith Park Observatory is free.
Explore the beautiful J. Paul Getty Museum. Most commonly referred to as “The Getty,” it is situated on two campuses: The Getty Center and Getty Villa. Combined, they receive millions of visitors each year.
It’s free to visitors and is regarded as one of the best art museums in the world. The Getty Center features works of art dating from the eighth through the twenty-first centuries, showcased against a backdrop of dramatic architecture, tranquil gardens, and breathtaking views of Los Angeles. At the Getty Villa, collections feature 44,000 Greek, Roman, and Etruscan antiquities in the setting modeled after a first-century Roman country house, the Villa dei Papiri in Herculaneum, Italy.
Santa Barbara’s many attractions are near Stearns Wharf. Visitors can rent bicycles, relax on the beach, visit the nearby Santa Barbara Zoo, or take a stroll through historic Mission Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara is about two hours from Los Angeles, within range for an easy day trip. Another option to get there is via Amtrak’s Coast Starlight train which takes about three hours, while allowing you to enjoy a traffic-free, relaxing, and scenic train ride.
La Jolla is a beautiful coastal community only an hour and a half drive south from Anaheim. It is also accessible via Amtrak Pacific Surfliner. It features picturesque sandy beaches, hidden coves, and beautiful sea caves to explore. One of the most fun things to do in La Jolla is the Seven Sea Caves Kayak Tour. If you want to stay on dry land, you can visit Sunny Jim Cave without getting your feet wet. Another popular attraction in La Jolla is the Birch Aquarium, part of the of the world-renowned Scripps Institute of Oceanography.
Pacific Coast Highway has been the subject of many iconic songs and is a large part of the California experience. The highway runs the whole length of California, and as it passes through Malibu, you are literally yards away from some of the most scenic beaches in the world. There is plenty to see and do in Malibu, including the 7,000 acre Malibu Creek State Park, the historic Adamson House adjacent to Malibu Beach Lagoon, and, of “The Fast and the Furious” fame, Neptune’s Net Diner. In Malibu, nothing beats the beautiful El Matador State Beach!