As OC's largest city, Anaheim is full of dense urban sprawl, except for the hills and a little patch called Anaheim Coves (962 S. Rio Vista). Open since 2011, the 1.5-mile trail is an easy way to get a healthy start to the lazy days of summer. With newly paved roads, Anaheim Coves is good for brisk walks, jogs and taking the kiddos out for a fun bike ride. Enjoy the view of the Burris Basin preserve from numerous observation points. Gone are the days of plain ol' sand and rock, with natural plants such as sagebrush restoring the habitat. A bunny or two might even cross your path!
Tourists from all over the world flock to Anaheim for adventures at the Disneyland theme parks. Soon, they'll discover Mickey Mouse wears a kufiya just a few miles west. That's the new strategy of Little Arabia, the city's unofficial Middle Eastern enclave off Brookhurst Avenue, between La Palma and Katella avenues. As official designation of the ethnic region remains a mirage, the idea of busing visitors in from the resort area for lunch is warming up between tourist-economy officials and the mayor like a pita (or lavash) baking in a brick oven. More people will discover tastes long known to locals, whether they be delectable pastries, Syrian dips or Lebanese lamb shanks. It's a small world after all.
The most inexcusably underused space in all of Anaheim is the Pearson Park Theatre (401 N. Lemon St., 714-765-5274). Built in 1933, the venue's open-air seating is perfect for enjoying the cool breeze after the blazing sunsets. The Summer Nights Under the Stars Family Shows and Concert Series is the one time good programming is regularly scheduled for the theater. This year, the city promises ballet, mad scientists, the Fab Four and a Polynesian cultural fest, among other events. It's a great place to catch a family movie, too, with Frozen set to screen outdoors for all those children and parents who want to sing “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” for the zillionth time!
But nothing says summer nights in OC like watching your Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Angel Stadium (2000 E. Gene Autry Way, 714-940-2000). The best game to catch the Halos is on the Fourth of July, when a huge American flag drapes over the diamond during pregame festivities followed by the worst military flyover ever. What follows is a team that's slowly living up to its mega-payroll. Buy tickets for the nosebleed seats and hang out in the Nestle Family Zone, gulping on a cold beer or eating an ice cream all game long. The scheduled opponent for this summer's Independence Day home game is . . . oh, shit, not the Houston Astros! Now it's really time to see if the Angels have overcome the demons of last year's lackluster season. Win or lose, post-game fireworks explode into the night's sky after the game.
Gabriel San Román is from Anacrime. He’s a journalist, subversive historian and the tallest Mexican in OC. He also once stood falsely accused of writing articles on Turkish politics in exchange for free food from DönerG’s!