| Activity | Description |
|---|---|
| Visit Downtown Santa Ana | Explore historic downtown with unique art galleries, shops, and cafes. Enjoy craft cocktails in the evening. |
| Shop ‘Til You Drop | Find designer brands at The Outlets at Orange and vintage threads at Orange Circle Antique Mall. |
| Tour the Historic Bowers Museum | Explore world cultures through exhibits, including Chinese art, Mesoamerican jade carvings, and more. |
| Family Fun at Discovery Cube OC | Spark kids’ curiosity with science exhibits, virtual coasters, and interactive ecosystems. |
| Sunny Beaches | Relax at Huntington Beach, known for its waves, pier, and beach activities. |
| Festive Culture | Experience vibrant Latino heritage celebrations, rodeos, cumbia beats, and Dia de Los Muertos. |
| MainPlace Mall | Shop, dine, and enjoy entertainment at MainPlace Mall with a variety of stores and dining options. |
| Old Towne Orange | Explore historic streets with Victorian and Craftsman buildings, boutique shops, and soda fountains. |
| Outdoors Adventures | Balance urban life with outdoor activities like hiking, horseback riding, and kayaking. |
| Kid-Friendly Museums | Engage children at hands-on museums like Discovery Cube’s Ocean Quest and Pretend City playground. |
| Local Theater Scene | Applaud emerging talents at Santa Ana theater companies known for creativity and intimate productions. |
| Dine at The Playground | Indulge in inventive cuisine at The Playground, including poke bowls, pizza, and craft cocktails. |
Visit Downtown Santa Ana
Name and Location: Downtown Santa Ana, Santa Ana, California.
History and Significance: Downtown Santa Ana is the historic heart of the city, known for its architectural charm and cultural significance.
What to Expect: A vibrant urban center with a mix of boutiques, art galleries, restaurants, and cultural events.
Visitor Information: Explore on foot and enjoy the diverse offerings. Check for special events and art walks.
Get to know Santa Ana by exploring its historic downtown area. Check out the historic buildings like the Romanesque Revival Old Orange County Courthouse. Marvel at the extravagant French interior of the Santora Building, home to unique art galleries, shops, and cafes. Stop into La Catedral Café and order a cafe de olla to fuel up between sites. As the afternoon winds down, grab a craft cocktail at hip spots like Chapter One or the Copper Door. Sit at an open-air table and watch downtown’s energy build into the evening.
Shop ‘Til You Drop
Name and Location: Shopping Districts, Santa Ana, California.
History and Significance: Santa Ana offers a range of shopping districts, each with its own character and shopping experiences.
What to Expect: Shopping malls, boutiques, and specialty stores offering fashion, electronics, and more.
Visitor Information: Visit MainPlace Mall, South Coast Plaza, and other shopping areas for retail therapy.
Quench your shopping fix without breaking the bank at Santa Ana’s thrifty markets and malls. Find designer brands at steep discounts at The Outlets at Orange upscale outlet center. Trendy vintage threads tempt at the eclectic Orange Circle Antique Mall crammed with over 200 vendor stalls. Follow tantalizing food aromas to the weekend Artist Village Art Walk with local makers selling jewelry, paintings and more. And don’t miss unbelievable farmer’s market deals Sunday mornings at the sprawling 4th Street Market.
Tour the Historic Bowers Museum
Name and Location: Bowers Museum, Santa Ana, California.
History and Significance: Founded in 1936, Bowers Museum is a cultural institution showcasing world-class art and artifacts.
What to Expect: Exhibitions featuring art, history, and culture from around the world, along with special events.
Visitor Information: Check the museum’s website for current exhibitions, hours, and admission fees.
World cultures shine at the Bowers Museum complex of exhibits spanning ancient Native Californian pieces to fine European decorative arts. Gaze in wonder at the Tang Dynasty warrior guarded by menacing stone guardians in the Chinese art galleries. See intricate Mesoamerican jade carvings and one of kind artifacts like Incan child mummies preserved for centuries. Timed tickets allow ample time to uncover your inner Indiana Jones admiring Egyptian sarcophagi, gleaming gemstones, terra cotta armies and more before mingling in the central courtyard over coffee and light bites at Tangata restaurant.
Family Fun at Discovery Cube OC
Name and Location: Discovery Cube Orange County, Santa Ana, California.
History and Significance: A hands-on science center, Discovery Cube OC inspires young minds with interactive exhibits.
What to Expect: Educational and entertaining exhibits focused on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
Visitor Information: Ideal for families. Check the website for admission prices, hours, and upcoming events.
Spark kids’ curiosity and imagination for science at vibrant Discovery Cube OC. Step into eye-popping neon at the color spectrum-bending Chroma exhibition. Design virtual coasters to test over dizzying digital drops. Then take a SnapCHAT-worthy selfie inside the mega, incomplete bubbles. Let young astronauts trainees shoot rockets or enter Mission Control filming outer space-themed movies. And save time to inspect local ecosystems up-close within classic dioramas and life-sized scenes recreating regional animal habitats – from playful river otters to snoozing bobcats!
Sunny Beaches
Name and Location: Beaches Near Santa Ana, California.
History and Significance: California’s coastline is renowned for its beautiful beaches and coastal culture.
What to Expect: Sun, sand, and sea. Enjoy swimming, sunbathing, water sports, and beachside relaxation.
Visitor Information: Visit nearby beaches like Huntington Beach and Newport Beach for a beach day.
Escape to sunny Huntington Beach just 15 minutes away, nicknamed Surf City USA for its ideal waves, wide beaches and lively pier stretching 1,850 feet over the Pacific Ocean. Stake out a spot on the golden sand to relax and watch surfers hang ten. Rent a board or wade out for intro surf lessons to piping hot rods and crusty waves. Or try volleyball, beach yoga and beach camping under swaying palms along this scenic stretch of coast. Fuel up on fish tacos at Sugar Shack watching flawless SoCal sunsets, no passport required.
Festive Culture
Name and Location: Cultural Festivals, Santa Ana, California.
History and Significance: Santa Ana hosts a variety of cultural festivals celebrating its diverse heritage.
What to Expect: Music, dance, food, and cultural showcases representing different traditions and communities.
Visitor Information: Check local event calendars for festival dates and locations.
Throughout the year Santa Ana celebrates its crossroads of diverse cultures, especially vibrant displays of Latino heritage. Join the crowds in September for a thrilling rodeo showcasing horse skills during traditional charreadas competitions at Fiestas Patrias. Dance to infectious cumbia beats while admiring colorful folklórico costumes swishing to storytelling movements. Shop Mexican imports at Mercado Santa Ana before grabbing tasty tacos from authentic street food vendors. And don’t miss the uplifting processions for Dia de Los Muertos memorials honoring family histories and legacies.
MainPlace Mall
Name and Location: MainPlace Mall, Santa Ana, California.
History and Significance: MainPlace Mall has been a prominent shopping destination in Santa Ana for decades.
What to Expect: A modern shopping mall with a wide range of stores, dining options, and entertainment.
Visitor Information: Visit for shopping, dining, and catching the latest movies at the cinema.
Central County’s premium shopping, dining and entertainment hub for over 30 years strong, MainPlace Mall packs surprises behind its sleek façade. Buzz through rainbow twisting slides up to the airy rope course at Launch Trampoline Park to get your blood pumping. Catch the latest film releases while reclining in reserved seating at AMC’s dine-in cinema. Over 100 popular stores like Macy’s, H&M and Forever21 provide one-stop retail therapy. Refuel browsing international options like sushi burritos, ramen bowls and cinnamon sugar churros in the trendy food hall.
Old Towne Orange
Name and Location: Old Towne Orange, Santa Ana, California.
History and Significance: Old Towne Orange is a charming historic district known for its preserved architecture and character.
What to Expect: Antique shops, boutiques, dining, and a nostalgic ambiance that harks back to the past.
Visitor Information: Stroll through the streets, visit local shops, and enjoy a meal at a historic restaurant.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Old Towne Orange transports visitors back to small town Americana at the turn of the 20th century. Follow vibrantly painted Victorian, Craftsman, and Spanish Colonial buildings along quaint brick-lined streets dripping in nostalgia. Peek into dozens of indie boutiques like charming French Plate offering tableware imported from Paris flea markets or County Baking Co. for fresh loaves baked daily. And don’t miss the flagship Watson’s Soda Fountain still crafting tasty egg creams, lime rickeys and milkshakes the old-fashioned way since 1899!
Outdoors Adventures
Name and Location: Outdoor Recreation Spots, Santa Ana, California.
History and Significance: Natural parks and outdoor spaces provide opportunities for adventure and relaxation.
What to Expect: Hiking, biking, picnicking, and exploring the scenic beauty of parks and trails.
Visitor Information: Check local park websites for trail maps, facilities, and hours of operation.
Balancing the urban energy, Santa Ana situates close to scenic outdoor recreation areas offering active escapes from hiking and biking to whale watching a quick drive away. Journey into the wild Cleveland National Forest climbing granite rock formations and waterfalls before grabbing campsites near crystal clear Trabuco Creek. Hit the saddle on horseback through Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park’s rolling hills dotted with live oaks. Or cruise along Newport Beach’s stunning coastline by kayak or stand-up paddleboard searching for dolphin pods.
Kid-Friendly Museums
Name and Location: Kid-Friendly Museums, Santa Ana, California.
History and Significance: Museums designed for children offer interactive learning experiences and fun exhibits.
What to Expect: Hands-on activities, educational displays, and play areas that engage young minds.
Visitor Information: Perfect for families with kids. Check museum websites for admission details and hours.
Make learning exciting for little visitors at Santa Ana’s engaging hands-on museums. At Discovery Cube’s Ocean Quest, miniature marine biologists dissect virtual squid and shrimp. Over at the Pretend City playground, kids shop for groceries, fight fires, and perform surgery in imaginative role-play scenes. While the Heritage Museum brings local history alive through an interactive 1910 schoolhouse and the tow truck the California Highway Patrol used during filming of CHiPs television series. Parents appreciate that all offer fun programming for reasonable admission costs.
Local Theater Scene
Name and Location: Local Theaters, Santa Ana, California.
History and Significance: Theater has a rich tradition in Santa Ana, offering cultural enrichment and entertainment.
What to Expect: Live performances including plays, musicals, and cultural shows at local theaters.
Visitor Information: Check theater websites for show schedules, ticket prices, and seating arrangements.
Applaud emerging talents gracing the stage at numerous Santa Ana theater companies acclaimed for creativity beyond their modest sizes. Stark Hall Performing Arts Center at Orange County School for the Arts nurtures future Tony winners with lavish musicals each season. Breath of Fire Latina Theater Ensemble develops empowering original works shining light on Latina viewpoints. And Chance Theater impresses with risks taking intimate black box productions to prestigious Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Supporting local arts makes for an uplifting night spent under the spotlights.
Dine at The Playground
Name and Location: The Playground, Santa Ana, California.
History and Significance: A celebrated restaurant in Santa Ana known for its innovative culinary creations.
What to Expect: A unique dining experience with a frequently changing menu based on seasonal ingredients.
Visitor Information: Reservations recommended. Explore the culinary artistry of The Playground.
Indulge foodie cravings day or night at Santa Ana’s hip dining and entertainment hub, The Playground. The airy warehouse space filled with repurposed shipping containers delivers next-level fare from poke bowls layered with tender ahi tuna to woodfired Neopolitan pizza oven-blistered to perfection in minutes. Cozy up for inventive craft cocktails beside outdoor fire pits under strings of festive lights. Don’t forget dessert – the oversized churros drizzled with chocolate and caramel sauce make the perfect sweet finish after a meal hitting all the right notes.