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Orange County After Dark
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Nightlife · 21+ · Easy

Orange County After Dark

Brick-alley speakeasies, beach-town dives, and the patios where OC actually loosens its tie.

Orange County after dark is three different cities stitched together: Downtown Santa Ana's brick warehouse district, the Costa Mesa cocktail scene around The LAB and SoBeCa, and the Newport Beach peninsula where the boats park out front. This hunt threads twelve stops across all three. Each district is walkable on its own, but you'll want a short Uber (or scooter) between districts. 21+ only — bring an ID.

The Map

Your route

Offline directionsOpen in Maps

Pinch to zoom. Tap a marker to see the stop name. The dashed line traces the suggested walking order.

The Hunt

Turn-by-turn stops

Each stop shows the walking distance and direction from the previous one, plus a tap-through to your phone's maps for step-by-step directions.

  1. 01

    4th Street Market

    "Start in Downtown Santa Ana. A brick food hall with a long bar in the middle. Order something to soak up the night."

    33.7466, -117.8676Start walking here
  2. 20 m~1 min walkhead E from stop 1
    02

    Chapter One: the modern local

    "Around the corner. A long marble bar, brass fixtures, and a cocktail list that takes itself seriously."

    33.7466, -117.8674Walk from stop 1
  3. 100 m~1 min walkhead SW from stop 2
    03

    The Copper Door

    "Look for an unmarked copper door on a side street. If the password board is up, that's your hint."

    33.7459, -117.8681Walk from stop 2
  4. 170 m~2 min walkhead NE from stop 3
    04

    Native Son Alehouse

    "Back to 4th. A long tap list, exposed brick, and a patio that runs deep."

    33.7470, -117.8669Walk from stop 3
  5. 120 m~2 min walkhead NE from stop 4
    05

    The Crosby

    "A few blocks north. A red velvet curtain by the door. Live jazz some nights, DJ most nights."

    33.7479, -117.8661Walk from stop 4
  6. 7.9 mi~170 min walkhead SSW from stop 5
    06

    The Wayfarer

    "Costa Mesa, on Newport Boulevard. A live-music venue inside an old industrial bay. Check the marquee for tonight's bill."

    33.6398, -117.9131Walk from stop 5
  7. 1.9 mi~41 min walkhead N from stop 6
    07

    The LAB Anti-Mall

    "Off Bristol. An open-air courtyard built from old factory bones. Find the patio with the fire pits."

    33.6671, -117.9084Walk from stop 6
  8. 6.1 mi~130 min walkhead NNE from stop 7
    08

    Memphis at the Santora

    "Wait — back in Santa Ana for a detour. (Or skip if you've crossed off DTSA.) A Southern kitchen with a bar that runs late."

    33.7479, -117.8678Walk from stop 7
  9. 6.3 mi~136 min walkhead SSW from stop 8
    09

    Pierce Street Annex

    "Costa Mesa stalwart on Newport Boulevard. A pool table, a juke, and a crowd that's been coming since college."

    33.6637, -117.9110Walk from stop 8
  10. 3.8 mi~82 min walkhead SSW from stop 9
    10

    Nellie Gail's at Cassidy's

    "Onto the Newport Peninsula. A hidden Irish pub on Balboa Boulevard with a back room most people never see."

    33.6098, -117.9268Walk from stop 9
  11. 80 m~1 min walkhead SW from stop 10
    11

    Stag Bar

    "Newport Peninsula. The oldest bar in the city. Look for the antlers above the door."

    33.6094, -117.9275Walk from stop 10
  12. 280 m~4 min walkhead SW from stop 11
    12

    Malarky's Irish Pub

    "End the night where the kids end up. A two-story pub on the Peninsula with the longest line at 1:45 am."

    33.6080, -117.9300Walk from stop 11