Beautifully preserved streets at the heart of the city invite you to step into an era when towns were built with elegance and quality.

Browse the antique shops, photograph the buildings and eat gourmet food in Old Towne Orange. The neighbourhood is 1 square mile (2.5 square kilometres) of wonderful history.

Walk around to see what a typical Californian city looked like between 1880 and 1940. Admire businesses, houses and offices displaying more than 50 different architectural styles, including Spanish colonial, Victorian and Classic Revival.

Stroll past the softly splashing fountain and shady trees of Orange Plaza Square Park. Look inside the classic buildings around town. Old Orange County Courthouse is the oldest courthouse in Southern California, providing an atmospheric experience.

Join a walking food tour to taste the region’s classic flavours. Slurp on a peach mimosa at The Filling Station Café, set in a converted gas station. Savour a chocolate sundae at Watson's Soda Fountain & Café. Opened in 1899 this is one of California’s oldest diners.

Shop at the large collection of vintage and antique stores. Visit Orange Circle Antique Mall, Antique Station and any of the other 50 shops in the area. The town has earned the reputation of being the “Antique Capital of Southern California.”

Captain William T. Glassell founded this township in 1871. It was named for the orchards that made the region famous. See its historic sites to understand why

the entire central district has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Time your visit to coincide with the Orange International Street Fair, held in the plaza annually. One of the biggest food festivals in Southern California, the tradition dates back to the start of the century. Sample food from all parts of the world. Diverse flavours reflect the multicultural history of this sunny state.

Come to Old Towne Orange to experience a wonderful piece of living history.