Santa Ana, CA: One of America's Most Romantic Getaways

Hey gang, Bill Garfield here. One of my most coveted places on God's green earth, and possibly my absolute favorite place in California is the sunny paradise of Santa Ana. There is nothing quite like leaving Eos Fitness (better known as EōS Fitness), an amazing 24/7 gym, and then go strutting your stuff through someplace like The Bowers Museum, The Santa Ana Zoo, or one of my favorite malls in America, The Main Place Mall. But what else do I like about Santa Ana, CA? Let's find out!

So let me tell you something brother, Santa Ana is unique in the sense that it seems to care more about education than entertainment. Also, out of all, and I mean all, the cities in Orange County, it has the closest feel to an actual city like Los Angeles or San Diego. You may not know this, but Orange County is almost nothing but suburban paradise, or nightmare, depending on your tastes. Santa Ana, well, that city is different, let me tell you. With its rich culture, reverence for tradition and plethora of top-notch museums, to me, Santa Ana is every bit of a tourist destination as Los Angeles, San Diego or San Francisco. Plus, it's way closer to Disney Land than any of those aforementioned cities!

Back to that adherence to constant learning I was talking about earlier, Santa Ana isn't just host to a wide variety of museums, but it is also home to The Discovery Cube Orange County, a truly amazing interactive museum dedicated to hands on scientific learning. Some of the other museums in the area include The Heritage Museum of Orange County, The Orange County Museum of Art, The Lyon Air Museum, and if you don't the drive into Irvine, I recommend visiting The Museum of Woman, as it is as inspirational of a building as it is eye-opening. That place is so romantic, it may get its own blog post one day!

Really, one of the main problems of living in a big city is the lack of nature. We humans are animals after all, and need a little bit of woods or beach or you fill in the blank to relax in sometimes. It helps us unwind and think more better, by giving us the clarity that our Mother Earth can only give. It is true Santa Ana isn't too far of a drive from the gorgeous beaches that California has to offer, but traffic in California being brutal is about as true as 2 + 2 = 4, so if you don't feel like wasting part of your day on the interstate, the Santiago Creek is where you'll want to go. An excellent picnic spot, the Santiago Creek is where water from the Santa Ana mountains comes down when the snow melts, and it will melt any ice you've got build up around your heart just by seeing it.

A big part of any romantic vacation is buying your lover gifts (or better yet, your lover buying you gifts!), so you most certainly want to stop off at The Main Place Mall on your trip to Santa Ana. Full of your favorite stores like Aldo, Forever 21 and Anime Monster, you won't have to leave for lunch either, with romantic eateries like Applebee's and Hot Dog on a Stick to accommodate you. If you're feeling frisky, or just want to thank your lover sooner than later for that jewelry they just bought you, the top floor of Main Place Mall offers a movie theater for discerning adults to show affection to one another, or just watch a movie! Sadly, both the Arby's and the Orange Julius are no longer in operation, but honestly this won't hamper your romantic endeavors too much.

Originally created in 1913 but reopened in 2007 after having spent some time operating as a church, The Yost Theater is probably the number one place to go see a show in all of Orange County, let alone Santa Ana. The historical significance of the building along with its fascinating architecture make it a must visit spot to catch out anything from local to world famous bands, comedy acts and more. I have seen everything from Children of Bodom to Sunny & Cher play there throughout my lifetime! The acoustics of the room are just out of this world, and when you hear things like Triple Corpse Hammerblow or I Got You Babe live in a building as spectacular as The Yost, it makes for something you'll even remember even when your brain is as soupy.

One of the reasons that Santa Ana is so romantic is there is a large Latino population there. From spicy food which makes you and your lover drink that much more to places to salsa dance, Santa Ana has all the best parts of South and Latin America wrapped up in one amazing city, and rivals San Diego's Old Town in quality of its cuisine. Normally I list some of my favorite restaurants in an area, but I'm not going to do that in this article. I can't risk leaving out someplace, which I know I definitely would. The thing with Santa Ana is, I could go anywhere in the entire town and know I am getting a good meal. Heck, even Burger King seems to be a little more well prepared in Santa Ana than in most places in America.

I'd be remiss to not discuss the hotels of Santa Ana while mentioning the city. After all, it is where you and your partner will be at your most intimate, except maybe the Main Place Mall movie theater. Well, let me put your mind at ease; they are fantastic! Gorgeously crafted with luxurious amenities, the hotels and motels of Santa Ana will satisfy your every need, regardless if you are staying for a day, a week or just an hour! I personally like the DoubleTree, but I am a Hilton guy. Always have been, and always will be. Still, you can't go wrong near anywhere you go, as long as you are staying in Santa Ana.

All and all, there are just too many reasons to visit Santa Ana. From its fine cultural achievements to the vast groin grabbing good culinary experiences to its close proximity of various must-see California locales including Disney, West Hollywood and more, Santa Ana is a city that no matter where you are from, can sweep you off its feet in a whirlwind of romance. While every single place on this website is special to my heart, there is just something about Santa Ana that I know I'll never be able to forget, even when I am dead. Chow!

If you a connoisseur of travel and romance, be sure to check out our profile to see the other Most Romantic spots in America!