Santa Ana

Between Disneyland and the beaches of Newport lies a city many visitors overlook, even though it is the cultural heart of Orange County. A trip to Santa Ana leads you to a glowing red sandstone courthouse, a lively shopping street with a strong Mexican character, and an artists' district that blossoms on the first Saturday of every month.

County Seat with a Latino Soul

Santa Ana was founded in 1869 on the land of a Spanish rancho and has been the seat of Orange County since 1889. The red sandstone Old Orange County Courthouse, built in 1901, is the oldest courthouse in Southern California and now houses a history museum. In the 20th century, many families from Mexico moved to the city; today the vast majority of the population is of Latin American descent, and Santa Ana is among the U.S. cities with the highest share of Spanish-speaking residents.

Things to See in Santa Ana

The Bowers Museum, housed in a Spanish Mission-style building, displays art from Africa, Asia, Oceania, and pre-Columbian America, along with major special exhibitions. The Discovery Cube Orange County is a science museum for families. Galleries and studios have settled in the Artists Village around Second Street; on the first Saturday of the month, they open their doors together for the Art Walk. The Santa Ana Zoo in Prentice Park is small but known for its monkey species. Around the Civic Center, you'll find distinctive government buildings, and murals tell the story of the Chicano movement.

Eating and Going Out in Santa Ana

Fourth Street, called "Calle Cuatro" by locals, is the Latino community's traditional shopping street, lined with bridal shops, bakeries, and taquerias. In recent years, craft cocktail bars and modern restaurants have moved in as well. The 4th Street Market, a food hall with stalls serving everything from tacos to ramen, is a popular meeting spot. Typical local fare includes tacos al pastor, birria, elotes, and paletas, Mexican ice pops. A little farther south, near the border with Garden Grove, the Vietnamese restaurants of Little Saigon begin.

Festivals and Culture in Santa Ana

Santa Ana celebrates its Latino roots with festivals such as Día de los Muertos, when Downtown hosts altars, parades, and music, and with fiestas for Mexican Independence Day in September. The Santora Building, a Spanish Colonial-style structure from 1929, is the heart of the Artists Village with its galleries. The Heritage Museum of Orange County tells the region's history in a Victorian estate, and the Grand Central Art Center of California State University, Fullerton offers exhibitions and artist residencies. In summer, there are open-air movies and concerts.

Getting Around Santa Ana and the Best Time to Visit

John Wayne Airport lies right on the city's southern edge. The Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center station is served by Metrolink and the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner. The new OC Streetcar is meant to connect the station with Downtown and Garden Grove. The best times to visit are spring and fall, when the weather is pleasant; in early summer, the coast is often covered by "June Gloom," a layer of morning low clouds. Disneyland in Anaheim, the beaches of Huntington Beach and Newport Beach, and the Laguna Hills are each within a half-hour's drive.