Welcome to LAist City Treks, a series of easy hikes and walks that will help you explore the parts of Los Angeles and SoCal that we rarely get to see — or only see through the car window. Expect to get about 5K steps, and plenty of photos for your social media channels. Keep scrolling, because you'll also find recommendations for grabbing a bite to eat once you're finished, so you can make a day of it. If you go, tag us on social media @LAistOfficial and #LAistTreks

Where are we headed?

Fullerton, whose tree-lined streets and historic downtown district offer the perfect summer diversion.

Why now?

The Southland is marked by dozens of communities aiming to revitalize their once-vibrant city centers. What better way to enjoy the post-Fourth of July weekend than visiting a “Preserve America Community,” which recognizes cities that uphold and celebrate their heritage? The designation was recently bestowed on Fullerton, which boasts 23 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places.

Quickly, what can I expect?

• Route conditions: Flat, paved
• Difficulty: An easy 1 out of 5, with 5 being the hardest
• Distance: 2 miles, with plenty of options for adding on more time or distance
• Dog friendly: Yes, except in stores
• Parking: Free public parking lot behind the banquet center (501 N. Harbor Boulevard) that lies on the northwest corner of N. Harbor Boulevard and E. Chapman Avenue. There is also free two-hour street parking in the area.
• Bathrooms: At businesses along the way (so consider bringing along a few singles to tip in exchange for using the facilities)

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As one of the first industrial hubs of Orange County, Fullerton’s fortunes were ignited by the arrival of the Santa Fe Railway in 1887. Big Rail opened up the town to U.S. markets, resulting in huge profits for the orange and oil industries. As money poured in, finer tastes followed. Architectural triumphs of Fullerton’s early golden age still shine. But this trek also leaves room for fun — in particular, patronizing a cave-like restaurant inspired by Walt Disney’s gang.

Our jaunt starts with the Fox Fullerton Theatre on the northeast corner of N. Harbor Boulevard and E. Chapman Avenue. The Fox’s auditorium is undergoing renovations, but you can view its original 1925 courtyard from the sidewalk on Harbor. Look familiar? It was designed by the same firm that built Hollywood’s Egyptian Theatre, all the rage when it debuted a few years earlier.

Did your high school look this grand?

Head two blocks east on Chapman to soak in the splendor of Fullerton Union High School. I don’t know about you, but my school wasn’t graced with grand arches and a Spanish Renaissance bell tower. Former President Richard Nixon attended classes here and even played on the baseball team. But it was another student who arguably left a more enduring legacy: Leo Fender, inventor of the first mass-produced electric guitars, Fullerton’s most prized export.

This ornate building? Oh, it's just part of the local high school.

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Hollywood by proxy

Make a right and head south on N. Lemon Street, then another right so you're traveling west on E. Wilshire Avenue. Just past the corner church are the landmark 1929 Dewella Apartments, noted for their Spanish courtyard. Sadly, with the rise of automobiles, multifamily courtyard complexes like this one fell out of favor once mandatory parking for tenants became a thing.

They don't make apartment buildings like this anymore.

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Continue west and step on over to the northwest corner of Wilshire and N. Pomona Avenue. Better yet, two-step on over. The crosswalks at this intersection resemble piano keys, so now’s your chance to imitate Tom Hanks in Big. The northwest corner includes a city plaza and former library — now museum — that was commissioned in 1941 by the Works Progress Administration. Dig that ornate cupola!

Have a camera ready and prance across these keys. You know you want to!

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Historic treasures

Continuing on Wilshire, return to Harbor, hanging a left. The next two blocks highlight Fullerton’s most renowned downtown landmarks, starting with the Chapman Building (actual address: 110 E. Wilshire Ave.), once the tallest structure in Orange County; the Dean Block Building (111-133 Harbor), whose 1899 origins make it the town’s oldest commercial edifice; and the Beaux-Arts-styled original Farmers and Merchants Bank (122 Harbor), where Fullerton’s wealthiest clientele conducted business. A mission bell in the street’s center median reminds us that this corridor was once part of the El Camino Real trail, which connected the 21 California missions during the Spanish colonial era.

Next, make a right and take W. Commonwealth Avenue to its junction with Highland Avenue. On the northeast corner, the police station (another WPA project) is like a miniature version of the high school, whereas City Hall, on the northwest corner, is a classic midcentury job. Across the street is Amerige Park, a former minor league ballpark that saw action from Hall of Famers Joe DiMaggio, Satchel Paige, and Walter Johnson, the latter another Fullerton High standout (albeit a generation older than Nixon, depriving history of a Johnson-Nixon matchup!).

Proceed two blocks north on Highland to shady W. Whiting Ave. Turn right. This entire 200 block of Whiting includes the town’s best-preserved California Craftsman houses, very much en vogue in the 1920s.

The Disneyland touch

From Whiting, go right on N. Malden Avenue, then left on Wilshire. This section is known as Walk on Wilshire, a two-block zone that includes restaurants, food trucks, and indie shops like the stuffed-to-the-gills Half Off Books Records Films. A vine-covered pedestrian alley leads to more retail surprises.

Does this remind you of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland? It should.

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If it’s after 4 p.m., why not cap your trek with an early happy hour in the town’s coziest space? Enter the Villa Del Sol courtyard, accessible under the red awning of Walk on Wilshire’s easternmost crosswalk. The second set of stairs on the left leads down to The Cellar. Plunge into a dimly lit cave whose decor is part-Roman catacombs but mostly “Pirates of the Caribbean.” No, seriously. The Cellar was, according to its website, “conceived, designed, and built by artistic craftsmen from Disneyland’s [ride].” Bottoms up, me hearties! Dinner is served after 5 p.m., offering outstanding fare in the tradition of Old Europe.

Exit The Cellar through the courtyard’s portal at 305 Harbor Blvd. and turn left. It’s a block and a half north to your starting point, enough time to get that earwormy “Yo Ho, Yo Ho” pirate ditty out of your head.

Done! Where to eat?

LAist's Associate Editor for Food and Culture Gab Chabrán suggests the following:

Two Saucy Broads

Routinely ranked as some of the best pizza in SoCal: Two Saucy Broads is known for its DIY pizza as well as specialty pies such as the Pestopalooza (artichoke, mushroom, garlic, pesto, feta, bruschetta and more cheeses), The Bronx Bomber (pepperoni, sausage, mushroom, jalapeño and garlic) and many vegan and vegetarian options.

Monkey Business Cafe

Open for breakfast and lunch, Monkey Business Cafe serves up all the favorites and then some: For breakfast, there’s skillets and bowls and burritos and omelette’s, but also an Egg McMonkey (breakfast sandwich on brioche) and French toast served with their signature honey butter. For lunch, look for burgers, wraps and sandwiches including the Monkey Melt (tuna melt on parm encrusted bread). Vegan and vegetarian options, too.

Roscoe’s Deli

Roscoe's has everything you could want in a deli: Slow-cooked pastrami on rye, their version of a Reuben with slow-cooked corned beef and pastrami on rye, or done “Castillo” style served hot. Lots of other subs and sandwiches to choose from as well, including the Silly Billy (turkey, corned beef and pepper jack cheese on sourdough) and the Italian Job sub with the works. Cocktails too, including Irish Mules and margaritas.