August 24, 2021

The Most Popular Shopping Destination in Costa Mesa

Imagine this: Hundreds of designer shops and boutiques, carousel attractions, a museum of art, and plenty of restaurants—all in one chic shopping center. You can find all of this and a beautiful environment at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, California. 

If you’re looking for a great new place to go shopping, South Coast Plaza might be just the place for you. It’s our favorite shopping destination in Orange County. Here are three reasons why we love shopping here over anywhere else.

Contemporary Boutiques 

South Coast Plaza is known for its collection of 250 luxury and contemporary shops, and they are always adding new ones. Whether you’re shopping for yourself, a friend, your kids, or another loved one, you’ll have endless options to choose from. South Coast Plaza offers boutiques in almost every shopping category you can think of: 

  • Women’s and Men’s Fashion
  • Active and Sport
  • Eyewear
  • Gifts, Books, and Stationery
  • Children’s Fashion
  • Luggage
  • Jewelry and Timepieces
  • Beauty
  • And more!

Not only do they now offer in-person shopping, but they also have health and safety measures in place to ensure a great experience for everyone. They encourage everyone to wear face coverings, offer hand sanitizer stations throughout the center, regularly clean high-touch surfaces, and have paused a few of their amenities that require high contact with others.  

Restaurants with Onsite Dining, Takeout, and Delivery

On top of hundreds of shops, South Coast Plaza also has 30 restaurants. You may have heard of a few of them! Some of our favorites include the following: 

  • Blue Box Cafe
  • The Capital Grille
  • Morton’s The Steakhouse
  • Corner Bakery
  • Din Tai Fung
  • Maggiano’s Little Italy
  • Philz Coffee

Whether you want to sit down and enjoy a full meal or just want a snack as you walk through the mall, you have more than enough restaurants to choose from that are sure to make your mouth water. Plus, all of these restaurants also offer takeout and delivery services if you aren’t comfortable with sitting in a restaurant just yet. No matter what you choose, your stomach will thank you for choosing to eat at South Coast Plaza!

Carousel Rides

One of our favorite things about South Coast Plaza has nothing to do with a typical shopping center: their carousels. We couldn’t be more excited that they are open again! Generations of families have enjoyed a ride on the plaza’s carousels since they first opened on March 15, 1967. Located in what’s known as Carousel Court next to Crate & Barrel and Macy’s, the carousel is open during all center hours to provide some extra magic for you and your family. 

What we love most about the South Coast Plaza Carousel is that it changes with the seasons! It remains the only carousel in California that regularly changes its sets of animals. Based on when you might visit the shopping center, you’ll find a carousel of horses, bunnies, or even reindeer.

South Coast Plaza is truly a wonderful place to spend an afternoon, with plenty of places to shop, destinations to eat, and things to do. And at Eastside Apartment Homes , we’re only a short drive away. If you’re considering making Costa Mesa your home, come take a tour of our beautiful homes. With fun activities and sites like South Coast Plaza in the area, we know you will love it here. 

Photo credit: South Coast Plaza

Improve Your VIP Experience: Flexible Ways to Pay Rent and Build Credit at Eastside Apartments

April 15, 2026
At  Eastside Apartments  , we are committed to providing our VIPs with the best tools to manage their apartment homes effortlessly. We want to highlight the various ways you can handle your monthly rent, including some exciting benefits that help you build your financial future just by living with us. 1. The AppFolio Resident Portal App The easiest way to manage your living experience is through the AppFolio app. It is a one-stop shop for your most frequent needs: Convenient Payments: Set up one-time or automatic payments using a bank account (e-check), credit card, or debit card. Split Payments with Flex: We have integrated Flex directly into your AppFolio app. This service allows you to split your rent into two payments throughout the month. Flex pays your rent to us in full and on time, while you pay them back on a schedule that fits your cash flow. Full Transparency: View your current balance, previous statements, and full payment history anytime. 2. Build Your Credit for Free with Pinata Your consistent rent payments should work for you. We are proud to offer Free Positive Rent Payment Reporting to major credit bureaus through our partner, Pinata. How it works: You will receive an email invitation from Pinata to sign up for this service. Once you are enrolled, your on-time payments are reported to the credit bureaus. The Benefit: This helps you build your credit score over time without any extra cost. It is our way of rewarding your reliability and helping you reach your long-term financial goals. (Please note: we do not utilize any resident reward or marketplace features through Pinata; this service is strictly for your credit reporting benefit.) 3. More Ways the App Helps You Beyond payments, the AppFolio app remains your primary tool for staying connected with our Eastside Costa Mesa community. You can: Submit Maintenance Requests: Easily upload photos and descriptions of any needed repairs. Manage Renter's Insurance: Access your policy or update your provider details. Stay Informed: Contact the office via text or phone, update your contact preferences, and access your lease documents. At  Eastside Apartments  , we treat every resident like a VIP. Whether you are looking for more flexibility with Flex or looking to boost your credit score through Pinata, we are here to support your lifestyle.

Celebrate the 2023 Holidays in Costa Mesa, CA!

November 16, 2023
Fun holiday activities, plenty of great shopping, and opportunities to volunteer abound during this time of year! Here’s what’s going on in and around Costa Mesa, CA, this year.
Woman carrying her cat

Four Tips for Apartment Living with Pets

By Marketing - • September 16, 2021
Did you know that pets can improve your health and overall well-being? According to the CDC, pets can decrease blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and feelings of loneliness.