Page 122 - 2018 Travel Guide to California

Coast Plaza and Fashion Island in
Newport Beach, vie with dozens of
local shopping districts.
Sports fans cheer the Los Angeles
Angels at the Angel Stadium of Ana-
heim and the Anaheim Ducks hockey
team at Honda Center, which doubles
as a big-name concert venue. More
than 40 championship courses and a
temperate climate await golfers,
while hotel and day spas stand ready
to soothe aches and tone muscles.
City & Town
Anaheim is the largest of Orange
County’s 34 cities. None has a typical
downtown, though Huntington
Beach offers a vibrant seaside city
center. History buffs gravitate to San
Juan Capistrano’s beautifully pre-
served 18th-century mission, Yorba
Linda’s Nixon Presidential Library
and the restored Victorian homes
and historic city centers in Santa Ana
and Orange.
INSIDER’S
»
TIP
As Orange County’s seat, second-
most populous city and home to
JOHN WAYNE INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT, which a new J.D. Power
survey ranked the No.1 large (as
opposed to mega, such as LAX)
U.S. airport, Santa Ana projects
an image more businesslike
than fun. However, residents
treasure their artsy downtown
with its funky galleries, theaters,
folk-art shops and inexpensive
sidewalk cafés. Start a journey
into Santa Ana’s bohemian side
at the 10-block ARTISTS VILLAGE,
anchored by Cal State Fullerton’s
GRAND CENTRAL ART CENTER
with its theater, dance studios,
edgy galleries and artists’ live-
work spaces. Just outside, go
gallery-hopping around the
SECOND STREET PROMENADE,
which serves as the village’s
leafy, fountain-studded central
courtyard. For a broader sense of
the downtown arts scene, the
first Saturday of the month
brings ARTWALK, when more
than 20 galleries open their
doors at 6 p.m. Trees twinkling
with lights, street vendors and
corner musicians, and live arts
performances provide a festive
atmosphere for glimpses into art
studios and design workshops.
grandcentralartcenter.com
downtown-santaana.com/artwalk
120 2018 T R AV E L G U I D E TO C A L I F O R N I A