* Looking for a new neighborhood to explore? Here are a few suggestions, culled from recent stories. Complete stories can be accessed at http://www.calendarlive.com/go/discover.

The Ronald Reagan Federal Building looms over a small but bustling Fiesta Marketplace, on 4th Street near Civic Center in Santa Ana. But don’t let the marketplace’s size fool you: It’s big enough to offer something for everyone, even if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Families stroll and couples walk hand in hand, inspecting bridal shop windows. Small children chase after their mothers, asking for spare change for a treat. Perhaps it’s a churro, freshly peeled fruit, a hot dog or a cold drink. There seems to be a food cart vendor on every corner.

There are intimate restaurants, such as Taqueria Guadalajara (305 E. 4th St., [714] 953-1191; open 7 a.m.-midnight daily), where you’re greeted with the aroma of meat searing on the grill and the constant chatter of customers ordering tacos, conversing and filling their grocery needs.

You can pick up a cake at a family-run bakery, such as Moya’s Bakery (220 E. 4th St., No. 105, [714] 953-0657; open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday) or buy authentic Western wear at El Faisan Mexican Imports and Western Wear (321 E. 4th St., [714] 543-7740; open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily). The store’s two sections are separated by a brick walkway. Half houses men’s cowboy hats, leather vests and brightly colored shirts, and the other half has women’s clothing, such as traditional Mexican dresses.

Looking for a wedding gown? Stop on 4th Street. As you walk down the six-block area between Birch and French streets, you’ll have your pick of bridal shops.

After shopping, you can catch a film at Teatro Fiesta (305 E. 4th. St., [714] 541-4351). It’s a small theater that lacks the amenities of a larger one, but you can see a new release for only $5.50. Children, students with a valid ID and seniors pay $3. Films are subtitled in Spanish.

Getting there: From the Santa Ana Freeway, take the Grand Avenue exit south to 4th Street (about a half-mile), turn west on 4th Street.

San Clemente: Avenida del Mar Has Its Own Charm

San Clemente’s Avenida del Mar is cozy. Old-fashioned shops, complete with awnings, provide a kind of small-town charm that is hard to find. Trees shade benches, cars are angle-parked on the street and pedestrians stroll the sidewalks, window-shopping or restaurant hunting. Parking on Del Mar can be a challenge on weekends, but neighboring streets have space, and nearby Avenida Cabrillo has two public parking lots.

If you do most of your grocery shopping on Sundays and if you’re an early riser, check out San Clemente’s Farmers Market, which runs along a portion of Avenida del Mar, ([949] 361-0735) and is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sundays; rain or shine. It has California-grown fruits and vegetables. All vendors are certified by the Department of Agriculture or have a health permit.

If you’ve slept in and are starting your day with lunch, check out the Shore House Cafe (201 Avenida del Mar, [949] 498-3936, Sunday-Thursday, 7 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 7 a.m.-11 p.m.). Bring a hearty appetite, because even the menu warns you that the cafe serves “enormous portions.”

Getting there: If you’re southbound on Interstate 5, take the Avenida Palizada exit, turn right on Palizada, make a left on El Camino Real, then turn right onto Avenida del Mar. If northbound on I-5, take the Avenida Presidio exit, turn left and go two blocks. Turn right onto El Camino Real, then make a left onto Avenida del Mar.

* A new Discover Orange County will run next Sunday in the Orange County Calendar.