Anaheim is in northern Orange County. For the parks or an event, stay in the resort blocks around Disneyland and the Convention Center. Downtown Anaheim and the Packing District are about food halls and local shops, not the park entrance.
Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure and Downtown Disney are the center of the Anaheim Resort. Hotels along Harbor Boulevard are close to the park gates. Check the walking route anyway: a hotel on the far side of a big block can still mean a long walk after closing. Katella Avenue links the resort to the Convention Center and GardenWalk.
Downtown Anaheim is built around Center Street Promenade and the restored Anaheim Packing House, now a food hall beside Farmers Park. It moves at a slower pace than the resort, but you need a bus, shuttle or car to reach the theme parks. West of downtown, Little Arabia has restaurants and shops along Brookhurst Street.
Angel Stadium and Honda Center are east of the resort, near ARTIC, Anaheim’s rail and bus hub. If you are in town for a game or a concert, a hotel on Katella Avenue or near the station can make more sense than a room by the park. Oak Canyon Nature Center in Anaheim Hills is out in the foothills, and you need a car to get there.
Summer afternoons are hot and dry, and most of the rain falls in winter. John Wayne Airport is the closest major airport, and Long Beach and Los Angeles airports also serve Anaheim. Amtrak Pacific Surfliner and Metrolink trains stop at ARTIC. OCTA buses on Harbor Boulevard and Katella Avenue link several of the visitor areas.