Happy Birthday Disneyland

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I will full-heartedly admit that I am one of the biggest Disneyland nerds you will ever meet. I have been that way my whole life! With that said, today is Disneyland's 60th birthday! Pretty awesome, huh? What's crazy to think is I remember going to the 50th Anniversary when I was in Jr. High. As much as I wish I was there today... I am not. So instead I have been reminiscing with some old pics.

Pictured immediately above is me and my BFF Shelby at the D-land for our senior trip. We have been to Disneyland together like 5 times, so that's pretty cool. Now that we are both married we have been thinking of planning a trip with us and our hubbies! Disney Nerds 4 Life.

Today I have decided to share my top 5 Disneyland favorites in honor of the 60th Anniversary. OK, here we go!

#1 MINT JULEPS

I cannot even express the amazingness that is the mint julep. Sandwiched in between the New Orleans Square train station and Cafe' Orleans is a tiny window that exclusively sells mint juleps and beignets and all I can say is YUM to the E. For those of you who are thinking what the @#!$ is a mint julep, let me enlighten you. It is a refreshing, minty lime drink garnished with a maraschino cherry, a lemon and a sprig of mint. Perfect for a sweltering hot day at the park. I like to enjoy mine as I ride the train around Disneyland to cool off. Highly recommend these.

#2 The Disneyland Half Marathon

The Disneyland Half Marathon is such a unique way to enjoy your Disney trip. Honestly whether you are a seasoned runner or not it doesn't particularly matter. I noticed a lot of people fast walking it! The portion of the race that actually goes through the parks you spend a lot of time stopping and taking pictures with the characters and so it's definitely not a race to PR (personal record) on. It's more about having fun and enjoying the experience as a whole. There's bands playing music along the whole course, as well as several miles worth of the roads lined with classic cars, people cheering and holding signs and you even get to run through Angels Stadium! If I could use one word to describe this race it would be FUN.

#3 CARS LAND

It's a little out of character for me to choose something that is in California Adventure and not actually Disneyland but this place is so awesome I could not resist. Anyone who has stepped foot into Cars Land knows exactly what I'm talking about when I say it's just like you're in the movie, and doubly so at night when all the neon signs are lit up. I have always had a hard time feeling like California Adventure had even a fraction of the magical factor that Disneyland does, but Cars Land changed all of that for me! From the Cozy Cone Motel to Flo's Diner, no detail was spared, and the Cars ride (Radiator Springs Racers) is amazing. Just be willing to wait in a 1.5+ hour line or book it to the park extra early so you can get a fast pass because they sell out fast.

#4 MAIN STREET USA

For most, the quintessential symbol of Disneyland is the castle, but for me the essence of Disneyland is embodied in Main Street USA. Nothing says Disneyland to me more than getting my ticket scanned, walking in and looking up to see the train station! It's the first thing I see when I get there, and the last thing I look at when I leave. I love walking through the tunnel and seeing the bands play, the horse drawn trolleys gliding down the street... smells of cakes and cookies wafting out of the shops. I love the penny arcade and it has become a tradition to use the Kiss-O-Meter and get our fortune told by Esmeralda each trip. Main Street is charming, lovely and has all sorts of cool secrets hidden in the nooks and crannies, but that's a post for another day.

#5 EARLY MORNING BREAKFAST AT THE PARK

While on vacation usually the last thing you want to do is wake up early, particularly after a long, late night walking around Disneyland, however I think it is definitely worth it to make it to the park before opening at least one day of the trip! It's pretty exciting to watch them drop the ropes and let everybody in, and there's something to be said about being the first person on a ride for the day. However what I usually prefer to do when I arrive to Disneyland at opening is to go straight to the River Belle Terrace for some Mickey Mouse pancakes! The River Belle Terrace has an outdoor patio overlooking the Rivers of America, and it makes for a perfect view to sit and eat your breakfast and enjoy that first quiet hour the park is open.

Whelp there's my top 5, but certainly not comprehensive list of Disneyland favorites. Happy 60th Birthday Disneyland!

What're your guys' Disneyland faves? I would love to hear them!