As much as we love to travel, our city has an endless array of activities and events. We have spent much of our summer exploring Orange County, including Anaheim GardenWalk. Located minutes from the Disneyland Resort, the eatertainment destination offers a unique combination of dining, nightlife, family-friendly activities, outdoor art, and unique shops in one location.
Anaheim GardenWalk
We absolutely love outdoor shopping and dining destinations like GardenWalk. My kids can run around and the establishments often lend themselves well to family-friendly activities. Centrally located and steps away from the Happiest Place on Earth, the shopping, entertainment, and dining destination includes popular restaurants like House of Blues, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., California Pizza Kitchen, Grasslands Meat Market BBQ & Churrasco, Fire + Ice Interactive Grill + Bar, and Sockerbit Sweet & Swedish. We easily spent a summer afternoon perusing the art exhibits, shopping, gaming, and enjoying a leisurely dinner at House of Blues. The destination contains an expansive selection of entertainment options for the whole family including Billy Beez indoor play space, Bowlmor Lanes, Mission Escape Games, and Go VR Gaming. Next year, GardenWalk will also add a new AMC Theatres, since the location at Downtown Disney recently closed.
Dining at GardenWalk
I tend to be selective about where we dine out which is why I love the options available at GardenWalk. Nearly every type of food is represented and several of the restaurants offer unique culinary experiences. Last week, we dined at Grasslands Meat Market, and I shared why this BBQ and Churrasco is ideal for moderate to large families.
During our latest visit to GardenWalk, we opted to dine at House of Blues. This was our first time dining at the new entertainment venue/restaurant which features live music nightly. In addition to live performances, each of the four venues serve a Southern-inspired menu with favorites like New Orleans jambalaya and gumbo, Lowcountry shrimp and grits, Delta fried chicken, Memphis-style baby back ribs, and house-smoked Carolina pulled-pork barbeque. I really enjoyed the diverse menu and eclectic selection of foods from diverse regions in the South. Whether you are looking for soul-inspired comfort food or something lighter like their Cobb salad, House of Blues offers families a unique, authentic experience that encompasses food and live music.
FiRE + iCE is a unique concept restaurant where you are the chef. Located at the GardenWalk, guests begin the two-hour dining experience by filling up their bowl at the market with their preferred ingredients. This can include everything from noodles, vegetables, and shrimp (for a Teriyaki stir-fry) to a pulled pork sandwich. Bring your combination of ingredients to the chef who will grill it right in front of you in just a few minutes. You are only limited by the +100 ingredients available and your imagination.
The experience at FiRE + iCE includes a salad bar, rice, and tortillas, in addition to the ingredients available for grilling and cooking. Customize each meal with one of their varied sauces, herbs, and spices. To give you an idea of what can be created, I began by creating a stir-fry with noodles, vegetables, and shrimp. My kids also created their own unique noodle dishes. Other unique creations include fajitas (meat or vegetarian), pasta dishes, burgers, chow mein, sandwiches (the chef can even grill the bread for you), tacos, and more! You can also enjoy a similar -concept brunch weekends at FiRE + iCE.
There is no shortage of sweet treats at Anaheim GardenWalk. But if you are a nine year old kid, walking into Sockerbit Sweet & Swedish is a dream come true. The Scandinavian candy store features Swedish, Danish, Finnish, and Norwegian candies, all of which are free from trans fats, artificial colors, and GMOs. The candies resemble popular brands like M&Ms, jelly beans, and gummy bears in a variety of flavors. Candy is priced at $3.50 per pound.
Entertainment at GardenWalk
You could easily spend a day at GardenWalk shopping, dining, and enjoying the diverse entertainment venues onsite. If given the choice, my kids (particularly my son), would opt for video games, so we decided to check out Go VR Gaming.
Despite the recent interest in virtual reality, the experience has a long history. In fact, during our visit to Go VR Gaming, the owner showed us his display of vintage VR headsets and discussed previous iterations of the experience.
What is Virtual Reality? This immersive experience of a world created by a computer, simulates your physical presence and allows you to experience and interact within a 3D world. Games can include everything from action and puzzle solving to simulation sports or even career simulation.
Go VR Gaming is a virtual reality arcade with 6 stations that allow 6 players to immerse themselves in this experience at any given time. The gaming area is spacious and equipped with a TV screen and a couch which provide an opportunity for friends and family members to interact with you.
We spent one hour at the venue, and both of my kids did not want to leave at the end of that hour. After being outfitted with a headset and given a brief orientation, each player selects their desired game and proceeds to play. While the experience is intuitive, I appreciated the fact that my kids could call for assistance from the staff at any time.
Pricing at Go VR Gaming varies with longer experiences a bit more cost effective. The first 15 minutes starts at $15. The venue offers hourly specials in addition to store buyouts.
Indulge Your Selfie
Snap a selfie and you could win a $50 gift card to your favorite venue at GardenWalk. There are 9 Selfie Spots located throughout the center. Be sure to tag @GardenWalk for your chance to win! One winner is chosen each month.
Art On The Walk
Art on the Walk is an ongoing program that showcases the work of local artists and non-profit organizations. This summer, GardenWalk showcases the works of Chuck Jones, which include animations from all of the major studios. You will also find American pop culture favorites from the artist. The art can be seen on the Main Level across from McCormick & Schmick’s Grille.
Learn more about Anaheim GardenWalk by visiting their website or following on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram
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