Costa Mesa Today-
With its southernmost border only one mile from the Pacific Ocean, Costa Mesa has evolved from a town with agricultural roots to become a world-class center for fashion with South Coast Plaza, a mecca for arts and theater with Segerstrom Center for the Arts, and a renowned dining destination, garnering national recognition and offering James Beard Award-nominated and TV celebrity chefs. Costa Mesa is also home to the OC Fair & Event Center, which hosts the annual Orange County Fair, one of the largest in the United States.
Costa Mesa’s center for retail is South Coast Plaza, a global shopping destination renowned for its breadth and depth of luxury boutiques, everything from Prada and Gucci to Cartier and Tiffany. South Coast Plaza, whose merchants produce $2 billion in sales annually, has one of the world’s highest concentration of luxury brands under one roof. Its unique selection of boutiques rivals fashion meccas like Fifth Avenue in New York, Bond Street in London, and Avenue Montaigne in Paris, and Ginza in Tokyo. What sets South Coast Plaza apart on the world stage is that its luxury boutiques, many of which are flagships, are all conveniently located inside one building with easy access and free parking. By comparison, the other key fashion shopping meccas are outdoors.
Experian, Ceradyne, El Pollo Loco, Emulex, Hurley, Vans, RVCA, and Volcom are among the businesses headquartered in Costa Mesa. The city of Costa Mesa offers 30 beautiful parks, a municipal golf course, 19 public schools, and three libraries. Costa Mesa’s Mediterranean climate, with hot and dry summers and mild to cool winters, makes the city an ideal year-round destination.