Little Saigon Day Trip Westminster CA Things To and See

On June 17, 1988, California Governor George Deukmejian officially recognized the area bordered by Westminster Boulevard, Bolsa Avenue, Magnolia Street, and Euclid Street as “Little Saigon” in Westminster. Over the years, the Vietnamese-American population has expanded to surrounding cities, including Garden Grove and Fountain Valley. However, Little Saigon is still considered the heart of the Vietnamese community in Orange County.

Little Saigon, located in Southern California, is the largest Vietnamese shopping hub outside of Vietnam. The Vietnamese community takes immense pride in Little Saigon and always welcomes visitors. To truly experience this community, it is recommended to park your car and take a walking tour of Little Saigon. During this time, you can explore the roast duck, pho restaurants, souvenir stores, food stores, and bakeries.

“Things to Do and See in Little Saigon.”

Asian Garden Mall – Phuoc Loc Tho

To begin your journey to Little Saigon, head over to the Asian Garden Mall located on Bolsa Avenue. Once inside, you’ll find a food court that offers various dining options, such as grills, cafes, bakeries, snack shops, and pho restaurants. The Asian Garden Mall, also known as Phước Lộc Thọ in Vietnamese, is one of the biggest jewelry centers in Orange County. Asian Garden Mall was constructed in 1987 and offers 150,000 square feet of retail and dining areas. Visitors and locals frequent the mall, which has ample free parking. 9200 Bolsa Avenue, Westminster, California.

Vietnamese Gate Little Saigon

The Vietnamese Gate was featured in the original “The Fast and the Furious” movie. It is an elaborate entrance to one of the many shopping malls that line Bolsa Avenue. The mall houses a substantial Asian supermarket, beauty salons, a Ginseng herb store, a couple of Phở restaurants, gift shops, and bakeries. This part of Little Saigon caters more to locals than tourists. However, its distinctive Chinese-style architecture and the Vietnamese Gate make it worth a visit for a photo opportunity.

Lien Hoa BBQ Roast Duck & Pork

For a more traditional Vietnamese experience, stop by Lien Hoa BBQ. They specialize in roasting meat, including Roast Pork crispy skin and delicious Roast Whole Duck, Pork Belly, Chicken Feet, and Steamed Salt Chicken. Don’t be intimated if you don’t speak Vietnamese since they can also understand and converse in English. Cash only here. Lien Hoa is located in a small strip mall on Bolsa between Bushard and Magnolia. 9311 Bolsa Ave. Westminster.

New Duong Son BBQ

Duong Son BBQ is a small shop in the Asian village, across from the Asian Garden Mall. It is only and does not have any tables for dining. In addition to roast duck, they also offer roast chicken, sausage, and BBQ ribs. Like many other family-owned businesses in the area, they only accept cash payments. The BBQ store is located midway down the mall. Look for the long line of customers.

Lee’s Sandwiches Bolsa Original Store

Lee’s Sandwiches can be found on Bolsa Avenue in the heart of Little Saigon. This trendy eatery serves traditional Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches, Euro-style sandwiches, freshly baked baguettes, and coffee. Lee’s first store in Southern California opened in 2001 along Bolsa Avenue in Westminster, CA. Today, they have over sixty stores in California, Arizona, Texas, and Oklahoma. You can find Lee’s in Little Saigon at Bolsa Avenue @ 9261 Moran St, Westminster, California.

Vietnamese Pho

Pho is a delicious soup with rice noodles, herbs, and meat. You can find many restaurants that specialize in Pho throughout Little Saigon and the surrounding area. Pho Quang Trung, located on Bolsa Avenue, is among the most popular Pho shops in Little Saigon, even though parking can be a bit challenging. Some of the most famous dishes are Pho Ga, chicken rice noodle soup, and Pho Dac Biet, beef rice noodle soup. If you don’t have time to wait when other shops are busy, Pho Lovers on Bolsa is an excellent alternative.

Vietnamese Cultural Court Little Saigon

The Vietnamese Cultural Court featured 72 hidden behind a Vietnamese market and directly across Bolsa Avenues from Asian Garden Mall at the rear of the Asian Village shopping center. The Cultural Court Statutes were removed in 2016 to expand the parking area of the store market. Today, some statues have been installed at the back wall of the parking lot. Although they are less impressive than the original Cultural Court statues, it’s a good start. A unique mosaic was also placed on the wall beside the original Cultural Court statues.

Vietnam War Memorial at Freedom Park

Two soldiers cast in bronze, an American and a South Vietnamese, represent cooperation between the service members who fought in the Vietnam War. Freedom Park in Westminster is named after Major Sid Goldstein, a retired U.S. Army member who lived in Westminster for many years. Major Goldstein was a World War II hero awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his exceptional bravery. After he died, the park was established in his honor. Freedom Parks is at 14180 All American Way in Westminster.

Southern California Tet Festival

The Vietnamese community living in Orange County celebrates the Lunar New Year every year in early February with the Southern California Tet Festival. This particular festival is considered the biggest Tet Festival outside of Vietnam. Tết marks the arrival of a new spring where families reunite to enjoy each other’s company, forget about the previous year’s troubles, and look forward to a better upcoming year.

If you’re looking for a vibrant community to explore, Little Saigon Westminster is worth a visit for at least half a day. California has several Little Saigons in San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose. However, Westminster’s Little Saigon is the largest one in California.

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