Information on Disneyland, California Adventure, Discovery Science Center

Downtown Disney

Downtown Disney is conveniently located midway between the two theme parks, and adjacent to the Disneyland Hotel and the Grand Californian Hotel and Spa, and offers eclectic shopping, dining and entertainment. The strictly pedestrian thoroughfare is beautifully landscaped for day visitors and decked out with thousands of glittering lights once the sun sets. [Read Family Vacation Hotels and Resorts for more hotel options in Anaheim.]

You’ll find an enormous World of Disney store, which sells merchandise for every Disney character imaginable—from soaps shaped like Pluto, to pajamas emblazoned with Bambi, to fine collectible porcelain pieces and framed original movie stills from recent hits like Finding Nemo and classics like Snow White. Other shopping treats include the Build-a-Bear Workshop, Basin (a fine bath products outlet), Club Libby Lu (where youngsters can blend their own glittery cosmetics), Sephora (where teenagers and their moms can purchase already formulated glittery cosmetics) and Disney Pin Traders (which offers a bewildering number of character pins to wear and swap).

When my daughter was a toddler, we left the parks before meals and headed to Downtown Disney to grab a bite before returning to the hotel for a nap. Our favorite dining options include Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen, which serves an authentic jambalaya; the Mediterranean Catal Restaurant (and its outdoor Uva Bar, which offers a trio of tiny crème brûlées that are my 12-year-old’s favorite dessert option); and Napolini, which serves a nice selection of pizzas (you can pick one to bring back to your hotel, if the outdoor seating area gets too crowded).

Entertainment options include the famous House of Blues, which features live blues and jazz acts and serves up a lip-smacking plate of ribs as well; the ESPN Sports Zone, replete with more big-screen TVs in one spot than I’ve seen in my life; and the AMC Theater complex, which always offers at least one family selection. Downtown Disney does not require a ticket to gain admission, and so it is popular with locals who want to enjoy the Disney ambiance without the sticker shock. As a consequence, weekend evenings can be crowded, especially with teenagers and young adults. [Read 5 Free Anaheim Attractions for inexpensive options in the area.]

Discovery Science Center

Looking to squeeze a little education into your family vacation to Anaheim? You’ll find it a few miles south, in nearby Santa Ana (2500 N. Main St.; tel. 714-542-2823), at the hands-on Discovery Science Center. You can’t miss the place when driving to Disneyland from the south, because the 100-foot-tall tilting cube that houses the Center sits right off the I-5 freeway. 

• Kids play virtual volleyball at the Discovery Science Center.
• Discovery Science Center

Inside you’ll find exhibits that allow children (especially those up to 12 years old) to discover science for themselves by hunting for dinosaur remains in the “Fossils Dig”; riding out a simulated tremor in the “Quake Zone”; or exploring the nature of force and weight by laying on a real bed of nails (my daughter promises this doesn’t hurt!)—among dozens of other intriguing activities.

Also featured is the new “4-D Movie Theater,” which offers a 3-D movie experience along with added sensory effects like fog and wind. Expect to find kid-friendly feature films on dinosaurs and space. (Note that the movie requires an additional ticket, which starts at $3.)

Admission to the Center is $12.95 for adults and $9.95 for youths aged 3-17.

This article was originally published in January 2008 as part of the TravelMuse alpha release. It has been recently updated.