Fun Things to Do in Buena Park That You’ll Love

Buena Park is a dynamic and entertaining city located in Orange County, just a short distance from Los Angeles. There are so many fun things to do in Buena Park in Southern California; after all, it’s known as SoCal’s Fun City!

With exciting attractions like Knott’s Berry Farm, Knott’s Soak City Water Park, Pirate’s Dinner Adventure and Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament, you’ll quickly see why Buena Park is such a family-friendly destination. But, what if I told you that there are fun things in Buena Park for adults, too?

Getting There

The most convenient airport when flying from afar is the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Here’s where you can find flights to LAX, comparing airlines and flights to find the best rate. Once you arrive at the airport, the easiest way to get from LAX to Buena Park is by taking Uber.

Please note that you cannot get an Uber directly from the airport at LAX. Instead, you will walk outside on the arrivals level (downstairs) and take the LAX-it shuttle to the Uber pickup point. The shuttle bus arrives every five minutes and it’s free to use. Once you arrive at the Uber pickup point, call your Uber and wait at one of the designated spots.

Best Things to Do in Buena Park: Knott’s Berry Farm

Knott’s Berry Farm is America’s first theme park and it opened over 100 years ago! However, Knott’s Berry Farm back then isn’t exactly the same as the one we know and love today.

It was, in fact, a berry farm owned by the Walter Knott and the Knott family. It started as a roadside stand and grew to become a berry market and tea room. The farm became known for its delicious boysenberries that the Knotts sold in pies and preserves.

In the 1930s, Walter Knott’s wife, Cordelia, began serving fried chicken dinners to visitors. The popularity of her dinners grew and grew, and it was truly the turning point that caused the Knotts to transform their farm into a theme park.

As guests lined up to wait up to three hours for one of the chicken dinners, Walter Knott started adding attractions to the property to keep hungry guests entertained. Eventually, he constructed an entire Ghost Town out of old buildings, found items and anything that looked out of the Wild West.

Nowadays, Knott’s Berry Farm has four themed areas (Ghost Town, Fiesta Village, Boardwalk and Camp Snoopy), as well as a water park (open seasonally) across 160 acres of land in Buena Park. There’s also their Boysenberry Festival in the spring, Knott’s Scary Farm at Halloween, and Knott’s Merry Farm around the holidays.

Old West Ghost Town

Our favorite area of the park was the old Ghost Town, which really felt like you were walking through the Old West. With a Blacksmith regularly on duty and streets lined with old buildings, it’s easy to feel transported back in time.

We loved the Calico Mine Ride, a family-friendly ride where you ride the rails through the mines gazing at animatronic characters and visual wonders. The thrilling roller coasters in the Ghost Town are Silver Bullet and GhostRider, the fastest wooden roller coaster on the west coast.

Calico River Rapids is a white-water rafting ride down rapids and past animatronic wildlife. The Timber Mountain Log Ride is another fun water ride, and you’ll be able to witness live entertainment at the Calico Saloon. Try the boysenberry beer while you’re there!

Fiesta Village

Fiesta Village is another themed area at Knott’s Berry Farm with a mix of Mexican and Spanish culture. It pays tribute to California’s Hispanic roots through the food, attractions, and entertainment. We dined at Casa California Restaurante and enjoyed burritos and burrito bowls with their vegan option, soyrizo.

The Jaguar! roller coaster ride is great fun for all. You enter through a Maya temple and traverse through a jungle atmosphere. There are many drops, twists and turns throughout the ride that are thrilling without being too scary.

Some other notable rides at Fiesta Village include Montezooma’s Revenge (the signature roller coaster of this area), La Revolución (a swing ride), Hat Dance (a teacup-style ride), Sol Spin (a spinning adventure six stories up) and more.

Boardwalk

Knott’s Boardwalk is inspired by classic American boardwalks, in particular the kind you’d find in Southern California. This area is reminiscent of classic theme parks in the USA with carnival-style games, midway rides, and yummy snacks.

We had great fun on Coast Rider, a family-friendly roller coaster with little drops, twists and turns; and Surfside Gliders, a flying scooter ride where you gently glide through the air. HangTime, California’s first dive coaster, is a signature attraction at The Boardwalk with the steepest vertical drop in the state.

There are other spinning rides like Pacific Scrambler and Wipeout that you’ll only find at Knott’s Berry Farm. Thrill-seekers will want to experience Xcelerator where you’ll go from 0-80 mph in just 2.3 seconds!

Camp Snoopy

Who doesn’t love Charles M. Schulz’ Peanuts characters? Camp Snoopy is the kids’ area of Knott’s Berry Farm, though it’s fun for kids-at-heart to wander around here, too. There are over 15 kid-friendly attractions here, like Pig Pen’s Mud Buggies, the Linus Launcher, and Charlie Brown’s Kite Flyers.

It’s highly likely that you’ll run into Snoopy, Charlie Brown, and the whole PEANUTS Gang. This area will feel like you’ve traveled back to summer camp and it’s one of the most beloved play areas for children around.

Things to Do in Buena Park: The Source OC

The Source OC is a Korean-influenced shopping mall in Buena Park that’s an entire destination in itself. It’s a hub for entertainment, dining and shopping. Conveniently located in the heart of Buena Park, you could easily spend all day here between going to the movies, savoring international cuisine, or browsing the shops for clothing, toys and accessories.

We visited The Source OC on a few occasions during our stay in Buena Park for the food and the activities. Here are a few of our favorite places at The Source OC, though I also suggest exploring all three levels of this action-packed shopping center.

EKO Karaoke Lounge

EKO Karaoke Lounge offers a really awesome and unique way to spend time with your friends. Belt out your favorite tunes in one of their 16 private karaoke rooms. Justin and I hadn’t ever done karaoke together just the two of us, but as it turns out…it’s a whole lot of fun! We thought that we were going to sing karaoke for one hour and ended up staying for three!

We highly recommend booking your karaoke rooms in advance to avoid disappointment. You can rent a private karaoke room by the hour and enjoy food and drink from their menu. There is a minimum food and drink spend that isn’t hard to attain once you order a couple of things.

Choose your favorite songs from their massive listing right on the TV. You’ll get two state-of-the-art microphones that have a good amount of reverb to help you sound even better than you thought. Even if you haven’t done karaoke before (or you don’t think you’d be any good at it), it doesn’t matter at all. You’re in a private room with your pals, so let loose!

Olympic Golf Zone

Olympic Golf Zone is the ultimate place to try your hand at virtual golf. Voted the #1 golf simulator by Golf Digest, Olympic Golf Zone offers digital golf using state-of-the-art technology. Try the driving range to warm up and then play 18 holes of golf on famous golf courses from around the world.

We’d never played digital golf before, and we were impressed by the technology here. The golf ball rises on a tee from beneath the risers on each turn. Then, you’ll have to physically hit the ball on the fairway green, the rough, or the sand, depending on where your ball landed on the screen. There are three different patches of terrain and you’ll need to move your ball to the appropriate place before taking your turn.

It’s a really fun place to practice your swing or play some golf anytime of the day or night. They even encourage you to bring your own clubs. You can order food and drink during your visit, and it’s a great place to have a party with your friends. Olympic Golf Zone also has interactive batting cages, though they were under repair at the time of our visit so we were unable to try them out. Next time!

In-Sit Coffee

In-Sit Coffee is a cute and cozy coffee shop at The Source OC, perfect for breakfast or a delicious beverage. They have a premium coffee menu that comes paired with delectable food. We ordered their avocado toast for breakfast. Justin and I both agreed that it was likely the best avocado toast we’ve ever had!

Though their food is super tasty, In-Sit Coffee is best known for their flavored lattes. Try their rose, banana or strawberry iced latte for a sweet treat and something that’s unique to Buena Park. I absolutely loved my iced strawberry latte made with oat milk. It was the perfect balance of coffee and sweet strawberry flavor that wasn’t overly sweet.

Don Melt

Don Melt is a dessert shop at The Source OC featuring croffles and vegan soft serve ice cream. Unfortunately, the croffles are not vegan so we stuck with the vegan soft serve cones that were so tasty. You can choose from strawberry, vanilla or a strawberry vanilla swirl (which is what we got). The ice cream is light and flavorful. We really enjoyed it!

Ralph B. Clark Regional Park

Ralph B. Clark Regional Park is an 104-acre natural space in Buena Park at the foot of the Coyote Hills with three hiking trails to explore. Originally called “Los Coyotes Regional Park”, Clark Park honors a longtime county supervisor who advocated for parks and public transit.

Clark Park offers a wide range of recreational activities in a beautiful setting, including playgrounds, tennis courts, baseball diamonds, volleyball courts, picnic areas, and there’s also a sizeable pond. Choose from three walking trails: the Castlewood Trail, the Westridge Chevron Hills Trail, and the Ralph B. Clark Perimeter Trail.

The Ralph B. Clark Perimeter Trail is a loop trail inside the park itself, whereas the other two scenic trails extend out from the park. I took a short hike on the Westridge Chevron Hills Trail. It’s an uphill ascent where you’ll be able to admire view of the mountains in the distance.

Though it does meander behind some residential areas and the viewpoints overlook some local homes, it’s still quite a pretty view. It is a gravel path that will offer a good workout with the hill climbs. I loved seeing the flowering cacti on the way, too.

Ralph B. Clark Interpretive Center

When you visit the park, stop at the Ralph B. Clark Interpretive Center to learn more about the history of the region. There are educational exhibits featuring 80 million year old marine fossils and terrestrial mammals that are over 10,000 years old. The specimens were found inside Clark Park and around the Coyote Hills area.

The interpretive center is open from Wednesday to Saturday between 10:00am and 2:00pm. It’s a bright and beautiful small museum that’s worth checking out. Admission to the museum is free, although there is a $5 entry fee for the park itself.

Best Restaurants in Buena Park

Foodies rejoice! Buena Park is known for its excellent restaurant scene. There’s no shortage of delectable eats in Buena Park. Even though we were only in Buena Park for 3 days, we managed to dine at some pretty spectacular establishments. I’m excited to report that these restaurants are really vegan-friendly, too (check out our vegan guide to Buena Park!).

Slurpin’ Ramen Bar

Slurpin’ Ramen Bar is home to some of the best ramen in Buena Park. This restaurant aims to bring traditional Hakata-style ramen with homemade noodles to California. In Japan, the best way to show that you love your bowl of ramen is by slurping your noodles and broth loudly for the chef to hear, hence the name “Slurpin’ Ramen Bar”.

This restaurant is very vegan-friendly as one of the main dishes is their veggie ramen. It’s a bowl of vegan noodles with a seaweed and mushroom base soup, topped with assorted veggies (broccoli, cabbage, tomatoes, bean sprouts, mushroom, corn, spinach and seaweed). You can choose your spice level, too.

As the ramen bowl didn’t come with tofu, I added some to my bowl. I love how the ramen bowls are easy to customize to your liking. In addition, Justin and I shared an order of veggie gyoza, which you can order pan-fried or deep-fried.

Rock & Brews

Rock & Brews is a rock and roll themed restaurant, owned by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of KISS. Records line the pavement leading up to the restaurant, and the entire establishment is covered from floor to ceiling with rock band logos and memorabilia. There are music videos playing on the screens. Simply put, this is the place to be for rock music lovers.

The restaurant offers over 60 different craft beers, including locally brewed beer made just for Rock & Brews (we can vouch for the “Over the Pils and Far Away” and the “Red R Love” by Buzzrock Brewing Co.). Rock & Brews offers American comfort eats with something for every taste.

The menu is really vegan-friendly with a “VG” by the vegetarian items that are either already vegan or can be prepared vegan. Try the guacamole and chips, the Beyond boneless tenders, the Beyond burger or the Beyond street tacos. In some cases, you may have to tell them to hold the cheese, though I found it easiest to just let my server know that I was vegan. Speaking of which, our server was a total rock star himself as he was so attentive and helpful.

Broken Yolk

Broken Yolk is a chain of breakfast and brunch restaurants across several states, mostly in California. We really enjoyed dining at their restaurant in Buena Park as it was a casual and welcoming spot that’s great for couples and families alike. If there’s a breakfast food you’re craving, chances are that they’re serving up a tasty version of it.

The menu is expansive and I love that there is a section called “Healthy Side Up” with more nutritious options. This also happens to be where all the vegan dishes are located. I ordered the Spicy Vegan Bowl (JUST Egg scramble with veggies over home fries and topped with Beyond Sausage, avocado and sriracha) and it was so satisfying and delicious.

Justin chose a fresh acai bowl and added a side of JUST Egg scramble. In fact, it’s possible to substitute JUST Egg or the Beyond Sausage in place of their animal-product counterparts throughout the menu. It’s amazing to have so many plant-based options as ordering vegan breakfast food isn’t always easy.

Things to Do in Buena Park: The Cauldron Spirits and Brews

Feeling witchy? The Cauldron Spirits and Brews is a dark and spooky cocktail bar with a mystical atmosphere. We love frequenting unique pubs and cocktail bars, and The Cauldron is one that’s not to be missed.

When you arrive, you’ll immediately notice the moody lighting, the walls of eclectic trinkets, and haunting framed photos on the walls. You might catch the sight of a witch or a black cat from your seat at the bar or the intimate table settings.

There are a number of spellbinding concoctions and tasty bites to order from the menu, including Happy Hour specials (Tuesday to Friday, 4:00pm to 6:00pm). Their signature cocktail, the Knotty Kid Martini, features boysenberry cotton candy. You’ll pour a mixture of lemon and vodka on top of the purple cotton candy.

Ask to see the hidden room behind the bookshelf at the back. This is a meeting space for small parties or gatherings that you can reserve. The staff at The Cauldron informed us that the place is actually haunted and most staff members have had spooky encounters while working there. Ask them about “Fred” and you’ll hear many stories!

The Cauldron is an extremely popular place. I suggest arriving early on a weekday if you’d like a table straight away. There is a 90 minute maximum for your time there to free up tables for other patrons. They don’t accept reservations, though they do offer a waitlist on Yelp through their website.

Coffee Shops and Cafes in Buena Park

Buena Park has an excellent coffee culture scene with great cafes, whether you’re looking for a quick pick-me-up, a place to chat with friends, or some locally roasted coffee beans. In fact, there are some unique finds in Buena Park that are imported to the USA from Korea, due to the large Korean population in Buena Park.

I’m obsessed with the iced strawberry lattes and banana lattes, and I’ve been dreaming of them ever since I visited Buena Park. Currently, I’m trying to track down where I can find these at home in the Toronto area, but I may need to venture back to Buena Park for my fix.

Coffee Code

Coffee Code is a local coffee shop with three locations, one of which is in Buena Park. Since their opening in 2010, Coffee Code specializes in quality coffee and offers a great place to get together with your friends.

When I visited, the place was packed with friends gathering over coffee and people working on their laptops. I ordered an iced banana latte with oat milk for takeout. I wouldn’t say that the coffee tasted overwhelmingly of banana, but it was a very refreshing and tasty iced coffee that I’d love to order again.

Stereoscope Coffee

Stereoscope Coffee is another little independently owned cafe in Buena Park (one of five locations). It’s not far from the Ralph B. Clark Regional Park, so you can pick up a drink before you embark on your walk like I did. They sell a variety of their own roasted beans to take home with you, too.

When you place your order (as I did for my Americano), the barista will let you know exactly which espresso beans will be used for your coffee and the tasting notes. I thought this was a really nice touch. This place is perfect for those who are serious about their coffee.

Smoking Tiger Coffee & Bread

Smoking Tiger Coffee & Bread is a Korean cafe and bakeshop where they aim to share Korean culture through food and drink. They work directly with farmers on Jeju Island, as well as one of the oldest furniture makers in Korea. At the same time, they stay on top of new trends through their products and merchandise.

They have several locations throughout California, including one in Buena Park. Smoking Tiger has a number of unique signature beverages, like the Tiger Latte, Fireplace Latte, and Pineapple Express. I tried the Shaken House iced coffee that was super refreshing.

Bonus: Beach Day in Huntington Beach

Buena Park isn’t located on the ocean and there aren’t any beaches. But, there is a beach that isn’t terribly far away. If you’re craving some sun and sand, head directly to Huntington Beach. It’s a 16 mile drive straight south from Buena Park that takes approximately 45 minutes.

Don’t miss checking out the Huntington Beach Pier, which is a great vantage point for seeing the sunset and watching the surfers. Of course, there’s a long stretch of soft, sandy beach here where you can simply relax or join a game of beach volleyball.

While you certainly don’t need a car when staying in Buena Park (it’s easy to get around on foot, and we took an Uber to and from LAX), you may want to rent a car from LAX if you’re making any excursions to Huntington Beach or beyond. Compare the best prices on rental cars here.

It’s also possible to take an Uber from Buena Park to Huntington Beach. However, if you end up taking several Uber rides, it may end up being more cost effective to book a car hire for a few days during your trip to Buena Park.

Where to Stay in Buena Park

Justin and I spent two nights at the DoubleTree by Hilton Buena Park. It’s such a comfortable and convenient place to stay. The location is perfect when traveling to Buena Park as you can easily walk everywhere from the hotel. It’s less than a block from The Source OC and only a 20 minute walk to Knott’s Berry Farm.

One main perk of staying at the DoubleTree by Hilton Buena Park is the complimentary shuttle to Knott’s Berry Farm and Disneyland. Some visitors also use this hotel as a base for exploring Orange County and places near Los Angeles as it’s quite centrally located to everything.

Thank you so much to Visit Buena Park for hosting my stay. We had an incredible time and highly recommend that you plan your visit soon!