Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of NTTW by Planning Summer Travel in Anaheim

ANAHEIM, Calif. (May 10, 2023) – Visit Anaheim, the official destination organization for Anaheim, commemorates National Travel & Tourism Week (May 7 – 13), the annual celebration of the contributions of the U.S. travel industry, by spotlighting the essential role that travel plays in driving innovation and economic growth with this year’s theme #TravelForward. With a stellar event line-up including special theme park events, new openings, fan conventions, sporting and culinary events; Anaheim is braced for an unforgettable summer ahead.

 

Anaheim Convention Center

VidCon is returning to the Anaheim Convention Center, with YouTube as its official sponsor on June 21st to June 24th, where the world's leading digital creators, platform innovators, and fans converge in one place. VidCon invites creators, fans and brands all together to experience the online magic. The list of featured creators this year include The Merrell Twins, Aaron Burriss, Brent Rivera, Matt Slays and Rebecca Zamolo, Alyson Stoner, Sofie Dossi and many more.

The Orange County Sports Commission is kicking off the road to the 2028 Olympics with the Volleyball Nations League, making its way to the Anaheim Convention Center for the first time on July 4th to July 9th. This international sporting tournament will launch a 5-year campaign for the Olympics, setting the stage for these athletes who will be playing in the Olympics in Paris in 2024, and then in Anaheim in 2028.

“Visit Anaheim is thrilled to be welcoming VidCon and the VNL Tournament this summer,” said Jay Burress, President & CEO, Visit Anaheim. “These exciting events will bring strong visitation to the destination from both domestic and international markets. These travelers’ experiences will extend beyond the event venues and will ultimately have a strong economic impact on our hotels, restaurants, and attractions.”

 

Attractions

The Disneyland Resort is kicking off their first-ever, after hours event celebrating pride on June 13th and June 15th. Disneyland After Dark: Pride Nite will be a separate ticketed evening event. Guests can enjoy special after-hours park access to shorter attraction wait times, special entertainment, character experiences, photo opportunities and much more.

The summer adventure continues long after the sun goes down, with a nighttime summer party that will liven up the evening. Knott’s Summer Nights kick off on May 26th, with a variety of live music including Latin, Reggae and Zydeco, classic summer eats, backyard games and festoon lighting will set the stage for guests to enjoy their long summer nights.

Just steps away from Knott’s Berry Farm, Knott’s Soak City Waterpark will reopen its gates for another wet and wild summer during its longest season yet, on May 20th until September 10th. Soak City boasts 23 speed, tube and body slides including Shore Break featuring 6 different waterslide experiences and a thrilling family raft ride, The Wedge; the 750,000-gallon Tidal Wave Bay wave pool; a one‑third‑mile Sunset River; and the three‑story Beach House, featuring 200 water guns, nozzles, sprayers and other interactive surprises.

The Adventure Lagoon in Anaheim has one of the largest connectable aqua parks in the United States. The obstacle course floats on top of 6,000 acre-feet of crystal-clear water that stays near 75 degrees year-round. The Adventure Lagoon re-opens in May, with water activities for everyone including kayaking, paddle boarding, water volleyball, and float tubes.

 

Culinary & Breweries

One of the largest Japanese festivals in Orange County returns to the Anaheim STC Gardenwalk on June 16th and June 17th. Taste of Japan will offer several authentic Japanese foods, a beer & sake experience, pop culture, anime, cosplay, live entertainment, merchandise and much more for tourists and residents to enjoy.

Smoke & Fire’s Isaias Hernandez is expanding his local empire and adding to Anaheim’s growing beer scene with Villains Brewing Company, slated to open on May 30th. Formerly where Modern Times Leisuretown was located, Villains Brewing Co. will boast a wide range of beer selections and a menu similar to that of Smoke & Fire with escalations of many classic smoked barbecue proteins such as brisket grilled cheese on Texas toast.

For more information on Anaheim and to discover all of the hotels, events and conventions the city has to offer, please visit visitanaheim.org.

About Visit Anaheim: 
Founded in 1961, Visit Anaheim is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit destination marketing organization. Visit Anaheim’s mission is to impact our communities and visitors through the power of travel. To learn more about Visit Anaheim, visit: www.visitanaheim.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. 


To learn more about National Travel and Tourism Week, please visit ustravel.org/NTTW.