A Guide To The Honda Center

In Anaheim, Mr. Opportunity hasn't stopped knocking, despite the Honda Center's doors officially being open since 1993. There,  fans can treat themselves to official NHL Anaheim Ducks home games, the annual John Wooden Classic, this year's NCAA Men's Basketball West Regionals and the Harlem Globetrotters. Before Lakers regular season action goes underway at the Staples Center, the purple and gold NBA Champions bring their talents to the Honda Center for several preseason games. Don't miss a chance to check out the Lakers.

Besides basketball, the curtains seem to always stay open for the hottest music stars in the business including Nickelback, Shakira and Justin Bieber.

Besides serving the public via sports and music, larger-than-life family shows like Walking with Dinosaurs round out a variety of fixes for each and every patron.

With over 25 million attendees, the Honda Center has and will continue to be a magnet for thrill-seekers.

Getting Here

Driving: The Honda Center is located at 2695 E Katella Avenue, Anaheim, CA 92806. For exact step-by-step personal directions, click here to access Google Maps.

Amtrak: If the idea of driving to the Center makes your blood boil with images of maddening bumper-to-bumper traffic, a better, environmentally-conscious and less stressful option is the Amtrak.

The Anaheim Ducks offer the "Track Pack Ticket Package" for discounted ticket.

For specific routes on how to get to the Anaheim Station for the Honda Center click here or call 800-USA-RAIL. For Metrolink train schedules, visit metrolinks.com or call 800-371-LINK.

Parking

Below is a detailed map of the three parking gate options. Gate 3 is the gate you should arrive at if you follow the above directions. Take notice, Gate 1 closes at the beginning of each event. To find Gate 4, follow the "Event Parking" signs on Phoenix Club Drive. The gate will close one half hour after the event has started.

Do not park on surrounding private property without consent from the owner.

For specific parking prices, click here.

Entrance Rules and Regulations

• No outside food or beverages are allowed.
• Metal detector wanding and bag check are security entrance procedures.
• After initial entrance, one can come back in after leaving.
• No video, audio or cameras with detachable lenses are allowed.
• Dress code includes shirt, pants/shorts/skirts/dress and shoes.
• Alcohol and tailgating aren't permitted in the Honda Center parking lot.

Two Hot Spot Hangouts

Going to a Honda Center sponsored event can essentially be a day trip. Time before and after the scheduled event shouldn't be put to waste! Since the Honda lot prohibits tailgating, we have selected a pair of pre-party and after-party venues to make your trip that much more worthwhile.

The Auld Dubliner Bar and Restaurant

(Orange County, CA):

Touted as Orange County's "first authentic Irish pub and restaurant imported directly from Dublin," The Auld Dubliner, boasts an extensive menu, "the perfect pint" and numerous other beers on tap. We aren't talking about simply greasy slider dishes here, the menu includes everything from grilled salmon and lamb chops to old time Irish favorites. With a restaurant bar like this within a five-minute drive of the Center, well, we just might have to thank the luck of the Irish for this one.

To hear from a food blogger's perspective, click here.

If you prefer a review from The Zagat for the Auld Dubliner's Long Beach location, click here.

For more information, visit www.aulddubliner.com.

JT Schmid's Restaurant and Brewery

(Anaheim, CA):

Awarded as one of Open Table's 2009 "Good for Groups" Award winners, JT Schmid's promotes a LA-casual atmosphere, but their menu listings are anything but average. Steaks, burgers, salads, seafood, pizza and sandwiches crowd the menu. Sporting plasma televisions and a page-full of beers on tap, JT Scmid's is a must.

For the 2009 Open Table Award listings, click here.

For more information, visit www.jtschmidrestaurants.com.

Other Useful Information

For hotels near the Honda Center, click here.

To read about the Honda Center's best health grade among California pro sports venues, click here.

For an up-to-date schedule of events, click here.

Teams

Anaheim Ducks: Founded in 1993 as the Mighty Ducks by The Walt Disney Company, the name was switched to the Anaheim Ducks when Disney sold the franchise. The "Quack Attack" was a force in 2006-2007 after they won the Stanley Cup, but the same can't be said for their recent play. Though the Ducks had their wings clipped last year as they missed the playoffs, an electric Honda Center crowd provides home-rink advantage.

NCAA Basketball

John Wooden Classic

Upcoming Events

Wizard of Westwood: The tournament comes back to the Honda Center December 18, 2010 with UCLA vs BYU and St. Mary's vs Long Beach State. Despite Wooden's departure, his influential name and the values for which he stood for live on through this doubleheader hard floor match up. Don't miss this chance to see UCLA seek redemption after a down year and BYU look to leave off from last year's 30-win season.

2011 Big West Basketball Tournament: March Madness takes center stage at the Honda Center during this upcoming 2011 NCAA Basketball Tournament year. The March 10-12 Big West Basketball Tournament will host three-day single-elimination games with winners in the men's and women's brackets automatically qualifying for a seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Tickets

The Box office is located on the East side of the building. Tickets are available for purchase M-F from 10am-6pm and Saturday 10am-4pm.

Tickets are available at TicketMaster.com.

Seating

For specific premium seating options click here.

For specific maps of hockey, in the round, end stage, basketball and theatre stadium seating, click here.

Food and Drink

At the Honda Center, buyers are choosers as patrons have a wide variety of food and beverage options to choose from.

• Oggi's Pizza
• Chicken House
• Katella Cantina
• Franks-A-Lot
• The 57 Grille
• Ducks Diner
• Main Street Deli
• El Jimador Tequilla Grill
• Various Food Stands
• Jack Daniels Old #7 Club (exclusive)

Beverages

• Numerous Miller Lite stands with cocktails, domestic and imported beer

For locations of these food and beverage menus, check out this map of the Center here.

A Day at the Honda Center: What it Costs

Wed, Sep 22, 2010; 7:05pm; Ducks vs Sharks, Honda Center

Tickets (via TicketMaster)

4 Adults (Best Available)
Section 220; Row K, Seats 5-8

Price: $477.20

Amtrak from LAX to Anaheim (ANA)
4 Unreserved Adults; Departs 4:10pm and Arrives 4:49pm

Price: $44.00

Total Price: $521.20