Is there enough happening there to make it worth spending a few days?

Costa Mesa is pretty boring. Not that it's bad, but it's really just a bedroom community in Orange County. There are waaay better places to visit in OC: Newport Beach or Laguna Beach, for starters. Nothing but houses & a mall off the 405 in Costa Mesa.

There's also a lively political scene from time to time in CM, with elected officials busted for soliciting paid female companionship along Harbor Blvd. Doh!

If you enjoy shopping, there's an upscale mall -- South Coast Plaza. Other than that, the only reason to spend a few days there is if you plan to use it as a base for day trips to L.A. or San Diego.

I agree. Boorrring for more than 1 day - not a destination. If you are from a small town/midwest, the large, upscale mall has world class shopping boutiques (think Rodeo Drive). Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, San Diego, LA, Santa Barbara are all more interesting. CM does have an upscale performing arts center and some sophisticated dining nearby. The very best fine dining in all of OC, and consistently one of the best in all of SoCal (including LA) is Troquet (714)708-6865, a formal French restaurant surprisingly located inside the upscale mall, but completely transformed inside (and not by a "mall" mall but alone on the 3rd floor just up from a Channel boutique).Much has been written about the restaurant and the owners/chefs (check LATimes magazine).

However, John Wayne Airport in Costa Mesa is a wonderfully efficient, clean, uncrowded classy airport. I always recommend it to friends fly to avoid the LAX nightmare -- unless they are staying in Santa Monica or downtown LA. For any other LA/SoCal travel it is WAY WAY worth an extra 20-35 min drive time to fly into Costa Mesa and save 2+ hours of LAX parking/traffic delays and general LAX rudeness and stress.

No. Costa Mesa has nothing to offer other than it's close to Newport, Huntington, & Laguna Beaches