"While in the Disneyland area , Go to Brea!" Brea by marinarena

Brea Travel Guide: 27 reviews and 44 photos

A Brea Good Time

Meet Brea...

whose name means "tar" but she is very pretty and quite charming.

Forgive the namesake of Brea, based on tar rich fields in eastern areas of town

Though it is very much a residential suburb of Los Angeles, Brea is worthy to see for a tourist who would happen to be in the Disneyland area. There is much attraction especially from its entertainment value, the biggest draw would be the fairly new Improv comedy club and overall, the shopping zones.

People looking to find old town charm in Orange county come to live here. Shoppers in the county and many nearby in southeast LA county and the Inland Empire frequent Brea for its popular mall and shopping centers off Imperial Highway.

Highlights in Brea

Birch St. Promenade, California

Birch Street Promenade
(and immediate area)
Two vintage style Edwards theaters, semi-posh clothing boutiques, a variety of cafes and restaurants and an Improv comedy club, featuring well- known comedians

Brea Mall
shopping galore, one of the busiest malls in Orange county.

Curtis Theater
featured here are many fabulous local theater productions.

Me Posing in Brea

Me in Brea, California

I'm happy to be close to Brea, a fun little town coming into her own, like me!

Pros and Cons

Pros:old town charm in modern city, much entertainment & nightlife attraction for a small town, many good dining options, close to bigger sites like Disneyland
Cons:nothing major except that dreaded traffic on Imperial Hwy, Birch St and Brea Blvd
In a nutshell:This Orange County town is developing into a wonderful arts and culture community, a shopping town and an eccletic eaterie and nightlife spot.

Intro Updated Mar 3, 2012
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Reviews (21)

Curtis Theater, Brea's own town venue - Brea

Quality of Curtis Nightlife (3)

I make it a habit to tout wonderful theater houses of southern California, and can undoubtedly dote on nearby Curtis... more travel advice

Come to a Hip Hangout and park for... Favorites (3)

OK, this is not a major tip but in car-loving southern California, this is a very nice thing to know. Downtown Brea's... more travel advice

Come on down for exciting special events Nightlife (3)

I relish having Brea closeby for some nightime fun downtown- at the movies (Edwards Theaters), at any restaurant (there... more travel advice

Brea Public Art Figures- Modern "Family" Favorites (3)

Like in any suburb, the family as a unit is a main feature here. This public statue, located near Brea's Birch Street... more travel advice

Shopping (2)
See All Brave Brea Mall Traffic
Things to Do (3)
See All Do the Jazz festival at Promenade (late...
Off The Beaten Path (2)
See All Camp at Carbon Canyon

Travelogues (4)

1 - 4 of 4

Comments (5)

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thegreeneyedlady01 Sep 17, 2009 at 2:45 AM

The reason there's ample free parking on the 'promenade' is because re- developers razed all the historical "old" section of town and illegally claimed eminent domain to seize elderly Breans' property to erect "trendy" 'entertainment' venues.
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Jim_Eliason Oct 30, 2005 at 2:38 PM

Great tips! But you left out the Guacho grill, one of my favorites.
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dsantosh Dec 29, 2004 at 10:22 PM

Wishing you a happy and great New Year . May 2005 year bring you wonderful moments, happy travels as well as great happiness. "Greetings from India."Great phtographs.
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abc_of_freedom Dec 24, 2004 at 1:29 PM

Nice page. happy new year & Merry X-mas Greetings from Turkey :))
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londonlover Dec 23, 2004 at 7:26 PM

Brea looks great! My aunt lives in Irvine--must visit Brea next time I'm out there to see her. :) Merry Christmas!