This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Visit Anaheim. All opinions are 100% mine.
Recently, the fine folks at Visit Anaheim invited my fiancee and I down to the OC to experience the unexpected things to do in Anaheim. Our trip began at the Anaheim Marriott, the perfect hotel if you’re wanting to be in a centralized part of Anaheim. All of our activities were no more than a 15-minute drive from the hotel, which made ride sharing options the perfect companion since we didn’t feel like driving.
Anaheim Packing District
On our first night, after dropping off our luggage and freshening up, we hopped in a car over to the Anaheim Packing District, a communal gathering place featuring over 20 artisanal eateries. Take a look at Anaheim Packing House’s vibe video below to see what we experienced:
The Packing House opens daily at 9am for breakfast, however individual restaurants have their own times. This didn’t affect us since we were planning on having dinner there, and our first drink of the night. And in case you’re wondering, Hammer Bar and Umami Burger is where it’s at!
Visit Anaheim Packing District online to see their full list of bar and restaurants.
Unsung Brewery
Our next destination was conveniently located across the street from the Anaheim Packing District. Unsung Brewery Company is one of the newest breweries to open in Anaheim, and it’s all sorts of super – superhero, that is.
Unsung’s founder, Michael Crea has an affinity for superheroes and comic book culture. This is clear as soon as you step foot into the tasting area, where the walls are painted in bright, bold comic book stylying. I’m an IPA fan, so I took advantage of their $2 tasters (shown above) and made sure to try them all.
Visit Unsung Brewing online to learn about their beers.
Knott’s Berry Farm
Our first morning in Anaheim began with Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant (for breakfast). Located just outside the entrance of the amusement park, right after you park, making it the ideal spot to visit before you get in line for some rides.
Now, if you’re an out of towner, chances are you’re scratching your head wondering what amusement park I’m talking about. You have probably tasted Knott’s Berry Farm’s cookies, or perhaps a few of their delicious boysenberry jams, but had no idea they were an actual amusement park, too. Well, they are, and an excellent one at that. Knott’s Berry Farm is a fantastic substitute to Disneyland if you’re looking for another place to ride some rides.
The Phoenix Club Oktoberfest
Similar to St. Patrick’s Day, Oktoberfest is a huge holiday in the US. In fact, it usually lasts the entire month of October, and I’m not mad about it.
The Phoenix Club, yet another unexpected Anaheim find, has their annual Oktoberfest celebration. Entry is just $10 a person, however it should be said that you will spend far more than that on tickets for beer, food, and other snacks. Though, that didn’t stop us from having a great time. The food was excellent; the beer was cold; and the lederhosen were on point.
Lucky Strike Bowling
Though we have a Lucky Strike near us in Los Angeles, Sarah and I had never bowled together before. And since we had a little extra time in the evening on Saturday, we decided to make reservations to play a few hours at Lucky Strike in Orange. There’s a nice big bar for you to enjoy drinks at before your reservation, so I recommend taking advantage of that. Also, Lucky Strike – despite being a bowling alley – has excellent food, so don’t be shy if your stomach starts growling at you. We had chicken tenders and fries!
The VLVT Lounge Brunch Drag Show
Before heading back home to Los Angeles, and to cap off our wonderful weekend in Orange County, Sarah and I decided to attend The VLVT Lounge’s (Santa Ana) Drag Brunch Show. The entry included bottomless mimosas, breakfast and performances by 4 of VLVT Lounge’s top performers. I recommend taking a ride service there and back so you can attempt to find the bottom of the bottomless mimosas – We certainly tried.
An Unexpected Adventure
It was really nice to get away from LA for the weekend, especially since it was just an hour from where we live. Little did we know Anaheim would have so many unexpected gems to discover. Now that we have had a taste of the good life in the OC, we will most certainly be back. A huge thanks to Visit Anaheim for showing us the unexpected side of their great city.
Check out Visit Anaheim on Instagram for even more travel inspo!
