Garden Grove is proud of its heritage, and is particularly pleased with this years upcoming celebration of their "50 Years of Hometown Pride". Garden Grove is conveniently located less than one mile away from Disneyland, seven miles from Knott's Berry Farm, nine miles from local beaches, and 10 miles from John Wayne Airport. The beautiful Mojave Desert and San Bernardino Mountains are also accessible within short drive times.

Located in Orange County, California, the City of Garden Grove (17.8 sq. miles) is home to over 170,000 residents.

Garden Grove is also home to the highest number of churches and places of worship per capita in California, including the world-famous Crystal Cathedral. The city flower is the Orange Tropicana Rose and the city tree is Flame Coral.

Garden Grove is progressive and growing , and is located just south of Los Angeles in Orange County, California. Their motto, "The City of Youth and Ambition," reflects cultural diversity and is home to four annual cultural festivals that celebrate the Vietnamese, Korean, Arabic, and American heritage. Garden Grove's Strawberry Festival, now more than 45 years old, is the largest community-based Memorial Day event in the western United States. Special events and activities run throughout the year.

Accommodations

A wide, varied selection of family accommodations and upscale hotels are available to southern CA travelers to Garden Grove area. There are numerous places to stay that are close to most visited places, including the Garden Groves Crystal Cathedral, Disneyland, and Knot's Berry Farm.

Several to take into consideration include: Marriott Anaheim Suites, The Candlewood Suites, Crowne Plaza Embassy Suites Hotel, Hampton Inn & Suites, Garden Inn and Holiday Inn Express.

Restaurants

The choices for dining are extensive and the ethic offerings are great for sampling. Some of those options include: Dae Zi Club, Los Sanchez, and the Togos Eatery. The Los Sanchez Mex Restaurant is well known in the Orange County area and receives high ratings for delicious food.

The Black Angus Steakhouse opened in April 1964 by Stuart Anderson, a prominent rancher, and is a popular spot.

Major attractions

Located in Garden Grove is the famous Crystal Cathedral. The international Crystal Cathedral Ministries, includes a congregation of over 10,000 members and the internationally televised "Hour of Power."


The well attended campus has thousands of attendees each Sunday. The Rev. & Mrs. Robert H. Schuller arrived in Southern California with dedication, a dream in their hearts, and $500 in their pocket. Their dream was to build a great church for God, a church that would change and save lives. It has grown steadily and increasingly each year since they started the Crystal Cathedral.

Shopping

A sampling variety of shopping options in Garden Grove include: Garden Grove Promenade Shopping Center, Garden Grove Shopping Center, and Garden Square Shopping Center.

Main Events

The Garden Grove Festival Association, holds the four-day non-profit Garden Grove Strawberry Festival, providing entertainment and enjoyment and to help local charities. Since 1958 the festival has raised approximately $4 million for charities.

Attendance is estimated at 250,000. Since its founding in 1958, the four-day Garden Grove Strawberry Festival has grown to be the second largest volunteer community festival in the Western United States. Festival activities include special events and displays including: the Giant strawberry shortcake cutting ceremony, Community parade with floats, celebrities, local school bands and local dignitaries

Music

The Orange County Symphony, a regional orchestra, serves a metropolitan area of approximately 2.8 million people. The noted regional symphony orchestra expands musical exposure to children and parents by providing free educational children’s concerts and in-school concert preparation.

The classical and pops concerts bring music from diverse cultures to the community. Through the symphony’s International Conductor Exchange Program, the community is able to enjoy music of composers from France, Bulgaria, and Korea.


History

Garden Grove has interesting beginning roots when Spanish soldiers, commanded by Gaspar de Portola, first discovered Orange County as they made their way north across California in 1769. During their journey, the soldiers camped on a wide grassy plain east of present day Garden Grove. They named the area the Santa Ana Valley and claimed the state of California as a possession of Spain. It was later divided into ranchos as some of the soldiers settled in the area.

In 1822, Mexico gained independence from Spain, and California became a province of Mexico. It was the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, at the end of the Mexican-American War, that made all of California a territory of the United States of America. In 1850, California became the 31st state in the union.


World War II had an important impact on Garden Groves growth. Servicemen who had visited California during their training for war came back to settle and raise their families. The communities rural nature changed to a more modern society when land and low prices caused a sudden building boom. Garden Grove became the fastest growing city in the nation in the 1950s.