Santa Ana --- Help, Snow! Or Anyone Else...

[john doe]

I will be going to Santa Ana/Costa Mesa later this month on business and need some pointers on what to do with my evenings. My wife will be joining me for a couple days as well. My question is, does anyone have any ideas as to what I can do in the evenings? I hate sitting all night in a motel room, but at the same time, I don't particularly enjoy just driving around doing nothing either. Plus, I want to show my wife a good time while she's there. If anybody is familiar with the area, what kinds of things are close and interesting to visit and do?

I was thinking of taking her to Venice Beach to check out the weirdos and shop. Or we could drive by West Coast Choppers to see Jesse James, but I was kinda disappointed in the place last time I was there. Is the Queen Mary open these days? Is it worth the money to see it?

What about eating? Do you have a favorite place to eat that is reasonably priced? Last time I was there I drove around for 2 hours before I found a good steak house up the Pacific Coast Highway. What do you recommend?

I need ideas, here, folks. What do I do?

[shanstress70]

I haven't spent a lot of time there, but I was there for a few weeks on business a few years ago. I stayed on the Queen Mary (it's a hotel too), and thought it was awesome... I suggest you do that while your wife is with you. I didn't know it at the time (thankfully, because I was alone and I'm a big scaredy-cat), but it is supposedly haunted. I saw a special about it on TLC a while back. After seeing that, it would be fun to go back with DH and stay again. It was kinda creepy, but really neat.

http://www.queenmary.com/

Also, Seal Beach is cool, but I'm not sure how close this stuff is to Santa Ana.

Have fun!

Edited to say that after I wrote this, I thought it looks like I'm saying you'd be scared to stay alone. I'm not saying that at all... just that your wife would probably like it.

[Snow]

My favorite restaurant in Costa Mesa is Habana - It Cuban.

http://www.letseatoc.com/info/habana.htm

For dining, entertainment and shoppping there's the Irivne Spectrum close by:

http://www.shopirvinespectrumcenter.com/

The good beaches close by are 1. Newport/Balboa (you can drive onto Balboa Island, drive onto a ferry and cross over the harbor to the peninsula where there is the Balboa Fun Zone and a nice Rubys burger joint out of the end of the pier - plus there is shopping on Balboa Island), 2. Laguna Beach... art, shops, dining, sightseeing, coves, cliffs etc. and 3, Huntingbeach, Mainstreet, pier, dinning entertainment, sometimes there are outdoor free concerts and stuff. Of course, up in LA there is Santa Monica/Venice and Malibu.

http://www.beachcalifornia.com/newport3.html

http://www.lagunabeachinfo.org/

http://www.hbonline.com/

If anyone is in So Cal I think there #1 destination should be the Getty Museum... and it's free.

http://www.getty.edu/

Course there is Disney and Knotts Berry Farm and the Quenn Mary if you are into that sort of thing.

[shanstress70]

Laguna Beach... I totally forgot about that! I also had a quick 2-day business trip there a few years ago. It's the coolest place. If you go, may I suggest you stay at this hotel? http://www.lagunabrisas.com/ Each room has a jacuzzi and terrace... for the price, it's amazing!

If you're into art galleries, Laguna is the place to go... there are galleries EVERYWHERE, including Wyland's (marine artist) gallery, which I loved.

Gosh, I need to go back there.

[Snow]

Originally posted by shanstress70@Oct 7 2005, 05:50 PM

If you're into art galleries, Laguna is the place to go... there are galleries EVERYWHERE, including Wyland's (marine artist) gallery, which I loved.

Gosh, I need to go back there.

←

Well yes - there are art galleries and there are galleries wiht Wyland's stuff, just like there are art galleries and galleries with Kincaid's stuff.

[john doe]

Well, since my room is already arranged and paid for, I won't be needing that this time, but I will definitely keep it bookmarked for the future, it looks like a great place to stay. Thanks, Shanstress.

I would like to hit the museums and art galleries, but it looks many of them will be near closing by the time I get done in the evenings. I don't like to rush through great exhibits. Maybe I can sneak out early and hit one.

I may have to try Habana, knowing you recomend it, Snow. I've never had Cuban but I'm willing to try most things once.

Balboa sounds like it could be fun, I'll have to consider that.

Any other ideas?

We'll be taking an extended family vacation to Disney next spring, so I hope she doesn't want to do that this time, too.

[shanstress70]

Originally posted by Snow+Oct 7 2005, 09:04 PM-->

<!--QuoteBegin-shanstress70@Oct 7 2005, 05:50 PM

If you're into art galleries, Laguna is the place to go... there are galleries EVERYWHERE, including Wyland's (marine artist) gallery, which I loved.

Gosh, I need to go back there.

←

Well yes - there are art galleries and there are galleries wiht Wyland's stuff, just like there are art galleries and galleries with Kincaid's stuff.

←

OK Snow, I know some of his stuff can be a bit cheesy, like the glass dolphins sculptures and what not, but his whale paintings are awesome... methinks!

[Snow]

Originally posted by shanstress70@Oct 8 2005, 05:51 AM

OK Snow, I know some of his stuff can be a bit cheesy, like the glass dolphins sculptures and what not, but his whale paintings are awesome... methinks!

←

It not that Kincaid and Wyland aren't talented but the art is secondary to their primary focus - moving the product.

[Snow]

John,

The Getty, though it is not in Orange County and requires some drive time up past LA, is open till 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Short of New York, DC and Europe it is probably the greatest art collction you'll ever have a chance to see... and it's free.

The view is also spectacular.

[john doe]

Yeah, I saw that, the problem I have is that my flight on Friday is around 4:00, shortly after my stuff is scheduled to be done, so unless I get done fairly early on Friday I won't have time to get there and back to John Wayne/Santa Ana/Orange County Airport in time. Plus, I'm not sure what to expect from Friday afternoon traffic on the 405, so I may want to stay closer to the airport area. But I will try to make it if possible.