Orange County in Southern California is located in the suburbs of Los Angeles. Orange County is mainly visited by tourists to the Disney Land Park in Anaheim, however if you are looking for a beach holiday the coat of Orange County is fantastic. A century ago Orange County lived up to its name. This dry, sunny land, which stretches from the Santa Ana Mountains to the beautiful Pacific coastline, was indeed scattered with orange orchards and farms. Today, the region is a mass of freeways and suburban housing. Visitors to the county can explore a wide range of museums, sites of historical interest, and entertainment complexes.

In the mid-1950s, the roads leading to the county’s theme parks still passed through extensive orange groves. At that time, Disneyland was attracting its first enthusiastic crowds, and a local boy called Richard Nixon had become Vice President of the US. Today, orange groves have given way to urban development and fruit crate labels have become collectors’ items. More than two million people live here, enjoying perennial sunshine and a high standard of living.

The coastline of Orange County is lined with wide, sandy beaches and a succession of legendary surfing haunts, marinas, and artists’ enclaves. In the affluent coastal towns, few visitors can resist the temptation to find out a clifftop bar and watch the sun set. Inland lies a variety of cultural sights. The Bowers Museum of Cultural Art in Santa Ana houses superb examples of the art of indigenous peoples from all around the world. At Yorba Linda, the impressive. Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace commemorates the life of Orange County’s most famous son.

Orange County is the entertainment capital of California. For visitors looking for family fun and roller-coaster thrills, there are the homey Knott’s Berry Farm, theme park of America’s oldest, and the fantasy kingdom of Disneyland, which is, as the saying goes, “the most famous people-trap ever built by a mouse.”

Before you get started planning your vacation, it’s best to set a budget. This way you know exactly how much you have to spend, and how much you need to save in order to go on vacation. When you have a budget, it becomes easy to make choices on where you should save and where you should pay full price. For example, if you can save money by driving to Orange County, rather than flying, it will allow you spend more on accommodations or vice versa.

One of those important choices is which amusement park you are going to visit, and how much money you plan to spend at each. With Disneyland, California Adventure, LegoLand, Magic Mountain, Knottsberry Farm and several other smaller parks within driving distance, trying to hit them all will cost you a lot of time and energy. It’s best to choose one or two. That way you can really enjoy each park and not stretch your budget too far. Some parks even offer 2-for-1 deals, such as Disneyland and California Adventure, which allow you to visit two parks for one price.

Check for discount tickets for tours and attractions before you go. You may be surprised at the discounts available for savvy travelers who check around for prices online ahead of time. You may also consider purchasing an Entertainment coupon book for the zip code you plan to visit. That will save you on dining, and it may save you on lodging and attractions as well.

There are a wide variety of hotels and motels surrounding the major Orange County attractions. You can stay at a smaller motel with fewer frills and be within the same traveling distance as you would if you stayed at a high priced hotel. If you plan early and travel in the off-season, staying at the Disneyland Hotel is very reasonable. You’ll also save money on travel because there are free tram services to and from the park.

Balance your visit to an amusement park with some free activities, such as visiting the beach or strolling down some of Orange County’s beautiful parks and natural areas. Since the weather is pleasant during most of the year, take advantage of simply being outdoors and taking in some nature during your visit. The beach and mountains are within driving distance of most Orange County towns and Southern California boasts some of the country’s most gorgeous national parks.