Santa Ana is downtown for the world famous Orange County, California. It is the County Seat, the second-most populous city in Orange County, and is home to a vibrant evening scene and arts community.

Located about 45 minutes south of Los Angeles, Santa Ana is a unique weekend destination in Southern California, offering visitors a choice of museums, interactive exhibits and diverse activities. Tour the Bowers Museum which houses artifacts from around the world, visit the interactive Discovery Cube science museum with kids, head to the zoo, or view historic aircraft and vintage cars at the Lyon Air Museum. Other fun things to do in Santa Ana include cooking classes, indoor climbing and golf.

The Bowers Museum, one of the top Santa Ana attractions, is named after Charles Bowers, who donated the land on which the museum stands. Opened in 1936, the original structure is a beautiful Mission Revival-style building. After undergoing two expansions, the museum of today is ten times larger than the original building. The main focus of this establishment is to help visitors learn about and appreciate other cultures. To accomplish this goal, the Bowers Museum draws visitors in with its collection of over 10,000 objects from Africa, Asia, and the South Pacific. They also have beautiful collections of Native American and Pre-Columbian art. The special exhibitions are unforgettable and have included “Treasures from the British Museum,” “Terra Cotta Warriors,” and “Mummies: Death and the Afterlife in Ancient Egypt.” The Bowers also features a children’s museum called Kidseum.

The Discovery Cube is a family-oriented interactive science museum with over 100 hands-on exhibits. Formerly known as the Discovery Science Center, it is now called the Discovery Cube because of its ten-story solar cube, which has become a highly recognized landmark. The museum exhibits help children get excited about learning by igniting their curiosity. The Discovery Cube has several sections organized by theme, including Air and Space, Dynamic Earth, Eco Challenge, Quake Zone, Rocket Lab, and the Science of Hockey. Dino Quest is always a popular destination because of its impressive life-size dinosaurs.

Heritage Museum of Orange County is a historic attraction located on 12 acres of picturesque citrus groves and flower gardens. In the center is a plaza that showcases several buildings from the 1890s, including the famous Kellogg House. The Kellogg House was designed and built in 1898 by Hiram Clay Kellogg, who used a Queen Anne style in the architectural designs. Kellogg was fascinated by ships, and the interior of the house contains several interesting features that reflect his nautical interest. The goal of the museum is to preserve the history of Orange County, and it offers several hands-on programs for children and families.