Orange

Old Towne Orange features a charming downtown square that wraps visitors and locals alike in a nostalgic hug. It remains loyal to its colorful past while warmly welcoming new restaurant concepts, craft breweries, and coffeehouses into the vintage structures nestled along tree-lined streets. The area is easily reached by the Orange Metrolink Station and the 5, 22, 55, and 57 freeways, making it a convenient day trip from Anaheim, coastal Orange County, Los Angeles, and the Inland Empire.

Orange History and Preservation

Founded in 1871 and built around a quaint pedestrian plaza, Orange is the largest nationally registered historic district in California. At the center of the iconic traffic circle, a mosaic tile fountain dating back to 1937 remains a local landmark and a testament to the city’s preservation efforts.

While much of the regional landscape has rapidly evolved over the years, Orange has maintained its diverse architectural styles, which number more than 50 and range from Classical Revival and Victorian to Craftsman and California bungalow. Several local businesses evoke an old-time feel, and more than a dozen antique shops and emporiums such as Orange Circle Antique Mall add to the district’s vintage vibe, drawing treasure-seekers in search of estate jewelry, china, and furniture.

Many of Old Towne Orange’s original buildings from the 1870s to the 1940s also remain in use, including Watson’s Soda Fountain & Cafe, a drugstore founded in 1899. Though the shop stopped filling prescriptions in 2011, Watson’s soda jerks still serve up chocolate malts, ice cream, and all-American diner food in a refreshed space that features an original druggist cabinet filled with medicinal bottles and vials.

MORE: Extra Time in Orange County

Local History and Heritage Beyond the Plaza

For a deeper look at the city’s history, explore the Historic Cypress Street Barrio, one of Orange’s most important cultural neighborhoods. This close-knit Mexican-American community has a legacy that stretches back more than a century and adds an essential layer to the story of Old Towne Orange.

Orange’s preservation story also extends beyond Old Towne. The city is home to the Fairhaven, Fairmeadow, and Fairhills Eichler historic districts, showcasing midcentury modern homes built in the 1960s. Together, Old Towne and the Eichler neighborhoods give Orange an architectural range that spans Victorian-era townsite charm, Craftsman homes, Spanish and Mission Revival styles, and California modernism.

Restaurants in Orange

Orange's dining scene is as varied as its architecture, with everything from longtime local favorites to newer hot spots clustered around Old Towne. Start the day at  The Filling Station, which caters to early birds with a down-home classic breakfast spread inside an old gas station established in 1913. For lunch or dinner, head to Bosscat Kitchen & Libations, where inventive comfort food, craft cocktails, and an extensive whiskey collection fill a downtown space that once housed a liquor store that dated back to 1949. 

Nearby, Haven Craft Kitchen + Bar highlights seasonal California ingredients, while Centro serves wood-fired pizzas, housemade pasta, and gelato. Those looking for a meal with a view can venture up the hill to Orange Hill, which pairs panoramic vistas with classic steakhouse fare. 

MORE: Family-Friendly Orange County

Orange’s Food and Produce Markets

On Saturday mornings, head to the Orange Home Grown Farmers & Artisans Market, where Southern California farmers, food artisans, makers, and community programs come together just steps from Old Towne—it’s one of the best ways to experience Orange like a local. Food-focused travelers will also find specialty stops worth building into the itinerary. OC Wine Mart brings wine, craft beer, and deli-style hospitality to Orange; Pacific Ranch Market offers a neighborhood market and deli experience; and Goodies in the Pantry adds a butcher shop and restaurant stop for visitors looking beyond the standard downtown circuit.

Is Orange a College Town?

Though it may not be the first thing about the town that comes to mind, Chapman University definitely gives Orange a college-town pulse, bringing students, families, performances, dining activity, and year-round cultural programming into the city. (The university is especially known for its film school.) The Hilbert Museum of California Art, located on campus, is a real gem, showcasing an enviable collection of California Scene paintings, which are distinguished from earlier works of California Impressionism by the portrayal of people going about their everyday lives in settings as diverse as cities, harbors, and ranches, or in cars and trains; the style can also include dramatic landscapes.

Craft Beer and Coffee in Orange

What would a college town be without a few local watering holes and cafes? Chapman Crafted Beer is a family-owned favorite, and down the road, the owners of Smoqued California BBQ opened 1886 Brewing Company, serving up award-winning beers and brewpub fare in a refurbished antique shop space. Other notable spots including Green Cheek Beer Co. on Batavia Street and Everywhere Beer Co. on Orangewood Ave., which have given the city a strong presence on the Orange County beer scene. 

Coffee connoisseurs can head over to Contra Coffee & Tea to build their own tasting flights in a bookstore filled with literary journals and works from independent presses. Tru Bru, Baba’s Coffee Corner, Long Dog Coffee & Treats, and Brot Coffee are just a few of the other popular caffeine spots in town. 

MORE: Orange County's Best Beaches

Family-Friendly Orange 

Families looking for fun near Disneyland’s theme-park gates will find plenty to do in Orange. Nearby Irvine Regional Park, the oldest in Orange County, is an outdoor escape with short hiking trails, picnic grounds, and a lake for paddle boating. Families can climb aboard the Irvine Park Railroad for a 12-minute scenic ride led by an overall-clad conductor or check out the OC Zoo’s exhibits featuring animals and plants native to the southwestern states. For a deeper trek into nature, adventurers can also take a guided horseback tour of the 3-mile equestrian trail offered by Country Trails & Riding School.

Visitors planning a trip over Labor Day weekend can partake in a time-honored tradition: the Orange International Street Fair. The city hosted its first street fair in 1910 and revived the event in 1973 for its centennial celebration, complete with live entertainment and dozens of food booths.

Where to Stay in Orange

For travelers who want to stay close to the Plaza, boutique and experience-based lodging has become part of the Old Towne experience. The Richland, a renovated historic property in the heart of Old Towne, operates as a boutique hotel and events venue, while the nearby Casa Blanca Hotel offers decidedly modern accommodations within walking distance of shops, restaurants, and antique stores. 

Visitors seeking familiar full-service amenities will find options such as the Embassy Suites by Hilton Anaheim Orange and the Ayres Hotel Orange, both convenient to Old Towne as well as major Orange County attractions. Budget-conscious travelers can choose from a variety of national-brand hotels near the 55 and 22 freeways.