15 Best Things to Do in Santa Ana, California (2023)

Are you planning to visit Santa Ana as a tourist? Here, we’ve mentioned the 15 best things to do in Santa Ana, California that you should definitely explore.

Santa Ana is a great destination for holidays, and people love to visit this beautiful city which is situated on the banks of the Santa Ana River.

While visiting Los Angeles, one can drive 45 minutes south and reach this beautiful city. 

There are various art galleries, museums, wildlife reserves, parks, and much more to explore in the city.

If you love adventure, then this is the best city that you can visit. If you are visiting here with young ones, then it’s also a great destination, as there are various places that children can enjoy.

Best Things to Do in Santa Ana, California

Here are few most popular tourist attracations in Santa Ana. Exploring these attractions is the best things to do in Santa Ana, Caifornia.

1. The Bowers Museum

The Bowers Museum was established in 1936 and was named after Charles Bowers, who provided the land for this beautiful museum.

The museum comes under the category of one of the best places in Santa Ana and has a Mission Revival-style building.

The museum was initially quite small, but after two expansions, the land covered by the museum is now ten times larger than it was before.

The museum exhibits more than 10,000 artifacts, which help the visitors learn more and more about various cultures and love them as their own.

There are various events that take place throughout the year and amuse the audience. Exploring this musuem is undoubtedly one of the best things to do in Santa Ana.

• Location – 2002 N Main St, Santa Ana, CA 92706, US.
• Visiting Hours – 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
• Famous For – Appreciating various cultures.

2. The Discovery Cube

The Discovery Cube, also known as the Discovery Science Center, is a 10-story cube-shaped building and a great landmark for Santa Ana.

The center has various interactive exhibitions, and more than 100 people put in efforts to make this museum as beautiful and educational as possible.

This center is a great place for children as it increases their curiosity and lets them learn about various different topics such as the Eco-Challenge, the Science of Hockey, Air and Space, the Quake Zone, and many more.

One can also see life-size dinosaurs in the Dino Quest section, which is what this place is most famous for.

•  Location – 2500 N Main St, Santa Ana, CA 92705, US.
• Visiting Hours – 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
• Famous For – Science Exhibitions.

3. The Santa Ana Zoo

Exploring Santa Ana Zoo is the best things to do in Santa Ana for wildlife lovers. The Santa Ana Zoo covers an area of around 20 acres and is located inside Prentice Park.

One can find various varieties of plants and animals in the zoo, which belong to Central and South America.

The Zoo was established in 1952 on land that was donated by Joseph Prentice to the city. 

There are a number of family rides, which include the Crean Family Farm, the Lynch Aviary, and many more. There are even various birds belonging to tropical habitats.

•  Location – 1801 E Chestnut Ave, Santa Ana, CA 92701, US.
• Visiting Hours – 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
• Famous For – Variety of animals.

4. County of Orange Center for Contemporary Art

The OCCCA, also known as the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art, was established in 1980 and covers an area of 6,300 square feet.

The OCCCA is located in the Artist Village of Santa Ana.

Many tourists fascinated by the arts visit its fascinating and entertaining museums, workshops, cafés, and stores.

During the course of its 35-year existence, the OCCCA has displayed artwork by over 800 featured artists in addition to indigenous Orange County artists’ works.

OCCCA provides seminars for people of all ages, particularly kids. Respondents in some of the seminars learn techniques for things like drawing, printing, and sculpting.

•  Location – 117 N Sycamore St, Santa Ana.
• Visiting Hours – 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM
• Famous For – Fascinating artwork.

5. Heritage Museum of Orange County

A historical attraction, the History Museum of Orange County, is situated on 12 acres of lovely flower beds and citrus trees.

A square in the middle features numerous structures from either the 1890s or 1900s, especially the well-known Kellogg House.

Hiram Clay Kellogg adopted the Queen Anne design language when he planned and constructed the Kellogg House in 1898.

The architecture of the home has a number of intriguing elements that represent Kellogg’s passion for ships; he was intrigued by them.

•  Location – 3101 W Harvard St, Santa Ana.
• Visiting Hours – 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
• Famous For – Being Kellogg House.

6. Blinking Owl Distillery

Tasting the wine at Blinking Owl Distillery is the best things to do in Santa Ana for every wine lover. It was established in 2016 and is the first craft distillery in Santa Ana. 

The Blinking Owl Distillery is the only company in California that has a Type 74 license, due to which the company can operate tasting rooms and sell whisky at the same time.

There are various types of liquors that are produced by the company.

The distillery offers informative tours and refreshments that expound on the business processes and provide tasting samples for everyone who attends.

•  Location – 802 E Washington Ave, Santa Ana.
• Visiting Hours – 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM
• Famous For – Distillery liquors.

7. Montanya Spa

Montanya Spa provides the best service to customers related to massages, facials, spas, and whatnot.

The spa provides top-notch facilities to the people visiting there. The owner of this place created a spa in a renovated house, due to which the spa provides a relaxing ambiance.

Before providing any kind of service, they do your skin analysis and based on it, they treat your skin.

There are even various kinds of body massages and body treatments that are provided by the spa to customers.

•  Location – 120 West 20^th Street.
• Visiting Hours – 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
• Famous For – Great Spa Service.

8. Burritos La Palma

Burritos La Palma is the most famous place that provides the best burritos in the city.

The place was opened by the Banuelos Lugo family in 1980, and the main objective of this place was to sell the best quality tortilleria.

The restaurant, which was opened in 2012 at El Monte, is famous for its award-winning burritos, which are made of homemade flour.

The popular beef stew, chicken tinga, charred pork rinds, Birria de res, shredded classic beef stew, refried potatoes, and cheddar are just a few of the delicious options available to diners.

• Location –  Bristol St, Santa Ana
• Visiting Hours – 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
• Famous For – Burrito

9. 4^th Street Market

The 4th Street Market is a hall that is mainly famous for foodies.

Various chefs and food artists spend some time with each other while exchanging ideas related to various dishes and learning from each other about these things.

The area covered by this market is around 30,000 square feet and just looks like a gallery or museum with various food exhibitions.

You will have an exciting feeling while visiting this location, which makes it ideal for everyone.

•  Location – 4th St, Santa Ana
• Visiting Hours – 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
• Famous For –  Food Stalls

10. Pacific Symphony

Pacific Symphony has been providing a great music experience to people who love music for the last 37 seasons.

Carl St. Clair, the great music director, has directed the music at this venue for the past 26 years.

The orchestra, the biggest to be founded in America in the past 50 years, is renowned for its outstanding presentations and for having a top-notch group of musically skilled members. 

Over 100 performances, as well as a number of other engagements and neighborhood teaching activities, are presented by the orchestra each year.

•  Location – Santa Ana, CA
• Visiting Hours – N/A
• Famous For – Performance

11. The Copper Door

The Copper Door is an underground bar with 6,000 square feet located under the historical Pacific Building that provides a variety of beers and cocktails.

Eight distinctive moonshine drinks and twenty specialty beers that change weekly are available on tap.

You’ll get the impression that you’re visiting a speakeasy from the Prohibition era as soon as you start heading down the stairs.

As you notice gigantic community tables constructed of 400-year-old pine trees, shimmering lighting, elaborate decorations, and up to 300 individuals wandering about, the experience intensifies.

•  Location – Broadway, Santa Ana
• Visiting Hours – 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
• Famous For – Cocktails & Live Music

12. Antonello

With its tall ceilings, ancient timbers, huge furnishings, and candelabras, exploring Antonello’s is like exploring an old Italian castle.

It is extravagant, sumptuous, and meant to encircle you in warmth and pleasure.

In addition to its large dining area, Antonello also boasts eight individual restaurants and a well-known cocktail bar with more than 700 brands from across the globe.

Traditional Italian cuisine is served; it is produced using simple yet wonderful real Italian techniques and products that are either shipped from Italy or bought from surrounding farms.

• Location – Plaza Dr, Santa Ana
• Visiting Hours – 6:00 AM – 9:00 PM
• Famous For – Classic Northern Italian Menu

13. Sender One Climbing, Yoga, and Fitness

Sender One Climbing, Yoga, and Fitness is a premier indoor sports gym, health club, and fitness center.

Sender One takes pride in holding one of the biggest and highest mountaineering gymnasiums in the United States, which is built in a 25,000-square-foot building.

Visitors can benefit from personalized coaching or sign up for one of the numerous classes available to learn how to rappel.

Another highlight of Altitude First is Funtopia, a family-friendly experiential mountaineering facility.

• Location – Village Way, Santa Ana
• Visiting Hours – 6:00 AM – 11:00 PM
• Famous For – Adventure, Yoga, Fitness

14. Hipcooks Orange County

For both novice and expert cooks, Hipcooks Orange County is a culinary institution that provides practical cooking lessons.

Hipcooks showcases a fun-focused urban cooking environment. Chefs are urged to rely on their taste senses and intuition rather than formulas and measurement tools.

Wine-drinking training is also covered in classes. The chefs prepare their meals using local, frequently organic, fresh products.

• Location – Broadway suite c, Santa Ana
• Visiting Hours – 24 Hours
• Famous For – Cooking Classes

15. Crave

People love to stop by the popular sandwich shop Crave for a snack.

You know you’ve found a hidden gem and that you must return when a sandwich shop produces sandwiches using their own, home-baked rye bread and combines them with their very own smoky, barbecued meats and vegetables from nearby farms.

At Craving, they also prepare their own condiments, cook fresh stews each day, and serve fantastic fresh vegetables.

All of their other baked items, such as bagels, pastries, cupcakes, cakes, and much more, are prepared and cooked with great care.

• Location – 4th St, Santa Ana, CA 
• Visiting Hours – 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
• Famous For – Delicious Sandwiches 

Conclusion – Best Things to do in Santa Ana, CA

So, these are the best things to do in Santa Ana for every kind of traveler. Santa Ana is undoubtedly a beautiful city in its own right, and if you are ever visiting California, then this city should be on your bucket list.

FAQs – Best Things to do in Santa Ana, California

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