Brea, California is a small city in Orange County. Though it may be small, there are plenty of things to do for those who live here or visit the area! You can find many places of interest around Brea and these 16 best things to do in Brea California will surely give you some ideas on what to check out.
1. Visit the Brea Mall – this is a great place to find all of your favorite stores
The Brea Mall is a shopping center in Brea, California that features over 180 stores on two levels including Macy’s and Sears. There are some restaurants such as Johnny Rockets, The House of Sushi & Noodles, Chick-fil-A, and Starbucks inside too. You will also find plenty of entertainment options which include a movie theater with stadium seating for sporting events or concerts.
In addition to all this, there are even more outdoor amenities like an 18 hole mini-golf course! This place has something for everyone so it’s worth visiting if you’re in the area!
Source: Brea Mall
Address: 1065 Brea Mall, Brea, CA 92821, USA
2. Stop by The Brea Art Museum
They have an amazing collection of pieces that Add Brea Art Museum to your list of places to see in Brea. They have an amazing collection of pieces that will blow you away!
The Brea Art museum is located at 101 East Imperial Hwy, Brea CA. It’s open every day except for Christmas Day and New Year’s Day from 11:00 am to 12 midnight so there are plenty of hours during the week where you can stop by if time allows. The best part? Admission is free! You don’t need a ticket or anything like that- just walk right in without paying any money whatsoever 🙂 All visitors must be 18 years old or older with ID though… So make sure to bring one along when you visit!
Source: The Brea Art Museum
Address: 1 Civic Center Cir, Brea, CA 92821, USA
3. Spend a day at Knott’s Berry Farm
You might have guessed Knott’s Berry Farm is one of the best things to do in Brea California! They’ve got an amazing collection of pieces that will blow you away and it would be a shame not to stop by. The Brea Art museum is located at 101 East Imperial Hwy, Brea CA. It’s open every day except for Christmas Day and New Year’s Day from 11:00 am to 12 midnight so there are plenty of hours during the week where you can stop by if time allows. Admission is free but only adults aged 18 or older with ID may enter- so make sure you bring your ID when visiting!
Tours & Things to do hand-picked by our insiders
Source: Knott’s Berry Farm
Address: 8039 Beach Blvd, Buena Park, CA 90620, USA
4. Visit the Wonderful World of Disney at the Disney Theme Parks
This is the must-see attraction for all who visit Brea California. It’s located at 1200 West Katella Ave, Anaheim CA 92802 and it offers something for everyone! There are many different types of rides to keep your little ones entertained as well as a few thrill rides that will make you want to scream with delight! The coolest part about Disney Land? They also have their own version of Main Street where you can grab some Mickey Mouse ice cream or buy souvenirs from local shops like Pinocchio Village Haus while taking in the beautiful views around you.
Breakers Water Park is another great place to spend an afternoon having fun in water slides, hot pools, lazy rivers and more! One thing they offer that not many other water parks do? You can actually have lunch at the park while you’re there! The food is really good and a nice break from getting wet.
Source: Disney Theme Parks
Address: 1313 Disneyland Dr, Anaheim, CA 92802, United States
5. Take in an outdoor movie screening with friends in Brea.
Best Things to Do in Brea California outdoor movie theater. Brea is a movie lover’s dream come true. In addition to the many movie theaters throughout the city, there are also outdoor movie screenings in Civic Center Park and Brea Village Commons where you can enjoy an evening under the stars with friends! The Brea 3Sixty Entertainment team hosts weekly events that make it easy for families to have fun together on summer nights. They host movies at different locations every week- so be sure to check out their website for more information about upcoming showings as well as recent releases this season. This event is family friendly and has all your favorite snacks available including popcorn, cotton candy, hot dogs, nachos and more!
Source: Movie Theater in Brea
6. Have a picnic at the Brea Downtown Park
As you make your way to the downtown park, on Mission Drive at Birch Street, there is a small plaza area with picnic tables and benches. If you wish to have a picnic lunch in this lovely spot, then it’s best to come mid-morning or early afternoon when most of the people are gone from work for their lunch break. You’ll likely hear lots of birds singing as they fly around overhead; if you look closely, sometimes there will be squirrels scampering through the trees nearby too! The large parking lot here makes it easy for those who need assistance getting out of their car so that they can enjoy a good meal.
Source: Brea Downtown Park
7. Go on a bike ride along the Santa Ana River Trail – there are so many beautiful spots to stop and take in the view!
– The bike trail is about 18 miles long and goes from Corona to Seal Beach.
– You can rent a bike at the bike shop near the Santa Ana River Trail, or if you have your own bike just bring it with you on the back of your car (trail parking lots are never too crowded).
– A word of caution: there’s not much shade along this stretch so be sure to pack plenty of water – and even some snacks for energy boosts – in case you need them during your ride.
– This pathway parallels both sides of the river bed until reaching Orange County, whereupon one bank becomes private property while the other remains public land. Some very nice park areas exist along this part.
Source: Santa Ana River Trail
8. Take a trip up to Gorman Nature Center for some time away from it all
Gorman Nature Center is a great place to visit for an enjoyable and relaxing time. Gorman Nature Center has lots of different trails and sites that are worth exploring, as well as nature centers that provide information about the beautiful surroundings.
– Gorman Nature Center was established in 1997 by Edward Gorman Jr., who wanted to preserve the natural habitat around his property on Brea Canyon Road.
– The center currently encompasses over 400 acres with three miles of hiking trails.
– Gormans’ gift provides recreational opportunities year-round from walking or jogging along scenic paths to fishing at one of six ponds located throughout the site
– Visitors can enjoy picnicking near man-made lakes or explore our self-guided interpretive trail through diverse habitats
Gorman Nature Center
Address: 2295 Lexington Ave, Mansfield, OH 44907, United States
9. Watch the sunset at Heritage Park
This is one of my personal favorites because it’s always such a peaceful spot
I love to watch the sunset with a loved one or just by myself. Heritage Park is home to beautiful gardens, and you can often find me sitting in meditation there at sunset. The sunset’s orange glow creates a serene environment for deep breathing exercises that are designed to relieve stress and tension.
Watch out for deer! There may be some roaming around these parts of town when the sun goes down, so stay alert as you drive back from your peaceful sunset experience!
This blog post discusses what it means to take time out of life for yourself and spend some quality time doing something nice; whether it’s taking a long walk on the beach, cooking dinner with friends, going camping in Brea California.
Sunset at Heritage Park
10. Check out the Brea Downtown Historic District
On Historic Main Street. Enjoy the many shops in this quaint, pedestrian-friendly shopping district located on Historic Main Street.
Historic District: Explore the Brea Downtown Historic District’s “Mainstreet” of antique and craft shops, art galleries, coffee houses and restaurants – all within walking distance from each other.
Attraction: Visit this historic downtown area with its variety of unique businesses and services that are a part of Southern California history!
The Japanese Garden is one option for an outdoor attraction to visit when exploring the great outdoors in Brea. This garden features streams running through paths lined with manicured pine trees.”
If you’re looking for more than just a day trip, head further inland along Interstate 57
Source: Brea Downtown Historic District
11. See what’s going on at the Brea Art Walk
Located in the heart of Shea Home’s Blackstone Community, Brea California, you’ll find a collection of individual art pieces representing the local flora, fauna and history of the area.
Under the guidance of Jim Holas, previously with Shea Homes, Land Concern was tasked to select locations for eight different art pieces and conceptualize each piece’s setting.
Teaming up with Marlo Bartels – renowned ceramicist/sculptor/muralist from Laguna Beach – Land Concern chose locations while Bartels curated unique artistic interpretations. Once there were oil wells on Blackstone’s hillside.
But Jim Holas, who was with a company called Shea Homes, wanted to build new homes and have places for people to play. He asked Land Concern to pick out the best spots and plan each of the 8 art pieces.
Marlo Bartels, a famous ceramic artist, needed help to bring his art from an idea to reality. Land Concern helped out by giving him things like initial concepts and construction documents.
Brea Art Walk
12. Head to one of the many parks in town, including Veterans Park and Memorial Park
Veterans Park features a Memorial Wall and a replica of Iwo Jima’s flag-raising. The park also has an amphitheater, playgrounds, picnic areas, tennis courts, and trails for walking or running. Memorial Park is at the center of town with ball fields (called “The Lots”), Brea Community Garden, and plenty more to explore!
Take your kids and they will love the Veterans Park. There are many things to do in Brea California. Veterans Park and Memorial Park offer plenty of outdoor activities for the whole family, including picnicking, tennis courts, walking trails, and an amphitheater where concerts will be held on Saturday evenings.
Source: Veterans Park Memorial Park
Address: 4117 Overland Ave, Culver City, CA 90230, United States
Get your fill of food at one of these 5 restaurants
13. Tony’s Taco Shop
Tony’s Taco Shop Brea is a family-owned restaurant chain that specializes in authentic Mexican food. Tony’s menu includes tacos, burritos, and quesadillas as well as beef fajitas and chicken or steak entrees with rice & beans. Tony has been operating his original location on Imperial Ave for over 30 years!
Tony’s Taco Shop Brea offers delivery to the surrounding areas of Orange County including Irvine and Anaheim – order online through their website at tonystacoshopbreacanada.com
Tony’s Tacos also delivers catering orders throughout Southern California from San Diego to Santa Barbara so if you need it… call them up! You can even hire Tony himself as your personal chef.
Tony’s Taco Shop
Address: 1412 Capitol St NE, Salem, OR 97301, United States
14. Sidewalk Café
Brea is a city in Orange County, California. Sidewalk Café Brea California is one of the popular and famous restaurants for delicious food with great ambiance. Sidewalk Cafe features dishes such as lasagna, macaroni, chicken fried rice, and pork chops.
The cafe also has its own bakery that produces pastries including blond brownies which are made fresh daily from scratch.
Sidewalk café offers free WiFi service to their customers by installing an outdoor hotspot on the side of the building where people can log onto the internet without any hassle or problems as well as enjoy coffee while sitting outside enjoying the weather.
Sidewalk Café Brea CA was founded in 2002 by Sherry Tanji who had relocated from her home country.
Source: Sidewalk Café Brea California
15. Max’s Restaurant
Max’s Restaurant is a popular restaurant in Brea, California. Max’s has been serving up their famous Maxburger and Maxchicken since 1987. This family-owned establishment provides an enjoyable dining experience for patrons with some of the best burgers ever created! Max’s is a favorite spot for Maxburger enthusiasts.
Source: Max’s Restaurant
16. Cafe de la Fuente
Cafe de la Fuente is a quaint Mexican restaurant in the heart of Brea, CA. They offer delicious and authentic traditional food at an affordable price with polite service that will make you feel right at home.
Cafe de la Fuente offers fresh-made tortillas for their breakfast burritos as well as other options like huevos rancheros or chilaquiles con Carne y papas (rice and potatoes).
For lunch, they have rice bowls, tacos al carbon, enchiladas suaves o picantes (spicy), taco salad, grilled chicken sandwich or one of many different types of burgers including panini sandwiches. If you want something sweet Cafe de la Fuente has tasty fruit smoothies to satisfy you.
Enchilada
17. The Original Pancake House
The Original Pancake House Brea California is one of the most popular restaurants in town. The location has been serving up pancakes for over 50 years and can accommodate all sorts of groups, from a big family to a small business meeting.
The pancake menu includes classics like buttermilk or blueberry plus some inventive options like banana coconut cream cheese with sliced bananas on top (pictured). The breakfast fare also includes French toast, waffles, eggs benedict, and more.
For lunchtime, there are sandwiches served on housemade focaccia bread sandwiches as well as wraps filled with interesting varieties of fillings that include a chicken salad with grapes and apples; ham, apple butter and Swiss; roast turkey breast topped with cranberries; grilled salmon.
Delicious Pancake at The Original Pancake House, Brea, California.