Downtown Santa Ana Historic Architecture Walking Tour

The residents of Santa Ana have worked to protect Downtown Santa Ana or "DTSA" and its historic architecture so that today the public can appreciate the tangible history it represents. The district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (two National Historic Districts, actually, one institutional, the other commercial) and several buildings are individual landmarks. Join our experienced tour guides on this walking tour of DTSA. See a variety of commercial and institutional buildings designed in the finest styles from the 1900s to the 1930s such as Art Deco, Classical Revival, Spanish Colonial Revival, and Richardsonian Romanesque, and find out about the active historic preservation issues in the district.

Your guide will be Tim Rush, a founding board member of Preserve Orange County. Tim is an historian, preservation advocate, and real estate executive. A long-time resident of Santa Ana, he is the current Chair of the Historic Resources Commission of the City of Santa Ana.

Member Discount: A benefit of being a member of Preserve Orange County is that tickets for this tour are offered at a 20% discount. If you're unsure if your membership is up-to-date, please contact us at [email protected]. If you'd like to join and take advantage of the discount and support our advocacy efforts throughout the county, please click here.

Tour Details: There are 2 tours of Downtown Santa Ana scheduled from October to November 2024. Please find the separate listing of our walking tours scheduled for Santa Ana's historic residential district, French Park.

All Downtown Santa Ana tours begin at the corner of W. Civic Center Drive and N. Sycamore (on the sidewalk beside the landmark Old Orange County Courthouse) at 2 pm and are 2 1/2 hours duration. Directions and parking information are provided following ticket purchase.

The route covers about 16 blocks. It's flat with some uneven pavement. There are no stairs. The tour is wheelchair and stroller accessible.

Children 13 years of age and under are free if accompanied by an adult ticketholder.

Tickets can be purchased here until the start of the tour. Walk-ins are not permitted.

Support dogs are allowed but please leave other pets at home.

The DTSA tours sold out quickly in 2023, so please book early! We have a capacity limit of 25 people. We look forward to seeing you.

Special Note: DTSA First Saturday ArtWalk runs from 5-10 p.m. on this date, and the Howe-Waffle House and Carriage House will be open for tours. Take advantage of these opportunities after your tour of historic Santa Ana!

Host or Publisher Preserve Orange County