A weekend in Anaheim

My husband and I had the chance to take a 4 day/ 3 night quick trip to Anaheim, CA last weekend.  Although we didn't have any "specific" plans, we definitely had a budget to stay within. Anaheim is one of many California cities that has excellent public transportation.  We used the OCTA bus system to get from the airport to our hotel just north of Disneyland on Harbor Blvd, the day pass was $4.50.  There are so many hotels, shops and places to dine within walking distance, it wasn't necessary for us to rent a car, fight the traffic or pay the $4.89 / gal gas price.  One of our days was spent at Knotts Berry Farm.  We were able to get tickets using a military discount and an all day food/drink pass for just under $200 for the 2 of us.  We used the bus to get to the park, arrived shortly after opening and stayed until about an hour before closing.  At no point were either of us thirsty or hungry.   We made sure to get our moneys worth out of the dining passes. The lines for the rides weren't super long when we visited (a Friday in February) so we didn't feel the need to purchase the pass that allows you to move to the front of the line.  Since both of us are in our 50's, we opted to ride all the roller coasters BEFORE we ate lunch.  Regardless of your age, I strongly encourage every visitor to wear comfortable shoes.  According to my phone pedometer, we put on about 10 miles that day just wandering around inside the park.  Just like all theme parks, there are lots of gift shops with a large variety of souvenirs to buy.  Nothing inside the park accepts cash, but they do have machines that will convert your cash to a debit card.  Our hotel provided breakfast daily which helped us stay within our budget and we were able to see the fireworks from Disneyland both Friday and Saturday nights from our bathroom window.  There were a few other things we wanted to see / visit during our stay, but didn't have the time or energy to do so and will add it to our list for the next time we head to Anaheim.  There are a few different transportation options in the Disneyland area.  Depending on your needs, the ART (Anaheim Resort Transportation) might be a better fit than OCTA.  Regardless of which you use for the immediate area, I strongly encourage people to use EVE (Everyone Ventures Everywhere) for direct transport to and from the Orange County (John Wayne) airport.  It is $15 per adult (less for children) and our ride was non-stop.  I wish I had known about it before we arrived in California.