Los Angeles Things to Do
Costa Mesa is centrally located in Orange County, just 30 miles south of Los Angeles. While LA beckons to visitors from all over the world, sometimes it's nice to stay away from the hustle and bustle of the big city after you've seen attractions like the Hollywood Sign or the famous Santa Monica Promenade.
What does Costa Mesa have to offer?
Costa Mesa is ideal for a weekend escape with mild year-round weather and long days of sunshine. In the heart of Southern California’s Orange County, Costa Mesa is just south of Los Angeles. Its award-winning theater and arts district, access to some of the best shopping in the world, and a dining scene that will have you coming back again and again make it easy to see why Costa Mesa is a great place to stay when coming to LA . Many of Costa Mesa’s branded hotels are within a short walk of Costa Mesa’s activities.
There’s plenty to do in Costa Mesa, especially eat at some of our amazing restaurants. Get a taste of Costa Mesa’s dining scene and start making your list of hot spots – from highly rated chefs who've been nominated for James Beard Awards and won major TV cooking competitions, to some of the most authentic cuisine in the world. Zagat.com recently discovered 8 reasons to drive to Costa Mesa (and p.s....all of them involve eating delicious food!).
What to Do
South Coast Plaza is one of the premier shopping destinations in the U.S. with a stellar cast of the world's top designers – from Christian Dior and Balenciaga to Hermès and Harry Winston. Incredible events are held year round, making an ordinary shopping trip into an adventurous, one-of-a-kind outing.
The Triangle outdoor dining and entertainment center offers experiences for everyone, whether you’re looking for the hottest nightlife with the best DJs and dancing at TIME Nightclub or hanging with friends and bowling for a strike at Tavern + Bowl. Make it a family affair with authentic Mexican food at La Vida Cantina and catching the latest movie at Starlight Triangle Cinemas. The Triangle has many special deals going on all the time.
It's always interesting to learn a little more about the cities you visit. So put your culture hat on and take a few hours to learn why Costa Mesa is The City of the ArtsTM. Segerstrom Center for the Arts offers free docent-led tours, along with an award-winning lineup of Broadway shows and stage performances year round; explore the Art Walk and see the free public art installations located around the performing arts campus. Venture through California Scenario (known as "Noguchi Garden") to see one of the country's preeminent outdoor sculpture gardens.
Not to be forgotten, the most famous theme park in the world, the Disneyland® Resort, is just a 13-mile drive from Costa Mesa. Take the convenient, easy-to-use Anaheim Resort Transit (ART) shuttle that picks you up from your hotel and drops you at the entrance to the "Happiest Place on Earth."
Get your copy of the Costa Mesa Visitor Guide for everything you need to know about visiting our city and planning your next visit.
