A Bavarian village in Orange County, California? Say no more! I was in the mood for a fun daytime activity.

After doing a bit of research, I came across a unique location that brings a piece of European culture right to Huntington Beach. The vision of this place was brought to life by Josef Bischof, a German couture tailor, and his wife, Dolores. They purchased the land in the early 1970s and chose to mirror the concept of Oberammergau, a Bavarian village in the German Alps.

The Bischof family remains highly involved, from operations of the village to hosting seasonal festivals. It offers an extensive Biergarten, a must-visit during Oktoberfest and, as I learned, in July during the July Pretzel Festival.

By the entrance you’re greeted by Old World Chapel. Interesting fact: An authentic German bell was cast in Munich in 1913 and brought to Huntington Beach in 1977.

The village continues on to feature numerous cafés and themed retail shops offering vintage and antique toys, Bavarian steins and even magic crystal shops. I couldn’t resist buying the majestic heart-centered stone, which is found in only one place on Earth — Madagascar.

While taking a slow walk around and warming up for the Biergarten, I was impressed by numerous hand-painted murals. Murals capture the landscapes, folklore and history of 18 European countries.

The village includes 58 buildings; many shopkeepers run retail businesses and reside above. Cobblestone walkways, lush flora … I can only imagine how cozy this place looks at night, as the street lanterns were also brought from Europe.

Shortly after the walk, I was ready for a cold draft and fun. Biergarten is an open-air venue that can host up to 450 guests; it also has an indoor festival hall. We enjoyed live band performances along with the choice of a honey beer (B.Nektar) followed by a signature Oktoberfest selection.

— Liza Miroshnichenko, account executive