I was lucky enough to grow up a mere thirty-minutes away from the HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH! I was thirty-minutes away from the magic of Disneyland in Anaheim, California. And to this day, it remains one of my FAVORITE places, even placed above Disney World! You'll see why DisneyLAND is the best!.

1. You get to meet the characters!

They have all the characters, from the classic Mickey Mouse to the Elsa and Anna from "Frozen" and even Merida from "Brave." And no matter how old I get, I still freak out when I see Mickey walking around the park.

2. Everyone needs Mickey Mouse shaped ice cream in their life. I promise you, this will complete your life. Eating a Mickey Mouse ice cream in front of Sleeping Beauty's castle is quite amazing.

3. The rides, of course!

Whether you want to fly with Dumbo, adventure through the woods with Snow White, or sail through dark waters with pirates, Disneyland is the place for you!

4. You can act like a child, and nobody will judge you.

Disneyland is most definitely a judgement-free zone. So wear your Mickey Mouse ears and get pictures with Winnie the Pooh.

5. THE FIREWORK SHOW! Sitting in front of Sleeping Beauty's castle on a warm summer night watching the fireworks, almost makes you believe in fairytales again.

6. The parades are amazing, and Disneyland's newest parade "Paint the Night" is spectacular!

Everything about the parades are absolutely magical!

7. CARS LAND can only be found in California!

Want to stop by Radiator Springs? It's located in downtown Anaheim, CA, not in Florida!

8. The world of color is the coolest thing I have EVER SEEN, and it can only be found in Disneyland's California Adventure Park!

From the movie scenes projected on the water to the flames that spread across lake, this show is a MUST SEE. And yes. Yes, Disneyland is able to put flames on the water. (Still a mystery to me how they do it.)

9. You need that cute picture with your boyfriend / girlfriend / best friend / husband / wife / fiancee in front of the original Sleeping Beauty castle, only found in California.

10. If nothing else, Disneyland overwhelms everyone who visits with a sense of happiness, magic, and youth.

11. This sign as you enter the park sweeps you into the world of Disney.

12. You can only race down the snowy Materhorn Mountain in California!

If you ever find yourself in Southern California, I promise you the experience is worth the price of the ticket.