Disneyland-area "Hotel Row"050

If you're spending multiple days at Disneyland and California Adventure and would rather not spend hundreds of dollars to keep up the Disney magic all night long, this is the area to stay. It's directly across from the main entrance to the parks, so you'll be able to walk from your room into the parks in as little as five minutes, making it easy to take a break from the parks with a quiet rest or a plunge in a pool.

Quality varies, as does price, from mid-level to low. Search the major travel Web sites for hotels with addresses from 1380 to 1700 South Harbor Blvd in Anaheim; you'll see plenty of choices. Most of the hotels are narrow-fronted and stretch way back, with pools tucked in as an afterthought - in other words, their convenience is the only thing they can boast of. Read online descriptions carefully and look for photos. Our favorite is the Howard Johnson's, which also marks the northen end of the row. Many hotels feature suites.