Garden Grove

There are many things to do in Garden Grove. It is an old city, having been founded in 1874!!! Some things from the early days still stand, but many parts have been built as recently as the 1950s, to just a few years ago. It is one of the few cities that have an old town, mixed with a modern one, all jumbled up together.

Kaye’s Kitchen

Kaye’s Kitchen

We really do need to talk about food first. Kaye’s Kitchen has been there since 1953. A few years ago, the name was changed to “Main Street Café,” and the locals weren’t too happy about that. It was almost like changing a piece of history—a part of the identity of the city. After some protest, the name of the privately owned business was changed back to Kaye’s Kitchen when the children of the original owners bought the restaurant back.

Kaye’s Kitchen is a friendly old-time diner that serves American comfort food. When I was little, we’d come here Saturday or Sunday morning, and I was told, “Hey! This is American food!” We never think of The United States having their own type of food. Meatloaf doesn’t count. In fact, I don’t think even meatloaf is American! Nope, “Meatloaf is a traditional German, Scandinavian and Belgian dish, and it is a cousin to the Dutch meatball.” That’s according to Wikipedia.

The Strawberry Festival

The Strawberry Festival is a traditional fair that takes place at the park behind Main Street. The festival. Orange County was once a great producer of strawberries. It eventually reached the point where Orange County was producing more strawberries and oranges! Despite Orange County not producing either fruit as much as it did before expensive homes were built over the land, the festival reminds us of what a great producer our county once was. There is everything strawberry to eat at the festival! From strawberry funnel cakes to fresh strawberries doused in plain old sugar in a paper bowl.

Main Street

Nearly every town as a Main Street, or just a “main street.” In many towns, Main Street is usually renamed to something more sentimental to the town’s history. Main Street of Garden Grove is only a chain of about 20 different stores. There are mostly antique stores (with the exception of Kaye’s Kitchen). However, there is a long standing tradition of the classic car show every Friday. Watch to get a sneak peak of the traditional car show!

There are many things to do in this old town. Most are hidden in little corners around town. Personally, my favorite thing to do is to walk down Main Street and admire all the old antique and stationary shops. I believe there is also a restaurant there with Elvis standing on the balcony outside. I have never eaten there myself, but dinner with Elvis at The Azteca Mexican Restaurant is still on my bucket list. I really need to ask the connection between Elvis and The Aztecs.