Introduction
What to do
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting a car

Santa Ana travel guide

Santa Ana Tourism | Santa Ana Guide

You're Going to Love Santa Ana

With a population of 324,528, Santa Ana is a must-see destination in California, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Santa Ana has to offer.

Where to Eat in Santa Ana

South Coast is the neighborhood with the most restaurants in Santa Ana. These include popular favorites such as Antonello Ristorante (3800 South Plaza Drive), Darya Restaurant (3800 South Plaza Drive) and Morton's The Steakhouse - Santa Ana (1641 W Sunflower Ave). If you’re looking for affordable options, Orange County Mining Co. (10000 Crawford Canyon Road) and Black Angus Steakhouse - Santa Ana (1350 No. Tustin) are great picks.

When to visit Santa Ana

Santa Ana in October
Estimated package price
$118
2 travelers
Flight to Santa Ana
3 nights at hotel
Santa Ana in October
Estimated package price
$118
2 travelers
Flight to Santa Ana
3 nights at hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Santa Ana in August, when the average temperature is 73.4 °F, and the highest can go up to 84.2 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 42.8 °F, with an average temperature of 55.4 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in February, when precipitation is around 3.1″. In contrast, July is usually the driest month of the year in Santa Ana, with an average rainfall of 0″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Santa Ana

Plane

When flying to Santa Ana, you’ll arrive at John Wayne Airport, OC (SNA), which is located 5 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Santa Ana include Southwest, Alaska Airlines and American Airlines. The shortest domestic flight to Santa Ana departs from San Jose and takes around 1h 20m.

Car

Another option to get to Santa Ana is to pick up a car rental from Los Angeles, which is about 33 miles from Santa Ana. You’ll find branches of Ace and Europcar, among others, in Los Angeles.

Plane

When flying to Santa Ana, you’ll arrive at John Wayne Airport, OC (SNA), which is located 5 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Santa Ana include Southwest, Alaska Airlines and American Airlines. The shortest domestic flight to Santa Ana departs from San Jose and takes around 1h 20m.

Car

Another option to get to Santa Ana is to pick up a car rental from Los Angeles, which is about 33 miles from Santa Ana. You’ll find branches of Ace and Europcar, among others, in Los Angeles.

Airports near Santa Ana

LAXLos Angeles
ONTOntario
SNASanta Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty

Airlines serving Santa Ana

Lufthansa
Good (8,132 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,538 reviews)
British Airways
Good (8,111 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,442 reviews)
SWISS
Good (2,001 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,465 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,254 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,626 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (943 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,985 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,743 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,615 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,877 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,210 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (11,334 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,419 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (422 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,477 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,408 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (2,336 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Santa Ana

Average rates range from around $181 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $318 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Sonesta Simply Suites Orange County Airport and Holiday Inn Express & Suites Santa Ana - Orange County by IHG. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Santa Ana, with prices from $69 to $735 per night. Sandpointe is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Santa Ana are about 153% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Delhi - In Santa Ana’s most popular neighborhood to stay, recommended hotels include Courtyard by Marriott Santa Ana Orange County, Hotel Zessa Orange County Airport, a DoubleTree by Hilton and Holiday Inn Santa Ana-Orange Co. Arpt By IHG.

Delhi - In Santa Ana’s most popular neighborhood to stay, recommended hotels include Courtyard by Marriott Santa Ana Orange County, Hotel Zessa Orange County Airport, a DoubleTree by Hilton and Holiday Inn Santa Ana-Orange Co. Arpt By IHG.
Most popular hotel in Santa Ana by neighborhood

Where to stay in popular areas of Santa Ana

Most booked hotels in Santa Ana

See all
Hyatt Regency Orange County
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, 2585 reviews)
$123+
View
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Santa Ana - Orange County by IHG
2 stars
Excellent (8.4, 1133 reviews)
$129+
View
Ayres Hotel Costa Mesa Newport Beach
4 stars
Excellent (8.3, 1127 reviews)
$132+
View
DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel Anaheim Resort - Convention Center
4 stars
Excellent (8.3, 905 reviews)
$121+
View
Courtyard by Marriott Anaheim Resort/Convention Center
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, 813 reviews)
$145+
View
Best Western Plus Orange County Airport North
3 stars
Good (7.8, 1449 reviews)
$119+
View

Renting a car in Santa Ana

Renting a car in Santa Ana costs $46 per day, on average, or $137 if you want to rent if for 3 days. Alamo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Avis are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Santa Ana is the Dollar branch at 18601 Airport Way, which is 5 miles from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 11% cheaper than airport locations in Santa Ana.

Expect to pay $4.20 per gallon in Santa Ana (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $50.42 and $67.23. The most frequently booked car type in Santa Ana is Standard (Chevrolet Blazer or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate rental cars (Ford Escape or similar) are, on average, 62% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Santa Ana costs $46 per day, on average, or $137 if you want to rent if for 3 days. Alamo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Avis are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Santa Ana is the Dollar branch at 18601 Airport Way, which is 5 miles from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 11% cheaper than airport locations in Santa Ana.

Expect to pay $4.20 per gallon in Santa Ana (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $50.42 and $67.23. The most frequently booked car type in Santa Ana is Standard (Chevrolet Blazer or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate rental cars (Ford Escape or similar) are, on average, 62% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Best car rental deals in Santa Ana

Supplier choice

5 Adults, 5 Bags

$27/day

Supplier choice

Intermediate SUV

5 Adults, 3 Bags

$36/day

Intermediate SUV
Find car rentals in Santa Ana