4 Travel Hacks and Tips for Southern California Vacations

Written by Dia Adams With TravelingMom.com

Aerialist at Pirates Dinner Adventure in Buena Park, CA

You may think you know what to do in Orange County: visit beaches and theme parks. While Buena Park makes a great base for those, TravelingMom.com’s Dia Adams dug deeper and found 4 uniquely Buena Park experiences. Check out her travel hacks and insider tips for your Southern California Vacation.

Save a Princess from Pirates

Buena Park features a number of dinner shows, the most famous one being Medieval Times. However, the award for the most unique dinner show goes to Pirate's Dinner Adventure.

I was surprised by the quality of Pirate’s Dinner Adventure: both the meal and the show. To be honest, my culinary bar for dinner shows is pretty low, but Pirate’s Dinner Adventure featured shrimp skewers, grilled chicken, and fresh grilled vegetables that both my daughter and I finished. That’s a rare accolade - I guess even carrots and zucchini are better in Buena Park.

Held in a theatre-in-the-round, the prformance features a full sized pirate ship surrounded by water and performances far and above your regular dinner theatre. The spectacle includes Cirque quality acts that fly through the air and left us gasping for breath. But that wasn’t our favorite part.

The participation prize for Pirate’s Dinner Adventure was my daughter’s dream: a chance to be part of the show. Who wouldn’t want to fire a cannon and save a princess? I have to admit I was a bit jealous.

There isn’t an age limit for the show, but it’s definitely not for kids who have sensory issues. Expect loud bangs, strobe lighting, and a large array of special effects.

Insider Tip: Check VisitBuenaPark.com/deals for frequent specials on Pirate Dinner Adventure tickets.

Cut fruit with porots writing at Portos in Buena Park, CA

DINE FOR PENNIES AT THE NATION’S YELP FAVORITE

If you use Yelp as often as I do, you have probably eaten at a town favorite or two. What if I told you that Porto’s Cafe in Buena Park was crowned the nation’s favorite in 2016? You’d probably expect Michelin stars and prices to match. I know I did.

Imagine my surprise to arrive at Porto’s and realize it is a family owned bakery! However, “bakery” is a misnomer as the 25,000 square foot location sells millions of pastries a month. Lines form out the door for the bakery’s famous cheese rolls, guava pastries, and goodies both sweet and savory.

Don’t let that stop you. The lines move quickly and the food at Porto’s is worth the wait. We enjoyed a cuban sandwich that would have felt at home in Calle Ocho along with a tres leches cake that I can still taste weeks later. Accompanying it all was a “cortado” (short) cuban coffee imported directly for Porto’s.

The best part? You can easily feed a family of 4 at Porto’s for $40- and still have some left over for take home pastries.

Insider Tip: Go before 10:30 or from 2:00-4:30 to miss the longest lines.

Snoopy in pjs at Knott's Berry Farm Hotel in Buena Park, CA

GET TUCKED IN BY SNOOPY

Buena Park has many options for resting your head, but the most unique is surely the Knotts Berry Farm hotel. Being walking distance from Knott's Berry Farm, the hotel is a no-brainer choice for visiting the theme park. But that’s not what endears me to the hotel.

The “Camp Snoopy” wing of the Knott's Berry Farm hotel offers uniquely decorated rooms (check out the paw-print carpeting). When you arrive, your kids will immediately notice the Snoopy stuffed friends to take home (I especially appreciated that they had two, thus saving a sibling argument).

Our favorite part of the experience? Snoopy visits the rooms in his PJs for tuck-in service. Even at 11, my daughter was charmed by Snoopy. Who am I kidding? I was charmed, too!

Insider Tip: Check out the packages on Knott’s Berry Farm’s website. You’ll save by bundling your hotel room with theme park tickets.

Now that you have some inspiration, I’m sure you want to learn more. The easiest way? Check out the free Buena Park travel guide.

After a long day of excitement, choose from over a dozen comfortable & affordable Buena Park hotels -- most are located within walking distance to all major attractions. CLICK HERE for hotel deals. To start planning your SoCal vacation, order your FREE Travel Guide HERE.

Get to Know More About Buena Park, CA!

Pirate crew fighting on ship at Pirate's Dinner Adventure in Buena Park, CA

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