Thinking of moving to Santa Ana, California? Here’s what you need to know.

Not all life in Orange County is what you may have seen on The O.C. Santa Ana, for instance, is less of a beach community but offers nearly everything else. The county’s largest city is situated alongside the beautiful Santa Ana River, as opposed to the Pacific—but if you’re looking to dig your toes into the sand, it’s only a quick drive to both Huntington Beach and Newport Beach. Its museums, diverse neighborhoods, historic districts, parks and culture make this the top O.C. city for more than 333,000 residents.

Who’s There?

Santa Ana is diverse, with large Hispanic and Asian populations. With all of this diversity comes great food, art and cultural integration. The city’s planning services have kicked up community initiatives over the last few decades, leading to well-maintained roads, tree-lined streets and a burgeoning downtown district full of young professionals.

What’s Around?

Santa Ana is relatively flat, though it’s also a large city that covers a lot of ground. Much of downtown and its individual neighborhoods are walking- and bike-friendly, but you’ll most likely need a car to visit nearby cities via the many freeways crisscrossing the region. Partial to riding the rails? You can catch Amtrak or Pacific Surfliner trains, or the Orange County Line commuter rail. There are also multiple bus lines available throughout the city.

What Do You Do?

Make sure to spend time in The Santa Ana Artist’s Village and its shops, multiple fine art galleries, restaurants and theatres. Discovery Cube, the city’s science museum, offers more than 120 hands-on exhibits, and there are a number of other museums to visit throughout the city, from The Dr. Howe-Waffle House and Medical Museum to the Bowers Museum of Cultural Arts. There are plenty of ways to expand your mind in Santa Ana, not to mention your stomach—stop by its craft breweries and beer festivals, or taste your way through hundreds of dining spots and food festivals, not to mention an exciting new gourmet food hall downtown.

Pinnacle at MacArthur Place

Parkside Court

Fairhaven

9 Macarthur Pl

Park on First

2521 W California St

1118 W Orange Rd

405 S Clara St

2009 W Harvard St

Vita Apartment Homes

Broadstone Archive

405 Nobel Ave

Broadstone Arden

905 E 2nd St

824 S Harbor Blvd

904 E 3rd St

585 S Lyon St

322 E Jeanette Ln

585 S Lyon St

801 E Hood Ave

Nineteen01

Bloom

2125 S Salta St

1234 Cedar St

693 S Lyon St

264-268 N Grand Ave

3720 S Marine St

418 Nobel Ave

3317 S Towner St

323 W 18th St #323

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