The area where Buena Park is in California was first settled by a Spanish explorer in the late 18th century after he received the terrains in a land grant. After his demise, the extensive acreage was divided into fifty thousand acre plots which were inherited by his five children. One of those tracts of land would eventually become Buena Park. Before the town was developed, on the ground which was in that era known as Rancho Los Coyotes, the land changed ownership several times. It was the last owner in the late 19th century who finally began to form a settlement there. But Buena Park was a town that evolved slowly until several highways connected it to cities like Long Beach, Anaheim, Santa Ana and Orange in the mid-20th century. It then experienced an explosion boom from which it has never looked back since. By the 1960s Buena Park had grown to encompass ten and a half square miles and had a population of almost fifty thousand. No self-respecting Italian could allow that amount of people to go without pizza. Several kind-thinking Italian families relocated to the California city to alleviate the food scene crisis by opening Buena Park's first pizzerias.

Buena Park in California is known for thick crust pizza

Buena Park in California is known for one type of pizza and that's thick crust. What you will find is that the Buena Park pizzerias utilise a variety of different methods to bake their pies. The two most popular variations to the norm are pan-baked and wood-fired. While those two methods aren't your regular modern way of cooking pizzas – most pizzerias use electric ovens – they are actually typical traditional ones. No-one knows for sure when or where the very first thick crust pizza was made. If it was known who actually did produce that first round of dough covered in sauce and cheese, that person would now be a culinary legend. It remains one of life's mysteries though, but whoever it was left a long lasting legacy that we're all still grateful for today.

Best Delivery Pizza in Buena Park, California

When it comes to baking a pizza that keeps its integrity when enclosed in a cardboard box, the chefs at Pizza D'Amore know exactly what they're doing. Order a pie from Pizza D'Amore and not only will you get a superb pizza, you'll get the best delivery pizza in Buena Park. Pizza D'Amore occupies a smart looking premises on Stanton Avenue that's as clean and tidy outside as it is inside. Their pizzas are pretty smart looking too and they put a lot of effort into making sure any extra topping ingredients look as attractive as the crunchy pie crust. If you want to enjoy a super tasty pan-baked pizza try Pizza D'Amore's Greek pizza. It's a total delight.

Best Takeout Pizza in Buena Park, California

If you've spent the afternoon tramping around the El Dorado Nature Center or on the greens of the El Dorado Park golf course it's not surprising you're thinking of pizza. Luckily for you, you can pick up the best take-out pizza in Buena Park not far from where you are. All you have to do to get your hands on it is head down Ball Road, pull into the parking lot of the shopping complex there, then find a pizzeria called Out of the Park Pizza. Out of the Park Pizza occupies a premises that has a contemporary décor reminiscent of a pool hall. It's large and so spacious it could take you around ten minutes to walk from the door to the service counter. What you will want to do before you order is sit down and have a read through the menu. It's as entertaining as any TV show so make the most of the moment.

Best Pizza near Buena Park, California

Long Beach

To have a great family day out you don't need to drive any further than the twenty miles it takes to get from Buena Park to Long Beach. This coastal California city has more than enough to keep the kids happy for a week let alone a day. For a quiet start, take them to the Aquarium of the Pacific where they can discover all about the marine life that inhabits the world's oceans. Once you've had enough coffee to help you cope with any over-excited youngsters head for the rides at the Knott's Berry Farm theme park. Finish the day with a big splash at the Knott's Soak City aquatic park then have a pizza dinner at Milana's New York Pizzeria on East 4th Street.

Yorba Linda

Yorba Linda is bordered by the Chino Hills State Park and the Carbon Canyon Regional Park, so is the ideal place to go when you want to have an escape back to nature. Apart from exceptionally stunning scenery for photographic purposes, there are some fantastic hiking trails in both areas that will help you forget the existence of mankind. They're both particularly good for wildlife spotting too and you can expect to see anything from hawks hovering high above to coyotes lurking in the undergrowth. If you want to do something more than spend hours in the wild, the Richard Nixon Library and Museum is located in Yorba Linda. Stop off there then drop by Blaze Pizza on Yorba Linda Boulevard for a pie.

Los Angeles

Immerse yourself in a day of cultural activities or have some family fun by making the twenty-two mile trip northeast from Buena Park to Los Angeles. The Getty, The Broad and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art both have world-class collections of artworks worth seeing. A lot more fun though, especially if you're with kids, are the Universal Studios Hollywood and the Disneyland Park which you may well have trouble getting them out of once you're there. If you do manage to drag them away, take a hike up to the Griffith Observatory to peer at the LA skyline then at the universe on display in the planetarium. End the outing with a slice of pie from Los Angeles New York Pizza on West 6th Street.