Costa Mesa travel guide

Costa Mesa, United States

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

Costa Mesa

Introduction

Costa Mesa is a city in Orange County, California, part of the South Coast Plaza–John Wayne Airport edge city, one of the region's largest commercial clusters. Incorporated in 1953, it grew from a semi-rural farming community into an urban area whose economy rests on retail, commerce, and light manufacturing.

For a visitor, that means a place shaped by shopping and business rather than by resort scenery, with the commercial cluster around South Coast Plaza and John Wayne Airport anchoring the city.

Before you go

Costa Mesa began as farmland and apple orchards, took its name from the Spanish for "coast tableland," and grew around a World War II army air base; today its west side is industrial and manufacturing-focused while the north is given over to commercial business. Knowing that layout helps you plan where to base yourself and what to expect from each part of town.

On safety, Costa Mesa is generally a comfortable place to visit, but crime does exist. Near the Santa Ana border, gang and narcotics activity can spill into the city, and the lower-income, heavily industrial Westside draws homeless people and panhandlers. Police patrol routinely, so incidents are limited at worst — still, keep your wits about you, particularly in those areas and after dark.

Getting there

John Wayne Airport (SNA) sits just across the Costa Mesa–Santa Ana border, making it the most convenient arrival point. From the airport you can pick up a rental vehicle, catch a taxi, or use the bus system to continue into the city and get around once you're there.

If you're driving, Costa Mesa is served by Interstate 405 and California highways 55 and 73, so reaching the city by car is straightforward. Once in town, Harbor Boulevard, Newport Boulevard and Bristol Street are the main north–south routes, while Baker Street, 17th Street and 19th Street run east–west.

Getting around

Costa Mesa is spread out and car-oriented, so the most flexible way to cover ground between the shopping districts, the fairgrounds, and the industrial and residential areas is to drive. The city is served by Interstate 405 and California highways 55 and 73; if you're orienting yourself by the grid, Harbor Boulevard, Newport Boulevard, and Bristol Street run north–south, while Baker Street, 17th Street, and 19th Street run east–west. John Wayne Airport (SNA) sits right on the Costa Mesa–Santa Ana border, so the transfer into town is short—from there you can rent a vehicle, pick up a taxi, or use the bus system.

OCTA operates buses throughout the city, and the routes serving South Coast Plaza—51, 55, 57, 76, 86, 145, 172, 173, 211, 216 and 464—make the mall reachable from almost anywhere in the county, which makes the bus network a genuinely viable option if your trip centers on the shopping and commercial district. There is no metro, tram, or local rail network, so plan on buses, cars, taxis, and ride-hailing instead; cab companies are plentiful across Orange County, and ride-hailing is convenient for short hops where bus routes don't line up neatly. Walking works within a single district but not for cross-town trips: Costa Mesa's address blocks are longer than in most U.S. cities—it's roughly a third of a mile from 2500 to 2600 Fairview Blvd, with three intersections in between—so what looks like a couple of blocks on a map can be a substantial walk.

Where to stay

Costa Mesa's hotels cluster along Bristol Street and around South Coast Plaza, with a handful of options near the airport on Newport Boulevard. The Avenue of the Arts Hotel is the city's only AAA four-diamond property, with an outdoor pool and private cabanas, the Silver Trumpet Restaurant, a fitness center, a concierge desk, and a complimentary shuttle to and from John Wayne Airport. The Costa Mesa Marriott and The Westin South Coast Plaza sit on Anton Boulevard near the shopping district; at the Marriott, rooms are on the small side but come with an adjoining lounge with a sofa and refrigerator, and many have views over a lake.

Mid-range chains are well represented: Ayres Hotel & Suites and the Crowne Plaza on Bristol Street, the Hilton Orange County/Costa Mesa, and the Best Western Newport Mesa Inn and Holiday Inn Express on Newport Boulevard, the latter convenient to the airport. For longer stays, the Residence Inn Costa Mesa Newport Beach on West Baker Street offers suite-style accommodations, while budget travelers can consider the Ramada on Superior Avenue or the Motel 6 on Gisler Avenue.

Food & drink

Costa Mesa is widely regarded as the food capital of Orange County, and most of the county's best restaurants are found here. For a casual meal overlooking a lake, Silver Trumpet offers outdoor clubhouse seating, breakfast with fresh fruit and baked goods, and a brasserie-style lunch and dinner menu of char-grilled meats, fresh seafood and seasonal specialties. Doria's Haus of Pizza is a family-run hole-in-the-wall for inexpensive Italian food and US-style pizza, while Taco Mesa serves gourmet Mexican for breakfast, lunch and dinner and gets busy at peak hours. Seasons 52 at South Coast Plaza offers seasonally-inspired dining, and Mastro's Steakhouse pairs hand-cut steaks and fresh seafood with live entertainment and a piano lounge. Mitsuwa Marketplace is a Japanese supermarket with a food court offering an excellent choice of Japanese meals, and Rooster Cafe is a good bet for breakfast with a mix of US and Mexican style meals. Tom's Place carries hamburgers, gyros, sandwiches, burritos and steak with friendly service, and Emelia Deli serves New York City style sandwiches and desserts in a modest location.

For drinks, The Wayfarer is a music venue hosting a wide variety of acts, with free cover on Mondays showcasing the local band of the month. Goat Hill Tavern is a fun, gritty bar with a peanut shell-covered floor and a large selection of beers on tap, and The Boulevard is a cool bar next door. Hi-Time Wine Cellar is not a bar but has a broad selection of beer, wine and spirits along with a wine bar, a cooled wine cellar and a walk-in beer refrigerator. Tin Lizze Saloon welcomes gays, lesbians and straights, while La Cave is a subterranean steakhouse and lounge with a dimly lit bar, a great dance floor and occasional 1990s cover bands. Tiki Bar has a mild tiki theme, occasional live music and pool tables, and Patrick's Pub is Costa Mesa's own Irish pub with lots of pool tables and shuffleboard.

What to see and do

Costa Mesa pairs indoor culture with easy outdoor time. The Orange County Museum of Art focuses on contemporary art and mounts rotating special exhibitions. For public art, head to California Scenario, Isamu Noguchi's composition of landscaping, sculpture, fountains and channels of water that carries a Zen sensibility reminiscent of traditional Japanese rock gardens while folding in modernist elements. The Diego Sepulveda Adobe is another historic point of interest. Outdoors, TeWinkle Park has a playground, walking areas and a skate park, and the city has plenty of golf courses and parks, with the Pacific Ocean just minutes away.

The Segerstrom Center for the Arts anchors the city's performing arts, with several auditoriums hosting plays, ballets and symphonic performances, plus the South Coast Repertory. A community plaza unites the buildings, and sculptures by figures such as Jean Dubuffet, Henry Moore, Joan Miro and Isamu Noguchi are on public display around the district, so a walking tour is a good way to take them in. At the Orange County Fairgrounds, the county fair brings rides, food, games and live events to the Pacific Amphitheater from mid-July to mid-August; outside fair time, the grounds host trade shows, expos and other events year-round.

When to go

Costa Mesa has a semi-arid climate, so you can expect mild temperatures year round rather than extremes. Rain is concentrated in winter, when most of the area's precipitation arrives; the season stays mild, so plan for some wet days rather than cold or snow.

Summer is the dry counterpart, with rain close to nonexistent and temperatures that remain mild rather than extreme. If you want dependable dry conditions, that is the season to choose.

Three days in Costa Mesa

Day one: Start by getting your bearings in Costa Mesa, a city incorporated in Orange County, California, whose Spanish and World War II-era roots still shape its character. If you arrive through John Wayne Airport (SNA), you are already close to the centre of things. Once settled, walk the Westside and follow Harbor Boulevard and Newport Boulevard to see how the city connects, with the OCTA running buses along the main corridors. Near Santa Ana, the streets around Bristol Street and Baker Street give you a feel for everyday local life.

Day two: Give the day to South Coast Plaza and its surroundings. The Avenue and Anton Boulevard put you within walking distance of the shopping district, and the Arts Hotel, The Costa Mesa Marriott and The Westin South Coast Plaza are all nearby if you prefer to stay close. For a meal, Silver Trumpet Restaurant is on hand in the area. If you are driving, Interstate access makes the district easy to reach, and the police presence around the main roads keeps the busy corridors orderly.

Day three: Slow down and explore the edges of the city. Fairview Blvd and the streets near Santa Ana reward a wander, and walking remains the best way to notice the mix of old and new that defines Costa Mesa. There is plenty to fill a final morning before you head back toward SNA or onward through Orange County. Knowing the main boulevards, you can link the Westside to the shopping district without much trouble and end your stay with a sense of how the city fits together.

About this place