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Just in time for spring and the reopening of California to local travellers, Costa Mesa offers a variety of things to do with friends and family in a safe and social atmosphere. In addition, visitors looking for a getaway will find that Costa Mesa is easy to get to from local freeways and nearby John Wayne Airport, Orange County (SNA). Hotels throughout the city are offering spring break travel deals, some including a $100 gift card to shop and dine with a qualifying two-night stay, with rates for this centrally-located OC city as low as $89 per night.

Costa Mesa is known in Orange County as the City of the Arts®, where the locals and visitors go to see the symphony, ballet and Broadway musicals, along with free public sculptures and installations by world-renowned artists. Additionally, Costa Mesa is home to large-scale murals such as “Welcome Home” by Shephard Fairey, “Costa Mesa Bloom” by Aaron Glasson, and most recently, “Dolly Parton” by David Gilmore, to name just a few. Visiting these are easy following Travel Costa Mesa’s guide.

Five Things to Do in Costa Mesa Right Now
1. Costa Mesa Art Walk Audio Tour – a newly reimagined self-guided walking and audio tour that provides information about the artists and their sculptures featuring more than 20 art pieces, including “California Scenario,” known by locals as Noguchi Garden. The tour is free and can be accessed on any mobile device.

2. Springtime Garden at South Coast Plaza – Explore spring-themed gazebos in Carousel Court and near Crate & Barrel and Macy’s Homestore. Installations will be on display through April 15, 2021.

South Coast Plaza is a top shopping destination in California. It is currently open for indoor shopping, and also boasts a variety of indoor and outdoor dining. Shoppers can also enjoy a private, in-person retail experience at The Pavilion at South Coast Plaza. Visiting South Coast Plaza during non-peak hours will help ensure a safe, pleasant experience.

3. Movie Nights, Dance Classes and Improv Workshops take place on the outdoor Argyros Plaza at Segerstrom Center for the Arts with dates through May 2021.

a. Make it a date night, or family outing, and go to the movies outside. “Roman Holiday,” “Crazy Rich Asians” and “Aladdin” are some of the fan favourites being featured this spring. Tickets start at $20 and advance reservations are required.

b. Get moving with Tuesday Night Salsa, Bollywood or Broadway-themed dance classes. Reservations are required and there is a registration fee of $10 per person.
c. Improv Workshops on Wednesday evenings are a good way to get back into in-person interaction with these fast-paced sessions on Wednesday nights.

For just $10 per person, participants will learn techniques from Greg Atkins, a teaching artist from South Coast Repertory Theater Conservatory.

4. Driving tour of the city to spot street art and murals following Travel Costa Mesa’s Mural and Street Art Guide. Many of these are created by local artists and can be found at the outdoor shopping and dining centre, The LAB Anti-Mall – a unique experience to Costa Mesa with various small business retailers and locally-owned restaurants. Each month, a Makers Mart takes place featuring local artisans.

5. Hike, bike and play at Talbert Nature Preserve in Fairview Regional Park. The 210 acres of public land contains open fields, trails, hills and a forested sanctuary. Visitors will see blooming wildflowers and various bird species in the area. One trail leads to a riverbed with a beautifully preserved California landscape containing huge oak trees, large grass and fields of native California plants. Bike and running trails lead all the way down to the beach.

Travel Costa Mesa’s events calendar is updated regularly with activities. Review Costa Mesa’s COVID-19 guidelines and note that masks are a requirement in the city.