With an award-winning amusement park and thriving commercial district, Buena Park is doing its best to live up to its moniker of “SoCal’s Fun City.” Over 80,000 people call Buena Park home full-time, but the iconic Knott’s Berry Farm brings in visitors from across the county. Knott’s Berry Farm is one of the area’s major employers, but the city is also within commuting distance of other major employment hubs like Anaheim and Long Beach. This city is one of Orange County’s most beloved destinations, known for its shopping, dining and attractions that millions travel miles and miles for.
Buena Park not only has many entertainment venues but great shops and restaurants.
View of the residential neighborhood showing Knotts Berry Farm in the background.
The Source in Buena Park has great shopping in an open air mall.
Knott's Berry Farm
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Knott's Berry Farm, Soak City and local parks
Buena Park’s biggest attraction is Knott’s Berry Farm, an amusement park that draws millions of visitors annually, locally and from all over. The park is not only a major attraction but is also one of the city’s major employers. “Disney Land is a staple around the world, but Knott’s Berry Farm is a staple in Orange County,” says Daniel Finder, a Realtor of EQTY Forbes Global Properties. “The entire city is based around Knott’s Berry Farm.” The park is home to over 40 rides for all age levels, including roller coasters, dark rides and family-friendly rides. Knott’s Berry Farm also hosts live entertainment and serves food featuring their signature boysenberry products. In the hot summer months, as Orange County gets around 290 days of sun a year, visitors can cool down at Knott’s Berry Farm’s Soak City, the adjoining water park.
The city’s Parks and Recreation department maintains two pools and twelve parks. Henry Boisseranc Park and William Peak Park both offer a children’s play area, basketball courts, ball fields and swimming pools. Rick Gomez Park, the city’s newest park, features a play area with a baseball theme, shaded picnic space and grills.
The wold famous Knotts Berry Farm now a huge amusement park started as a berry farm.
Get in a game of baseball at William Peak Park.
The paths at Boisseranc Park are great for riding your bike.
A favorite family place to visit in Buena Park is Knott's Berry Farm.
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The Source OC, Downtown Buena Park and local shopping and dining
Buena Park is a major shopping and dining destination in Orange County. From Michelin-recommended spots like Ramen and Tsukemen TAO to immersive dinner-and-a-show experiences like Medieval Times, there is a wide range of options. For meals out, local and chain restaurants serve sushi, burgers, Korean barbecue, boba and pasta dishes. “There are so many nice, new restaurants that people go out of their way for. The downtown area is great, and they all serve fantastic food,” says Finder.
The Source OC is a premium retail and entertainment complex. It features many restaurants, ranging from Izakaya bars and Korean barbecue restaurants to mochi donuts and shaved ice cafes. Boutique clothing stores cater to patrons of any age or style. Shoppers can furnish their homes with furniture and art or upgrade their self-care routines with new cosmetic and beauty products. For entertainment, patrons can catch a movie or sing karaoke. A few virtual entertainment experiences, like virtual golf, also operate out of The Source OC.
Buena Park Downtown is a sprawling shopping center occupying 1.2 million square feet. Dining options are generally more casual, with options like Chili’s, Portillio’s and Asia Buffet. The shopping spans from home goods and fine jewelry to shoe and apparel retailers. For everyday shopping, locals can pick up groceries and home goods at big box stores like Target or grocery retailers like Albertsons and Stater Bros found across town. H Mart., which operates in north Buena Park, sells meat, produce and specialty Asian groceries.
Buena Park has Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament which is a fantastic place for fun.
Buena Park Downtown has plenty of great shopping and dinning.
Portillo's is an iconic bustling restaurant in Buena Park.
Head out to the Source for all your shopping needs in Buena Park.
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The city hosts many annual events, and Knott's Berry Farm draws large crowds
Buena Park fosters a vibrant social scene. “We have a lot of great events that locals turn out for,” says Ariana Chavez, Senior Administrative Assistant for the Community Services Department. In the summer, locals can head to Peak Park Pool for Dive-In Movies, a family-friendly movie viewing series held from the park’s pool. The park also hosts Silverado Days, a multi-day festival with vendors and live entertainment. Each September, the Buena Park Culture Fair brings residents of a wide variety of backgrounds together to celebrate the diverse heritage of citizens. Food, live performances and activities from around the world are offered at the fair. Cops N’ Goblins is the annual trick-or-treat event sponsored by the local police department. The annual tree lighting and Candy Caneland and Craft Fair commemorate the holidays with games, vendors and food.
Knott’s Berry Farm also hosts events throughout the year. From September through early November, visitors attend the after-dark Knott’s Scary Farm, a Halloween celebration with scare actors and themed activities. From late November through early January, the park transforms into a winter wonderland where guests can meet Santa and listen to holiday music at Knott’s Merry Farm. The Knott's Boysenberry Festival is the annual food and wine festival celebrating local cuisine each spring.
Bring the family out for a day of Halloween fun at Cops N' Goblins.
Knott's becomes Knott's Merry Farm for the Holiday Seasson.
Listen to live bands from many cultures at the Buena Park Culture Festival.
Have some fun on classic roller coaster rides at Silverado Days.
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Crime in Buena Park
Events, especially those held at Knott’s Berry Farm, can significantly increase tourism and traffic and contribute to crime. Overall, crime is down 11% from 2023. with both violent and property crime decreasing. However, rates of robbery went up from 48 instances in 2023 to 63 instances in 2024. Arson has also increased from 8 instances in 2023 to 11 instances in 2024. In both 2023 and 2024, crimes peaked through the summer during the tourism season.
City access to planes, trains and automobiles
“The location is fantastic for Orange County,” says Finder. “You’re not far from LA, and you’re just a hop, skip and a jump from the ocean.” Three highways run through Buena Park: Interstate 5 and State Routes 39 and 91. Via Route 39, Huntington Beach is a 15-mile drive south. Los Angeles sits 20 miles west by way of Interstate 5. In town, Beach Boulevard connects the city's civic center, the E-Zone entertainment district and Buena Park's Downtown shopping center. Most residents drive as the city can be hard to get around on foot, but Buena Park has many public transit options. The Metrolink provides direct access to stops in Los Angeles and Orange counties. Amtrak lines run to Buena Park from San Diego, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and elsewhere along the Pacific Sunflier line. Long Beach Airport is the nearest commercial airport at 13 miles west, but John Wayne Airport is also 18 miles south. Multiple private transit services also offer drop-off and pick-up to John Wayne Airport, Long Beach Airport and LAX.
The suburban side of SoCal's Fun City
“The houses have character,” Finder says. “The homes are generally older, and you see a lot of ranch-style and postwar homes, but the homes have their own unique features. Buena Park is also starting to undergo a revitalization effort. A lot of investors are interested in buying the older homes and rebuilding newer properties.” While the main commercial corridors of Buena Park are often congested by tourist traffic, the residential streets are typically more laid back and offer an escape from the city’s high energy. Most homes were built from the 1950s through the 1970s, so neighborhood streets have an older block-style layout. However, there are newer, Modern Traditional properties available.
Homes in Buena Park tend to be more affordable than other Orange County neighborhoods, which attracts first-time homebuyers. “You can still get a single-family home that’s moderately priced. It’s a good option for people who want to live in Orange County without spending a million dollars,” says Finder. “A lot of the Buena Park homes don’t have Mello-Roos fees. That is mostly applied to newer homes, so in theory, the bond has expired on the homes built before the 90s.” The Mello-Roos is a special tax assessment applied to some California properties, which can significantly impact the costs associated with financing the property. Buyers spend a median of $895,000 in Buena Park. Older homes with class layouts, like bungalows and ranch-style properties, can be purchased from $580,000 to just under $1 million. Buena Park does have a few properties selling for more than $1 million and, in some cases, exceed $2 million. These large properties are typically located in the private Los Coyotes Country Club neighborhood.
Buena Park has unique signature homes in the Los Coyotes Country Club neighborhood.
Ranch homes of many styles are available in Buena Park.
Condominiums in Buena Park are well maintained and have a great amount of square footage.
Elevated view showing a newer development in Buena Park.
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Kids attend the highly rated Fullerton Joint High School District
The city is served by Buena Park School District, which earned an overall grade of C-plus from Niche. The Buena Park school system consists of seven schools: five elementary schools and two middle schools. Older children attend high school through one of the neighboring districts, like Fullerton Joint Unified High School District, which is graded A-plus by Niche. Depending on their home address, kids will either attend Buena Park High School, graded B-plus, or Sunny Hills High School, graded A-plus, 5 miles east in Fullerton.
Holder Elementary is close to West Anaheim, making morning commutes for students simple.
Buena Park High School football field.
The Sunny Hills High School in Fullerton.
Buena Park Middle School a California Distinguished School 2024.
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