Communities
Dana Point is a city in Orange County, Southern California. Dana Point Harbor, with its marinas and eclectic boutiques, is a jumping off point for dolphin and whale-watching cruises. Surf waves roll onto nearby Doheny State Beach and Salt Creek Beach, which is backed by a grassy park. Trails wind through Dana Point Headlands Conservation Area, which has sweeping ocean views and an interpretive center.
Mission Viejo is a commuter city in the Saddleback Valley in Orange County, California, United States. Mission Viejo is considered one of the largest master-planned communities ever built under a single project in the United States and is rivaled only by Highlands Ranch, Colorado in size.
Ladera Ranch is a master-planned community and census-designated place in southern Orange County, California, just outside the city limits of Mission Viejo.
Trabuco Canyon is a small unincorporated community and census-designated place located in the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains in eastern Orange County, California, and lies partly within the Cleveland National Forest. Trabuco Canyon is north of the city of Rancho Santa Margarita.
Lake Forest’s thriving business community, beautiful parks, and engaged community all contribute to the continued growth of the City and make Lake Forest a great place to live, work, and play.
Rancho Mission Viejo is an active 23,000 acres ranch and farm, habitat reserve, residential community, and census-designated place in South Orange County, California.
Laguna Hills is a city in southern Orange County, California, United States. Its name refers to its proximity to Laguna Canyon and the much older Laguna Beach. Other newer cities nearby—Laguna Niguel and Laguna Woods—are similarly named. The population was 31,374 at the 2020 census.
Irvine is a city in Orange County, California. To the east, Orange County Great Park features an antique carousel and a giant, anchored helium balloon. Visitors can ride the balloon up for aerial views. Trails wind past ancient sycamore trees in Bommer Canyon. The Pretend City Children’s Museum has a kid-size post office, cafe and farm. Impressionist art from around California is displayed at the Irvine Museum.
Laguna Niguel is a city in Orange County, California, United States. The name Laguna Niguel is derived from the words "Laguna" and "Niguili". It also appeared in Spanish records as Nigüili, Nigüel, or Neuil from Juaneño nawil. As of the 2020 census, the population was 64,355.
Rancho Santa Margarita is a city in Orange County, California, United States. One of Orange County's youngest cities, Rancho Santa Margarita is a master-planned community. The population was 47,853 at the 2010 census, up from 47,214 at the 2000 census.
Laguna Beach is a small coastal city in Orange County, California. It’s known for its many art galleries, coves and beaches. Main Beach features tide pools and a boardwalk leading to the paths and gardens of nearby Heisler Park. Aliso Beach Park is a popular surf spot. The waters off Crystal Cove State Park are designated as an underwater park. Trails meander through coastal canyons in Laguna Coast Wilderness Park.
San Clemente is a city in Orange County, California. It's known for San Onofre and San Clemente state beaches, with their surf breaks and sandstone bluffs. Running along the coast, the Beach Trail offers sea views and green parks. Near T-Street Beach, long San Clemente Pier stretches out into the Pacific Ocean. Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens embodies the city's original Spanish-style architecture.
Newport Beach, a coastal city in southern California, is known for its large, boat-filled harbor. Balboa Peninsula has 2 piers, Newport Beach Pier and Balboa Pier, plus the Balboa Fun Zone, an old-school amusement park with a Ferris wheel and ocean views. Local beaches include the Wedge, known for its big waves, and Corona del Mar State Beach. The Orange County Museum of Art exhibits modern and contemporary works.
Huntington Beach is a California city southeast of Los Angeles. It's known for surf beaches, such as Huntington City Beach, with its long Huntington Beach Pier. The International Surfing Museum displays longboards and other memorabilia. Sprawling Huntington Central Park features fields, gardens and lakes, plus an equestrian center. Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve's wetlands and dunes shelter hundreds of bird species.
Costa Mesa is a city in Orange County, California, United States. Since its incorporation in 1953, the city has grown from a semi-rural farming community of 16,840 to an urban area including part of the South Coast Plaza–John Wayne Airport edge city, one of the region's largest commercial clusters, with an economy based on retail, commerce, and light manufacturing. The city is home to the two tallest skyscrapers in Orange County. The population was 111,918 at the 2020 census
Corona del Mar is a seaside neighborhood in the city of Newport Beach, California. It generally consists of all the land on the seaward face of the San Joaquin Hills south of Avocado Avenue to the city limits, as well as the development of Irvine Terrace, just north of Avocado.
