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.

Bush Terrace

519 N Daisy Ave

928 N Garfield St #928

2719 W Juniper St #4

121 S Birch St #1

The Palms Apartments

533 E Washington Ave

1430 S Sycamore St #D

1800 S. Broadway Ave.

2636 W Juniper St

1327 W Civic Center Dr

1604-1608 Parton Street

807-811 W. 15th Street

210 S Newhope St

Ross Towers

1105 N. Flower St.

816 W Washington Ave

Newhope Pines Apartments

Alder Court Apartments

514A

2230 S Hickory St

1021 N. Flower St.

693 S Lyon St

1806 N Fairview St #Q

308 S Laurel St

1003 W Richland Ave #16

1410 S Minnie St

1600-1610 Mabury Street

The Arbors Santa Ana

Bush Apartments