Once upon a time in Anaheim, California, weary tourists with sore feet walked an enormous parking lot in search of their misplaced family vehicle after an exhausting day at Disneyland. As delightful an experience as that was, the folks at Walt Disney eventually decided that this space could be better utilized if it were to contain a second theme park, part of a new area soon to be known as “The Disneyland Resort”. They built a huge multilevel parking structure a couple of blocks away, and from the ashes of the original parking lot arose Disney’s California Adventure (or “DCA” for short.)
 
Celebrating the magnificent Golden State, its colorful history and natural beauty, the Disney imagineers set out to offer a postcard-esque view of California in a condensed Reader’s Digest format. Various themed areas of the park pay homage to California’s film and aviation history, Steinbeck’s wine country and Cannery Row, the beachside amusement parks of Santa Cruz, and the natural splendor of California’s redwood forests. Curiously, the State’s formidable agricultural industry is represented by an area for the younger guests that focuses on, you guessed it, bugs.

In regards to nostalgia, one might not expect a park that is a mere 6 years old to spark many memories of the past. The fact is that if you look around, however, you just might encounter a few blasts from the past. For the closeted Muppet fan, for example, there is an entertaining show that puts guests in the audience of the 70s TV favorite, The Muppet Show. If you have fond memories of carnivals, wild mouse roller coasters, and Ferris Wheels, the Paradise Pier section will give you a chance to relive the feeling of being at a seaside boardwalk amusement park. And if you have a longing to once again witness one of the most beloved parades ever to run at Disneyland, you will be pleased to know that (as of this writing, at least) DCA continues to run the Disneyland Main Street Electrical Parade, in all of its illuminated glory. (Sans the titular "Main Street," of course)
While some may hold more vivid memories of a parking lot than of an amusement park still in its adolescence, there are nostalgic memories to be had at California Adventure. You just have to look around a little to find them.