Old Towne Orange Day Trip things to do and see along with some great places to eat. Located in Orange County, California, the City of Orange and it’s circa 1920s Old Town District is the perfect destination for a lazy weekend day trip when all you want to do is unwind.
Old Town Orange will not disappoint with selecting bric-a-brac antique stores tucked neatly between cozy sidewalk restaurants and soda fountains.
Most of the antique stores and eateries are near the traffic roundabout at Chapman Avenue and Glassell Street. Established in 1871, the area is the most historic city in Orange County and is one of the best walking districts in all of Southern California.
Covering just one square mile and encircling a charismatic central plaza created in the late 1800s, there are more than 100 antique dealers, eateries, art galleries, and boutiques.
Many businesses occupy one of the area’s various historic commercial buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Scattered about the vibrant business district are old-fashioned residential neighborhoods with one of the largest concentrations of pre-1940 homes in Southern California, full of small, charming bungalows with pretty cottage gardens.
The Orange Public Library and History Center offer a history walk around the 120-year-old neighborhood. In contrast, the Old Towne Preservation Association offers yearly home tours and an annual Holiday Home Decoration Contest. Residents are invited to deck the halls and decorate their houses in the Christmas tradition.
Closer to the center of town is the central plaza, an old-fashioned tiled water fountain that boasts 126 light and flows combinations, and a beautiful rose garden.
It’s a perfect spot to sit, relax, sip some tea from one local tearoom, read a book, and view this quaint little town.
Filling Station Restaurant Orange
The converted gas station at 201 N Glassell St. Filling station serves breakfast daily. Indoor and outdoor seating.
Filling Station restaurant in Orange, CA, also has a vintage bicycle shop that offers classic Schwinn bicycles for sale and a retro record shop that sells tens of thousands of rare 45s and albums.
Rutabegorz in Orange
Rutabegorz 264 N Glassell St, Orange. (Rutas Orange.) This vegetarian restaurant is located in a 100-year-old home that is said to be haunted.
The menu has vegetarian and meat dishes, outdoor seating, and daily specials.
Bruxie Old Towne Orange
Bruxie Old Towne Orange 292 N Glassell St, Orange. Waffle sandwiches, waffle fries, and just about anything you wants to come in or on a waffle.
Popular with the college crowd as it is just down the street from Chapman University.
There are numerous shops in the area, including Flashbacks Mercantile, Woody’s Antiques, The White Rabbit, Matoska Trading Company, Inc., MMD Antiques, C’s Rare Records, and Orange Cycle.
Most of the year, Old Town is relatively quiet. There is the occasional car show, and the central plaza area is a popular setting for movie and television crews, but most of the time, it’s a relaxing destination for a day trip.
Romantic Things To In Southern California
Getting to Old Town Orange
A day trip to Old Towne Orange is like stepping back into a long-gone era and is the perfect blend of old and new.
Both Amtrak and Metrolink trains stop at the Orange train station. Old Towne Orange is an easy three-block walk from the station.
Getting it is easy from the 5, 22, 55, 57, and 91 freeways, and plenty of free parking is available. Old Town Orange central plaza is located at W Chapman Avenue and Glassell Street. There is plenty of free parking.
There is a Home Tour sponsored by the Old Towne Preservation Association (OTPA) October 8th and 9th 2022
I am interested in all the day trips
Old Towne Orage is very walkable. At this time of the year, it’s best to visit in the morning or evening. It gets very hot after about 12 noon.