There are plenty of things to do in downtown Santa Ana! This city-on-the-rise is close to Anaheim and Los Angeles, with cool street art and a bustling food scene.
From the arts to culinary delights, we are sharing the best things to do in this diverse southern California city. We'll break it down for you, from restaurants and shopping to arts and entertainment. We'll end with Santa Ana events to be aware of and even a great hotel option for where to stay, so you're not far from all the action. Disclosure: This post has affiliate links, meaning we may earn a small commission if you click the link and proceed with a purchase at no cost to you.
We were hosted by Travel Santa Ana and recommend experiences, hotels, products, and services we use, enjoy, and support. As Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases. Downtown Santa Ana is widely known for its food scene. If you like tacos, in particular, this is the epicenter of the Mexican staple in Orange County. Don't confine yourself to tacos on Tuesday β come to the area any day for the best tacos around.
There are other great food options in the area as well. Life isn't just tacos and tequila, after all. Check out our suggestions for where to go if you're hungry or thirsty, below. Lola Gaspar is a cozy restaurant with dim lighting and indoor and outdoor seating. Their menu is affordable and crowd-pleasing, with various tacos including several protein options and veggies, appetizers like chips and guacamole, and a classic Spanish dish of churros and chocolate to close your meal.
We absolutely loved having street tacos here and completing our meal with traditional churros and chocolate; they reminded us of our times in Madrid.
