The Heart of Orange County
Set right in the middle of Southern California’s Orange County is Santa Ana, a city that combines urban-chic with a very laid-back vibe. Located next to the Santa Ana River and the nearby Santa Ana Mountains, this lovely city has a perfect climate, friendly people and endless things to do. With warm weather that sees an average of only 26 days of rain per annually, Santa Ana is perfect for every season. In the past, Santa Ana was considered a suburban bedroom community, but times have changed. Since the 1980’s, downtown Santa Ana has been revitalized with new shops, restaurants and entertainment. Major retailers, gourmet eateries and a thriving arts scene all make Downtown Santa Ana an exciting place to spend some time. The thriving arts community brings a wealth of theatres, performances and concerts that suit every style and taste. And the many museums, science center and wonderful zoo make Santa Ana a great place to bring the little ones.
Shoppers and foodies will love 4th Street in downtown. While much of Southern California focused on major brands and huge retailers, 4th street is a locally focused shopping district that is filled with unique eateries, small boutiques and independent art galleries. Places like Portola Coffee Lab, Electric City Butcher and Front Porch Chops are along 4th Street and have unique eats using locally sourced ingredients. At the Discovery Cube Science Center, visitors can interact with over 100 hand-on exhibits that are all housed in solar array cube that is 10-stories tall. Beach lovers will certainly appreciate Santa Ana’s proximity to Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach and Newport Beach. When you are done for the day and ready to retire for the night, Santa Ana has some excellent 4-star hotels including The Westin South Coast and the Hyatt Regency Orange County.
Santa Ana and Orange County are well-served by two airports – John Wayne Orange County Airport and Fullerton Municipal Airport. Closest to Santa Ana is John Wayne Orange County Airport – SNA – at just seven miles and a 15-minute drive away. As a major commercial airport, SNA does see airline traffic and some crowds, however, the general aviation facilities are set away from the passenger terminal, so delays are always minor. SNA is ideally located near major roadways so there is easy access to places like Disneyland, Huntington Beach and the greater Los Angeles Area. Guests arriving on smaller aircraft such as turboprops and light jets can also use Fullerton Municipal Airport – FUL. It is only 11 miles from Santa Ana and drive times are normally less than 20 minutes. And since FUL does not have any airline service, there are rarely any delays and little to no crowds or traffic.