Inspiration for family travel around Florida and the world!
This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase a product/service, I may receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Travel Costa Mesa invited me on a press trip to explore their city. In turn I can bring you all these fun ideas for a weekend getaway! All opinions remain my own, I hope you have an awesome trip in Artsy Costa Mesa!
A little history on Costa Mesa, it was named “The City of the Arts” because it is the only place in Orange County to see broadway shows on stage and for the extensive amount of art around the city. They have an “Art Walk” that you can follow around to see all the public art on display.
Costa Mesa is also home to award-winning restaurants and chefs. I stepped out of my typical culinary bubble on this trip, and wow! I was totally blown away by all the restaurants! The unique styles, ingredients of the dishes, the atmospheres, and the experience of all the unique characteristics of these local restaurants.
Where is Costa Mesa? Costa Mesa is located in Orange County, only 20 minutes away from popular family travel destinations like Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm, minutes from Newport Beach, and an hour from Los Angelas or San Diego. It’s the perfect place to sneak away for the weekend!
We stayed at The Avenue of the Arts Hotel in Costa Mesa, the only Tribute Portfolio Hotel in Orange County. In addition to being beautiful, and unique, it was named Hotel of the Year by Marriott International and has been rated a AAA Four-Diamond Property five years running.
If you want to stay in a modern, yet fun, and boutique-style hotel, this is an amazing option! We really enjoyed the aesthetics, the little river that ran through the hotel, the on-site restaurant, the walkability to different things in Costa Mesa to check out, the cabanas by the outside pool, and the super helpful staff whenever we had questions about the hotel or the city.
Where to Find Avenue of the Arts Hotel: 3350 Avenue of the Arts, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
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Hands down, having brunch at Habana is such a fun, unique, and a must-do to start your weekend in Costa Mesa! And it was one of my favorite experiences from our visit! This restaurant offers a Cuban flare on your dining experience. With live music, an outdoor buffet area (coolest one I’ve ever seen!), and a design that will make you feel like you’re in Cuba, this is a must-visit on your trip! Check out how cool Habana is above!
Where to find Habana: 2930 Bristol St, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. Located at The LAB “Anti Mall”, across from MAY/Martin inc, an adorable teal-colored airstream trailer selling inexpensive jewelry (all handmade in Costa Mesa) and a fun and colorful water feature made with metal barrels (below).
The Silver Trumpet is a newly remodeled restaurant, located on-site at our hotel, The Avenue of the Arts Hotel. The amazing California weather was the perfect companion to the outdoor patio space with custom firepits, lounge seating, and flat-screen TV’s, located near a cute pond and water features. I’d definitely recommend the Creekstone Farm Prime NY Block Steak paired with the Chimichurri sauce!
Where to find Silver Trumpet: 3350 Avenue of the Arts, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. When you enter the driveway of The Avenue of the Arts Hotel, it is to your right, right before you walk in the lobby.
Eat Chow is a casual cafe with unexpected and unique menu items! A lot I didn’t recognize, so I ordered a grilled cheese and side salad. I know I said I was stepping outside my culinary bubble, but oh man guys, it was the BEST (literally- not even kidding) grilled cheese sandwich in my life, with a side salad tossed with a lavender dressing! I was skeptical at first on the dressing (I’m a ranch kinda girl), but when the waitress informed me “we don’t have typical dressings”, I decided it was the perfect chance to continue to push myself out of my normal cuisine palate. And like I mentioned above, everything in Costa Mesa was new and amazing to me, just like this meal!
I love that they didn’t offer “typical” options, and their menu was full of the unexpected. So head to Eat Chow, expect the unexpected, and see what your taste buds discover!
Where to find Eat Chow: 1802 Newport Blvd, Costa Mesa, CA.
AnQi really wowed us with the presentations of the food, the style of the restaurant, and the flavorful California Asian cuisine with the emphasis on Vietnamese spices and herbs. Each dish was beautifully presented, large enough to share amongst our group, and tasted amazing! AND they even made fresh ice cream with liquid nitrogen AT our table!
Where to find AnQi: 3333 Bristol St, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. Located at the South Coast Plaza, on the lower level at Bloomingdales. The address is 3333 Bristol St, Costa Mesa.
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TERRACE by Mix Mix is an adorable and Instagramable restaurant with a menu inspired by Italy, France, and the Philippines. The menu is very diverse, yet also refined with an award-winning chef and owner. Ross Pangilinan recently received many accolades like Chef of the Year 2019 from OC Business Journal, so stopping by the TERRACE is a must for any foodie visiting Costa Mesa!
Where to find TERRACE: 3333 Bear Street #316, Costa Mesa. Located at the South Coast Plaza, on the Westside, on the third floor.
This was a fun little stop of our last morning in Costa Mesa. I loved the inviting yellow umbrellas and fun murals that greet you when you walk up to Philz. When you visit, the ordering process is a little flip-flopped. Instead of standing in line to order and pay at the register, you get in line to visit the counter where you order your pour-over drink. They are super relaxed you can then walk over to the register to pay for your drink and any breakfast bites that catch your eye. Or enjoy your drink and pay before you leave.
When you order you won’t find any basic drinks like espressos, lattes, or cappuccinos. Every drink is made “one cup at a time” personalizing them to each unique customer’s taste. As a full-service coffee bar, you’ll find over 20 customized blends from high-quality beans found around the world.
I ordered a customized hot chocolate, after answering a few questions from the barista to find what I’d love. Then I paired it with an avocado egg toast, but they had so many other yummy options like banana bread, ginger date cookies, almond and jam toast, croissants, labneh toast, cheese and berry danishes, coffee muffins, avocado energy bowls and more!
Where to find Philz Coffee: 3420 Bristol Street, Costa Mesa
The LAB is such an adorable, instagramable, indoor/outdoor space of small and unique businesses and restaurants. I loved the shops that were in old airstream trailers and the open-air hangout section with large bean bags, and swinging benches!
The LAB which stands for “Little American Business”, is celebrating 27 years in 2020. This is where you’ll find that amazing brunch buffet from Habana, an organic coffee bar called NOOK, vegan eats at Seabirds Kitchen and Gypsey Den, an adorable children’s boutique called Sweet Threads, and a must-stop if you want french macarons: Honey & Butter.
Where to find The LAB: 2930 Bristol Street, Costa Mesa.
The CAMP is located across the street from The LAB, and is an outdoor mixed-use space with environmentally sensitive retail shops and restaurants. This is the first known campus in the United States, so it’s definitely unique. All the shops and eateries have a strong focus on independent business owners, are health conscious or have fitness-related lifestyles.
Near the entrance of The CAMP, tucked in beautiful wheatgrass are a bunch of mailboxes in pretty shades of green and white. Each mailbox holds menus for the restaurants located in The CAMP (see slideshow above). How unique and cute is that?!
After shopping at SEED People’s Market, an outdoor gear and home store. Cool off from the California weather with a refreshing cold drink from Milk & Honey. We picked the Chocolate Monkey Cooler and a Watermelon Lemonade.
Where to find The CAMP: 2937 Bristol Street, Costa Mesa.
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The South Coast Plaza is the mecca of quality brand names and experiences that has celebrated over 50 years in Costa Mesa. They have over 250 boutiques and critically acclaimed restaurants, plus the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. It is so easy to spend a whole day at SCP, with all of the stores, restaurants, the Nordstrom Spa and the VIP ACCESS Suite.
When you find yourself needing a break from all the shopping, head to The Nordstrom Spa for some rejuvenation. We got treated to the Nordstrom Signature 1-hour massage. It was the perfect way to slow the afternoon down and really unwind. I loved the complimentary teas, the soft music, and the heated massage beds.
Another option to relax at SCP is the VIP ACCESS room, next to Saks Fifth Avenue on level 2. Think of it as a luxury airline lounge, but at the shopping plaza. Enjoy complimentary snacks and drinks, while you relax on the stylish sofas or watch some tv. I loved the fruit-infused water and the variety of snacks to choose from. An awesome plus is that anyone staying in Costa Mesa hotels or those with a Platinum AMEX card can gain access for free.
Where to find South Coast Plaza: 3333 Bristol St, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
We checked out Ant Hill after our breakfast at Eat Chow, because it is right next door. If was such a quirky, interesting and unique shop with clothes, jewelry, and a couple of different levels which was a cool characteristic of the store.
Where to find Ant Hill: 1802 Newport Blvd, Costa Mesa, CA 92627
If you take a nice walk around the Costa Mesa art complex, you can admire at least 20 different public art pieces. Some highlights include the Noguchi Gardens, the California Scenario, the Stained Glass Dome and The Unity Bridge. My favorite piece was the river running through the Noguchi Gardens.
Where to Find the Public Art Pieces: Since it is in various spots around the city, click here for more information and a map!
South Coast Repertory is a professional resident theatre in Costa Mesa, that is widely known as one of America’s foremost creators of new plays. On our visit, we saw the play: American Mariachi. Everything from the pre-show outside with the Marachi band and an adorable 8-year-old boy singing, to the actors, the storyline, the comedy, and the costumes were amazing! We really really enjoyed the play and it was a highlight of our trip!
Where to find South Coast Repertory: 655 Town Center Dr, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
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The Segerstrom Center was absolutely beautiful inside and out. It is Orange County’s largest non-profit arts organization, with an additional six performance venues. It is also home to the American Ballet Theatre William J. Gillespie School.
We really enjoyed learning how involved the Segerstrom Center is with the community. They offer free performances open to the public from outdoor movie screenings to dancing on the plaza and many other events. In addition to offering a wide variety of programs for many ages like international ballet and dance, jazz and cabaret, classical music performed by renowned chamber orchestras and ensembles, family-friendly programs and so so much more!
Check out their calendar of events on their website to see what you can experience on your trip.
Where to find the Segerstrom Center for the Arts: 600 Town Center Dr, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
