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 4 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, Playground (220 E 4th St Suite 102) and Blinking Owl Distillery (802 E Washington Ave) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Chato's Bar and Grill (400 N Broadway) and El Mercado Modern Cuisine (301 N Spurgeon St Fl 1) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Santa Ana.

When to visit Santa Ana

Santa Ana in May
Estimated package price
$349
2 travelers
Flight to Santa Ana
3 nights at hotel
Santa Ana in May
Estimated package price
$349
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 8 km from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Santa Ana include American Airlines, Air Canada and Alaska Airlines. The shortest domestic flight to Santa Ana departs from Las Vegas and takes around 1h 12m.

Train

Amtrak is the most popular train carrier serving Santa Ana, followed by AccesRail. The train journey from Santa Ana to San Diego takes 2h 56m and costs around $36 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Manchester, expect to pay about $13,003 for a 18h 50m trip. The train station in Santa Ana is called Santa Ana, and is located 1.2 km from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Santa Ana is to pick up a car rental from Los Angeles, which is about 54 km from Santa Ana. You’ll find branches of Ace and Priceless, among others, in Los Angeles.

Bus

The most popular bus station is Santa Ana 17th-Santiago, located 1.8 km from downtown Santa Ana. Santa Ana Grand Ave-14th is also a commonly used station, and is 1.9 km from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Santa Ana, you’ll arrive at John Wayne Airport, OC (SNA), which is located 8 km from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Santa Ana include American Airlines, Air Canada and Alaska Airlines. The shortest domestic flight to Santa Ana departs from Las Vegas and takes around 1h 12m.

Train

Amtrak is the most popular train carrier serving Santa Ana, followed by AccesRail. The train journey from Santa Ana to San Diego takes 2h 56m and costs around $36 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Manchester, expect to pay about $13,003 for a 18h 50m trip. The train station in Santa Ana is called Santa Ana, and is located 1.2 km from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Santa Ana is to pick up a car rental from Los Angeles, which is about 54 km from Santa Ana. You’ll find branches of Ace and Priceless, among others, in Los Angeles.

Bus

The most popular bus station is Santa Ana 17th-Santiago, located 1.8 km from downtown Santa Ana. Santa Ana Grand Ave-14th is also a commonly used station, and is 1.9 km from the city center.

Airports near Santa Ana

LAXLos Angeles
ONTOntario
SNASanta Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty

Airlines serving Santa Ana

KLM
Good (1,406 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,542 reviews)
Delta
Good (7,998 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,487 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,032 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,775 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,004 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,999 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,482 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,394 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,661 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (862 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,383 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,548 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,284 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,135 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (11,219 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,044 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,333 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,388 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Santa Ana

Average rates range from around $178 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $311 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 $25 to $546 per night. Willard is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Santa Ana are about 140% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

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
Howard Johnson by Wyndham Anaheim Hotel & Water Playground
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, 2886 reviews)
$185+
View
Fairfield by Marriott Anaheim Resort
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, 2005 reviews)
$210+
View
Best Western Plus Park Place Inn - Mini Suites
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, 998 reviews)
$349+
View
Grand Legacy At The Park
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, 3253 reviews)
$192+
View
The Anaheim Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, 2997 reviews)
$179+
View
Hilton Anaheim
4 stars
Good (7.5, 4526 reviews)
$130+
View

Renting a car in Santa Ana

Renting a car in Santa Ana costs $45 per day, on average, or $181 if you want to rent if for 4 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 Budget branch at 18601 Airport Way, Suite 73, which is 7 km from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 17% cheaper than airport locations in Santa Ana.

Expect to pay $3.41 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 $40.88 and $54.51. The most frequently booked car type in Santa Ana is Full-size (Chevrolet Tahoe or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate rental cars (Ford Escape or similar) are, on average, 66% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Santa Ana costs $45 per day, on average, or $181 if you want to rent if for 4 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 Budget branch at 18601 Airport Way, Suite 73, which is 7 km from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 17% cheaper than airport locations in Santa Ana.

Expect to pay $3.41 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 $40.88 and $54.51. The most frequently booked car type in Santa Ana is Full-size (Chevrolet Tahoe or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate rental cars (Ford Escape or similar) are, on average, 66% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Best car rental deals in Santa Ana

Compact

4 Adults, 2 Bags

$24/day

Compact

Supplier choice

5 Adults, 5 Bags

$26/day

Supplier choice
Find car rentals in Santa Ana

Santa Ana Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Santa Ana city guide for the best Santa Ana travel tips. To help you organize your Santa Ana trip ideas, this Santa Ana visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.