quest, i lived in LA 20+ years. highfly is wrong. santa ana is smoggy, crowded, not anything like what you see on "The O.C." Probably the only upside, if you can call it that, is that it's very close to disneyland. not a nice place at all, i recollect. the trick in LA is to get as close to the beach as you can. try huntington beach, seal beach, costa mesa, garden grove, etc.