Santa Ana
Santa Ana is a city in Orange County, Southern California and is the county seat of that county.
Get in
By plane
1 John Wayne Airport (SNA IATA) on 18601 Airport Way is on the southern edge of the city.
By car
Interstate 5 runs through the north of the city; the 405 is to the south.
Get around
The buses of the Orange County Transportation Authority can get you around Santa Ana or most places in Orange County for $4 a day.
A free trolley runs through the Downtown area on Monday and Tuesday afternoons.
See
- Artist Village, Bounded by Broadway, First, Third, and Spurgeon Streets, artistsvillage@gmail.com. A district containing art galleries, restaurants, and shops.
- 1 old Town Hall, 217 N Main St. Art Deco structure. Is now open as a museum for the city, registration may be required.
- 4th Street in Santa Ana. This street is popular with locals. It has many small businesses and a small theater. The street is located about one block from the Old Courthouse, a still operating legal centre and museum.
- 2 The Heritage Museum of Orange County, 3101 W Harvard St. A cultural and natural history center, highlighting historic homes and exhibits.
- 3 The Bowers Museum, 2002 N Main St. A cultural art museum, known for its own exhibits and for its visiting exhibits.
- 4 Discovery Science Center, 2500 N Main St. A peculiar bit of architecture which hosts an ever-changing series of hands-on displays for children.
- 5 Santa Ana Zoo at Prentice Park, 1801 E Chestnut Ave. 20 acres of urban jungle. By its founder's wish, it must be the home to at least 50 monkeys at all times.
- Floral Park. A beautiful neighborhood with expensive houses.
Do
Go to MainPlace Mall. It is located near the border with Orange. It is an alternative to 4th Street. Across the street is Barnes and Noble and across from there is Santiago Park, the best park in the city. It has a beautiful bike path and a lot of squirrels. Jerome Park is home to lovely gardens and the largest community center in the city. It has its own basketball court and boxing gym.
- Santa Ana Artist Village Art Walk, Art District, bounded by Broadway, First, Third, and Spurgeon Streets. First Sa of every month 7PM. Free.
Buy
Stuff on 4th Street or at MainPlace Mall. There are other marketplaces but these two are the best. 4th Street is a collection of jewelry and cloth shops with a few Mexican Bric-à-brac stores and food stands. The Martinez Bookstore has books in both English and Spanish and is run by a very kind man. It is located on Broadway.
Eat
- 1 The Gypsy Den, 125 N Broadway (located in the Artist Village), ☏ +1 714 835-8840. is very popular, especially with the youth. It serves many different types of food, including vegetarian friendly food.
- The Artist Village. home to Pangea and several other food establishments and clubs that are very popular.
- 2 Pop's Cafe, 112 E 9th St (located just off of Main Street), ☏ +1 714-543-2772. is very good and has excellently prices.
- Super Antojitos (near the Target across from the college). offers excellent Mexican food for a great price as well as kareoke.
Drink
- 1 Original Mike's, 100 S Main, ☏ +1 714 550-7764. Original Mikes is a local favorite serving American cuisine with live entertainment almost every night. $30 and under.
Sleep
- 1 Best Western Orange County Airport North, 2700 Hotel Terrace, ☏ +1 714 432-8888, toll-free: +1 800 432-0053, fax: +1 714 434-6228.
- 2 Candlewood Suites, 2600 S. Red Hill Ave, ☏ +1 949 250-0404.
- 3 Courtyard Costa Mesa South Coast Metro, 3002 South Harbor Blvd, ☏ +1 714 545-1001, toll-free: +1 800 321-2211, fax: +1 714 545-8439.
- 4 Budget Inn, 1108 N. Harbor Blvd, ☏ +1 714 554-1177.
- 5 Holiday Inn, 2726 South Grand Ave, ☏ +1 714 481-6300.
- 6 Motel 6, 1623 East 1st St, ☏ +1 714 558-0500, fax: +1 714 558-1574.
Stay safe
Dial 911 for all emergencies. Note that dialing 911 from a cell phone will connect you with the California Highway Patrol who will connect you with local agencies resulting in a delay in response.
Santa Ana is generally safe, though visible signs show that crime is once again on the rise. Avoiding walking alone at night, especially in the Logan and French Park areas. Santiago Park is often used as a gang base at night, so avoid it if it is not day.
- Santa Ana Police Department, 60 Civic Center Plaza, ☏ +1 714 245-8049 (dispatch). SAPD provides law enforcement protection in the city from three stations.
- Orange County Fire Authority, ☏ +1 714 538-3501. OCFA provides fire and emergency medical service from 10 stations throughout Santa Ana.
Hospitals
Both of these hospitals have a 24-hour emergency room.
- Coastal Communities Hospital, 2701 S. Bristol St, ☏ +1 714 754-5454.
- Western Medical Center Santa Ana, 1001 N Tustin Ave, ☏ +1 714 953-3500, fax: +1 714 953-3613.
Go next
| Routes through Santa Ana |
| Los Angeles ← Orange ← | N  S
|
→ Tustin → San Diego |
| Long Beach ← Garden Grove ← | W  E
|
→ END |
| Anaheim ← Orange ← | N  S
|
→ Costa Mesa → Newport Beach |
| Pomona ← Orange ← | N  S
|
→ END |
| Los Angeles ← Anaheim ← | N  S
|
→ Irvine → San Diego |