Convention Center - Anaheim, CA

Situated across from the Disneyland Resort, the Anaheim Convention Center opened in 1967. Originally containing a basketball arena and a convention hall, the site has seen five major expansions since then and is currently the largest exhibit facility on the West Coast. While initially serving as the home to the American Basketball Association’s Anaheim Amigos, the Convention Center has grown to become host to many high-profile conventions.

One of the more prominent conventions held each year is BlizzCon, which caters to the massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) crowd. The convention helps to promote Blizzard Entertainment’s major franchises, including World of Warcraft, Diablo and Starcraft. Some other important annual conventions include VidCon, WonderCon and the D23 Expo.

For some fun and learning outside of the Convention Center, take a trip to the nearby Muzeo, which plays host to a wide range of historical and cultural exhibits for the entire family.

When searching for places to eat or spend some time having fun at, you can find many options within easy walking distance of the Anaheim Convention Center, including establishments around Disneyland (a 15-minute walk) or at the nearby Anaheim Garden Walk, an easy 10-minute walk by foot. You can find excellent dining locations close by in the Downtown Disney District, at the Anaheim Garden Walk or along one of the main thoroughfares.

The Fire + Ice Grill + Bar provides diners a choice of Latin, American, Asian or Italian cuisine. Try out the eatery’s mango garlic pork served with white rice, beans and other Latin-specific veggies. You can also choose items from its Asian menu, such as sweet Chile sizzle with mushrooms, scallions, rice, noodles and a wide assortment of other Asian flavors.

Located in the Downtown Disney District, Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen combines soulful music with some down-home New Orleans cooking. One of the establishment’s signature dishes includes cornmeal-crusted catfish served with gulf shrimp and Cajun rice. Finish up with a dish of New Orleans bread pudding, combining cream, eggs, sugar and raisins, topped with housemade creme anglaise.

For a classic steak, try Steakhouse 55, located within the Disneyland Hotel. Using the restaurant’s signature rub, menu items include bone-in rib eye, filet mignon and porterhouse steaks, topped with bearnaise, peppercorn sauce or the restaurant’s own Steakhouse 55 butter.

The ESPN Zone provides the perfect setting to take in your favorite sport while chowing down on some tasty menu items and drinking a few beers. Try out some of the restaurant’s signature appetizers, such as barbecue or buffalo wings, or skip right to the main course and order slow-roasted baby back ribs, a top sirloin steak or grilled salmon topped with herb butter.

Visitors in the mood for a few drinks can visit Bottle Logic Brewing. This micro brewery specializes in developing innovative beers, and customers can check out one of its tasting rooms to get a preview of up-and-coming beers in development. If beer is your thing, then try one of the fine series of beers that Bottle Logic Brewing offers, including the Hoptomotron, Cold Classics or Proto series of beers the next time you find yourself in the area.

You can choose from multiple options when trying to get to and from the Anaheim Convention Center, including walking, cycling, city bus, taxi and car. The neighborhood around the Convention Center has plenty of sidewalks and bike lanes, and the Orange County Transit Authority runs multiple bus routes during the day and into the night.

And while regulations prohibit the hailing of taxis, you can either call a cab company to send one for you or visit a cab stand at area hotels to find one. Another popular option, Uber, allows you to hail a taxi using a mobile device.

Most parking lots in the Anaheim Convention Center area cater to the nearby Disneyland Resort and charge a fee. Also, the Downtown Disney District and the Anaheim Garden Walk offer validated parking from qualifying businesses.

If you need to get out of the area quickly, you can easily access nearby highways and freeways, including the 5 Freeway, accessible via Harbor Boulevard or one of the other area roadways.

Those who want to get away from the chaos of the work week or school and just relax can find many area parks in the area surrounding the Anaheim Convention Center. Most do not charge an entry fee.

One such green space, Willow Park, gives park visitors access to a wide range of amenities, such as an unlighted softball field, a play area for the kids, and various sports facilities. Additionally, you can bring your pets as long as you keep them on a leash.

Stoddard Park provides another area green space with picnic and barbecue facilities, as well as wide open spaces for kids and adults to play and have fun. You can also bring along your pets. Ponderosa Park has 9 acres of play areas, courts and an activity center. Pets are also welcome.

In addition to the nightly fireworks and other shows at the Disneyland Resort, area parks also host annual events, including the Pearson Park Amphitheatre, which provides a variety of movies, live-action and seasonal events for the entire family.

The cost of living in the area around the Anaheim Convention Center runs slightly lower than the rest of Anaheim. Some of the costs associated with living in the Anaheim Convention Center area include bus fare, which costs $2 to get to Downtown Anaheim; rent for a one-room residence at a median average of $1,363; and a bottle of beer costing around $5 at area bars. A gallon of gas sits at 11 percent above the national average near the Convention Center.

The area surrounding the Anaheim Convention Center provides plenty of shops to visit for a wide variety of items, including clothing, personal hygiene items and fresh produce. Most area shopping sits within walking distance of the Convention Center.

If you need a new shirt to wear out on the town or to the theme park, stop off at Gist Mart, a T-shirt store right across from the Convention Center. There you can find the right T-shirt for the occasion in a variety of fabrics and colors.

Or take a short walk to the nearby Anaheim Garden Walk, one of the main centers of commerce in the area, and visit a clothing store there. One such shop, G Stage, has a wide selection of women’s clothing and accessories, such as dresses, tops, jewelry and more.

For groceries, many locals visit Vons, which carries an assortment of produce and other grocery items. For fresh produce, visit the Downtown Anaheim Certified Farmers’ Market, open on most Thursdays from noon to 7 p.m.