If you're looking for a great place to go to celebrate the fact that your company was approved for a government research and development credit, why not try Santa Ana, California? It's not just a destination for Californians who are searching for a great boomburb to set up shop in; it's also a tourist destination. And the best past about it is that unlike Anaheim or Los Angeles, it's not completely flooded with visitors at any given time, so you won't have long waits for attractions.
Museums and Historical Sites
Museums and historical sites are great places to visit if you don't want to pay entrance fees that are equal to a small country's stash of gold bullion bars. History museums like Bowers and Orange County showcase artifacts of South American and Californian history while a downtown walk will reveal may historic structures like the old courthouse. Good places to take kids are the Discovery Science Center and the Firefighters' Museum.
Shopping
Santa Ana shops cater both to locals looking for TREO leather pouches for their PDAs and tourists seeking unique souvenirs. Most of the museums and attractions have gift shops and the Santiago Art District is a great place to find work by local artists and crafters. If the downtown shops aren't sufficiently overwhelming or you want to shop at your favorite franchise stores, the Mainplace Mall should be your destination. Mainplace has over 190 shops and restaurants ranging from big upscale department stores like Nordstrom's and Macy's to smaller clothing boutiques featuring Maggie Sottero bridal gowns. You'll find old favorites like American Eagle alongside new specialty stores like Cool Ride.
Attractions
It's a pretty safe bet that if you're coming anywhere near California with your children, they'll want to go to Disney World and Universal Studios, which are in Anaheim and Studio City respectively. But did you know there are top level attractions in Santa Ana, too? The Santa Ana Zoo covers more than 20 acres and features rare and exotic animals from all across Central and South America. Take a ride on the touring train and see big cats, birds, lizards, and monkeys. Zoo passes are a great gift certificate idea for anyone you know coming to Santa Ana. The Galaxy Concert Theater also hosts major bands from all over the world as well as local acts, making it a great evening diversion for the whole family.
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