Orange County family guide
Things to Do in Santa Ana with Kids
Curated by Simir Shah
Reviewed & updated August 2026 · we check listings regularly, but hours and prices change — confirm before you go.
Santa Ana on the map
📍 Where Santa Ana is
Santa Ana sits in Orange County, Southern California. Nearest major airport: John Wayne / Orange County (~5 mi / 8 km). It's roughly 30 mi (49 km) from Downtown LA and 82 mi (132 km) from San Diego — SoCal traffic can make a drive take far longer than the distance suggests, so plan around it.
Visiting? See SoCal at a glance, getting around and which airport.
Things to do in Santa Ana
Discovery Cube OC
Hands-on science with more than 100 interactive exhibits, including a hurricane chamber that simulates real hurricane-force wind, a fossil-filled dino dig, and a rock-climbing wall — easily three hours of curious kid energy burned. Themed zones like Dynamic Earth, Quake Zone, and Air & Space rotate in new activities, so repeat visits don't feel repetitive.
~$24.95 adult / $19.95 kid
Santa Ana Zoo
A compact, monkey-famous zoo founded in 1952 on land donated with one unusual condition — that the zoo always keep at least 50 monkeys, honored today by the "Fifty Monkeys" Ferris wheel at the entrance to the family farm. Kids can also ride the Zoofari Express train and a conservation-themed carousel featuring 33 endangered species, all sized for little legs in a single morning.
~$13 adult / $10 kid
Bowers Museum
World-art galleries spanning pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, Native American art, and Asian and African collections, built from a 1936 city museum that grew sixfold in a 1992 expansion. Its second campus, Kidseum, opened in 1994 two blocks away and focuses on hands-on art and archaeology just for kids, alongside family festivals and programs throughout the year.
~$18 adultFree days in Santa Ana
Free or free-on-certain-days admission. Rules change and some are residents-only — confirm with the venue before you go.
Bowers Museum
Free every Sunday for Santa Ana residents (proof of residency)
OC's premier art and cultural museum, with a free family festival the first Sunday monthly. Santa Ana residents get free general admission every Sunday with proof of residency.
Farmers markets in Santa Ana
DTSA Certified Farmers' Market
Downtown Santa Ana market in the Artists Village with produce, prepared food, and a walkable arts-district setting.
Festivals & annual events in Santa Ana
What Santa Ana is known for — the events locals plan the year around.
Jerome Recreation Center Spooktacular
Free, all-ages Halloween fun at Jerome Recreation Center (726 S Center St) with a costume contest, haunted house, performances and resource booths. Tip: it runs mid-afternoon, so it suits younger kids who can't stay out late.
Free
Pumpkin Palooza at Discovery Cube OC
A weekend Halloween festival at Discovery Cube OC, 10am–5pm, with dance parties (11am, 12, 2, 3, 4), an interactive pumpkin maze, bumper cars and trick-or-treating. The ticket covers the dance party, festival and trick-or-treating, and a sensory-friendly show runs Sun Oct 18 at 9:50am. Tip: book ahead, since tickets are separate from general admission.
Extra ticket on top of admission; see site
Mexican Day of the Dead Family Festival (Bowers Museum)
Bowers Museum's free Día de los Muertos family festival in the Key Courtyard, with live performances, art making, face painting and treats. Bowers publishes its 2026 festival schedule on its site. Tip: kids can join the art projects even if they do not want to sit through performances, so it works for short attention spans.
Free
Noche de Altares
A volunteer-run Dia de los Muertos street event held since 2002 on Fourth Street, where families and community groups build memorial altars alongside music, dance and food vendors.
Free
International Winter Holidays Family Festival (Bowers Museum)
A free courtyard festival at Bowers Museum with live performances, art projects and face painting, celebrating winter traditions from around the world. It is the last free family festival on Bowers' 2026 schedule. Tip: pair it with a walk to the nearby Santa Ana holiday sights, and note that the museum itself is closed Mondays.
Free
Discovery Cube OC — Seasonal Festivals
A hands-on science playground with signature seasonal events like the fall Pumpkin Launch — learning disguised as a full day of fun.
$26 adult, $23 child/senior — CORRECTED 2026-09-15, was listed as ~$20
Fiestas Patrias Festival & Parade
A 45-year-old downtown Santa Ana street festival marking Mexican Independence Day — a Sunday parade on Main Street, carnival rides, food vendors and an El Grito ceremony Saturday night.
Chicano Heritage Festival
A city-run festival at Centennial Park celebrating Santa Ana's Mexican American history, with live performances, a lowrider cruise and show, food vendors and a kids zone. Running since 2022.
Mehregan Persian Festival (Bowers Museum Free Family Festival)
A free family festival in the museum's Key Courtyard celebrating Iran's harvest festival, with live music and dance, hands-on art activities, face painting and a traditional Iranian sweet. It is one of Bowers' free first-Sunday-style festivals. Tip: the festival is free but parking is not, so consider the nearby Santa Ana lots and arrive right at 11am.
Local restaurants in Santa Ana
Taqueria Los Grandes
Beloved taqueria slinging tacos, menudo, and enchiladas since 1989.
Tito's La Especial
Family-run since 1983, famous for steamed tacos al vapor.
Bandito Taqueria
Tijuana-style al carbon tacos with cult-favorite al pastor.
Birrieria & Pupuseria Jalisco
Family spot serving birria and made-to-order Salvadoran pupusas.
Quan Huong
Casual family Vietnamese with pho, banh mi, bun bo hue, and spring rolls.
Chunk n Chip
Family-owned small-batch ice cream and cookie sandwiches at 4th St Market.
La Michoacana Ice Cream
Mexican ice cream and fresh-fruit paletas — a fun, affordable treat.
DonerG Turkish & Mediterranean Grill
Family-run halal Turkish/Mediterranean grill with shawarma and kebabs.
Taquerias Guadalajara
Family taqueria since 1979 famous for birria tacos and quesatacos, a true neighborhood institution.
Tacos Sinaloa
Family-run spot praised for al pastor and asada tacos, sopes, and menudo at unbeatable prices.
Taqueria Tapatia
Casual neighborhood joint with high-quality al pastor, tortas, and burritos families pile into.
Cozy Corner
Tiny no-frills mom-and-pop burger counter beloved as one of OC's best classic griddle joints.
Local shops in Santa Ana
Nothing Usual
DIY-culture skate shop on 4th St carrying apparel, records, books, and zines.
GCS Clothing & Gallery
Streetwear, art gallery, and vinyl shop rooted in hip-hop culture since 1995.
Stanicky's Vintage & Co.
Family-run vintage shop on East 4th St that opened alongside the DTSA ArtWalk.
Seasonal & outdoors near Santa Ana
The closest splash pads, patches, lights and more — distances from Santa Ana.
More Orange County family guides
Santa Ana family FAQ
What are the best things to do in Santa Ana with kids?
Family favorites in and around Santa Ana include Discovery Cube OC, Santa Ana Zoo and Bowers Museum. Our guide lists 3 spots, each with a price note and practical tips where we have them.
Where can families eat in Santa Ana?
Local, family-friendly spots in Santa Ana include Taqueria Los Grandes, Tito's La Especial, Bandito Taqueria and Birrieria & Pupuseria Jalisco, and more — independent, SoCal-only eateries, never national chains.
What does the YourSoCal Santa Ana guide cover?
Our Santa Ana family guide includes 3 things to do, 14 local eats, 3 local shops and 1 farmers market — with independent, non-chain eats and shops.
Listings are curated and may change — confirm hours and details before you go.
Where to stay in Santa Ana
Hotels & rentals via Stay22 · we may earn a commissionCompare hotels, resorts, and vacation rentals near Santa Ana on one map — then book on your favorite site.