Orange County History & Culture
Few still associate the county with its namesake citrus, but it was the prized historic export of this once-agrarian region, right alongside avocados and crude oil. Mentions of Orange County today more often conjure a lovable cartoon rodent and his Magic Kingdom—Disneyland is arguably the best-known landmark here, but there’s countless more, including (but hardly limited to) Balboa Island, Mission San Juan Capistrano, Knott's Berry Farm, Modjeska House, Yost Theater, Angel Stadium, and Honda Center. With 40+ miles of shoreline, Orange County is a world-class surfing destination and home to Huntington Beach—officially nicknamed Surf City USA—which hosts the Vans US Open of Surfing each summer. There’s no excuse to be bored, and every excuse to be on a board.