Santa Ana's Hidden Gems
Travel Santa Ana worked with Peter Greenberg Worldwide Productions to film a segment of Hidden Gems to inspire travelers to visit and immerse themselves in our city’s culture.
You may recognize Peter Greenberg; he’s the CBS News Travel Editor, and he's also known as the Travel Detective.
While our destination is filled with hidden gems, there were specific criteria and guidelines, and there were only so many gems you could include in a 14-minute segment, so it was a difficult decision.
After much consideration, we narrowed our locations to Alta Baja Market, the Blue Lot, Cerveza Cito, Lyon Air Museum, the Santa Ana Zoo, and THEM Skates.
Due to an abundance of Santa Ana content and a Hidden Gems segment running only 14 minutes, the production company wanted to make sure all Santa Ana locations received the airtime they deserved! So, Alta Baja Market will be included in the future Hidden Gems segment, “Ethnic Food of America,” and the Blue Lot in the “Street Art of America” segment.
Meet Our Hidden Gems
Alta Baja Market, Delilah Snell, Owner
Alta Baja Market is a specialty grocery store, café, and community space dedicated to celebrating the foods and crafts of California, Mexico, and the American Southwest since 2016.
Delilah is also a master food preserver and award-winning lecturer on environmental education and food sustainability.
Blue Lot, Ruben Salazar, Property Manager & Curator
The Blue Lot is a former parking lot transformed into a street art gallery dedicated to preserving the city’s history, culture, and heritage.
Ruben has served in his role since 2012.
Lyon Air Museum, Mark Foster, President
The Lyon Air Museum is comprised of authentic aircraft, rare vehicles, and related memorabilia, emphasizing the defining event of the 20th century – World War II.
Mark has been President of the Museum for nearly 17 years.
Santa Ana Zoo, Jenny Walker, Animal Care Manager
The Santa Ana Zoo features over 120 species of animals, including some of the smallest monkeys in the world, the Golden Headed Lion Tamarins. The Zoo also includes the Crean Family Farm, the Zoofari Express Train Ride, the endangered species carrousel, and the “Fifty Monkeys Ferris Wheel.”
Jenny has been with the Zoo for over 20 years, previously as the Zoo Curator and Zoo Keeper II.
Suavecito & Cerveza Cito, J-Bird, Co-Owner
Founded in 2009 by J-Bird, and local brothers Pete and Tony Adame. Suavecito has exploded thanks to high-quality products and edgy, creative collaborations with brands. The partners also own Santa Ana’s first brewery, Cerveza Cito, and Cafe Cito coffee shop in Downtown Santa Ana.
THEM Skates, Jon Julio, Founder/Owner
Founded in 2018, THEM SKATES is a rollerblade brand set for a new generation.
Jon, a former pro skater, has brought the international Blading Cup competition to Downtown Santa Ana since 2011.
Enjoy the Santa Ana Hidden Gems segment
