Because of its serene residential atmosphere La Habra has a reputation as a somewhat sleepy bedroom community located in the northern corner of Orange County. Though not as “tourist-y” as other O.C. cities such as Anaheim, there are a few area highlights worth checking out.
The main attraction is the Children’s Museum at La Habra. This hands-on facility is partially housed inside a 1923 Union Pacific Train Depot. The museum, established in 1977, prides itself on learning through playing as a means of expressing creativity, becoming familiar with the notion of working in teams and as a means to discovery of the larger world.
The Museum, which receives more than 90,000 visitors a year, features seven galleries and 14 different exhibits, including, “Dinosaurs in My Backyard,” a hands-on paleontology exhibit. Children can also ride a kid-sized carousel or participate in, “Kids On Stage,” where they become the star, dressing up to sing and perform on stage.
Not into science? History buffs may visit the Richard Nixon Law Office in the current community center. The nation’s 37th president, Richard Milhouse Nixon opened his first law office on La Habra Boulevard. The Milhouse family, ancestors of the president, were among the first settlers in La Habra.
After nourishing your mind with a few educational facts about La Habra, stop by La Bonita Sports Complex to exercise the body. The facility plays home to a skate park, multi-use rink and court, four lighted softball fields and a children’s playground. This multi-million dollar facility was completed in 2006 and is described by the city Web site as “a crowning jewel in the city’s park system.”
La Habra takes harvest time seriously with its annual Corn Festival, an event sponsored by the La Habra Host Lions Club. This event attracts several thousand visitors from the city and surrounding communities. The event is usually held the first weekend in August at El Centro-Lions Park.
For its estimated 61,789 residents, La Habra also offers a wide variety of recreational programs at its 20 city parks. It doesn’t matter whether your’re an adult or child, the city offers dance and exercise classes for all ages.
If indoor exercise isn’t your idea of fun, there are many bike paths flowing through the city organized by Bikeways, a project of the Orange County Transportation Authority. More than 800 miles of on-road and off-road bikeways throughout the county offer a wide variety of scenery and terrain for leisurely rides or vigorous conditioning.
The city also offers field trips to nearby destinations including the Getty Museum and Exposition Park, and to tourist hotspots including Laughlin, Tijuana and Lake Tahoe.