The best things about living in orange county

Home to approximately 3 million people, Orange County, California, offers an attractive place to live in Southern California. Orange County appeals to individuals and families who seek the quality of life that the area provides with its comfortable climate, diverse entertainment offerings, and dynamic culture. Learn more about the best things to love about living in Orange County.

Attractive Places to Live

• Aliso Viejo: Supporting approximately 50,000 residents, Aliso Viejo has good schools, family-friendly businesses, and public recreation areas in the neighborhood. The median home value is $661,992.
• Irvine: As one of the largest cities in Orange County, Irvine is home to more than 250,000 people. Irvine has many attractive offerings for families, including highly rated elementary schools and more than two dozen community and neighborhood parks. The median home value is $915,859.
• Laguna Beach: Compared to Aliso Viejo and Irvine, Laguna Beach is a relatively small beach town of approximately 20,000 people. If you like accessing a dynamic arts and music culture where you live, Laguna Beach delivers an incomparable experience with its robust slate of summer concerts and arts festivals. The median home value here is $726,379.
• Lake Forest: With approximately 77,000 residents, Lake Forest is an actively growing neighborhood in Orange County. Families with children will appreciate the neighborhood’s new sports park and community center. The median home value is $778,649.
• Los Alamitos: With a population of approximately 11,000 residents, Los Alamitos is one of the smallest neighborhoods in Orange County. Despite being a small community, the median home value is about $1,083,915.

*Note: Median home values reported are current as of late November 2020 per Zillow.com.

Pleasant Weather Throughout the Year

A popular destination for northern snowbirds, Orange County offers residents pleasant weather throughout the year. According to Sperling’s Best Places, Orange County enjoys approximately 278 sunny days per year. During the summer, the average high temperature is about 83, with wintertime lows around 46.

February tends to be the wettest month of the year, with approximately 2.3 inches of rain during the month. The total annual rainfall for Orange County is about 13.5 inches. Autumn is one of the year’s driest seasons, with about 1% of the region’s yearly precipitation taking place during the fall months.

Great Places for Outdoor Recreation

More than two dozen urban and wilderness parks covering more than 39,000 acres await your discovery in Orange County. O’Neill Regional Park, in particular, encompasses more than 4,500 acres in Trabuco and Live Oak Canyon. Coast live oak, sycamore trees, cactus, wild buckwheat, sagebrush, and buckthorn dot the park and hillside landscapes. During the winter and early spring, you can spot the Trabuco and Hickey creeks as they meander their way through the park.

Convenient Access to Fantastic Beaches

If you want an easy way to soak up the sand and sun, Orange County offers convenient access to fantastic beaches. Orange County is home to more than 42 miles of beaches along the stretch of land referred to as the Orange Coast. One of Southern California’s ‘best-kept secrets,’ according to Frommer’s, the Orange Coast’s natural treasures include ‘pristine stretches of sand, tide pools teeming with marine life, ecological preserves, secluded coves, picturesque pleasure-boat harbors, and legendary surf breaks.’

The following beach spots are some of the most popular places to visit along the Orange Coast:

• Aliso Beach: With its gentle waves, tide-pooling spots, and access to fire pits and picnic tables, the sands of Aliso Beach beckon individuals and families to this popular spot along the Pacific Coast Highway South.
• Balboa Beach: Regarded as a swimming beach, Balboa Beach extends from Balboa Pier to the Wedge, a shore break that attracts thrill-seeking bodysurfers.
• Huntington State Beach: The flat, long stretches of this beach are popular among swimmers and surfers. During the evening, you can watch beach bonfires in the concrete fire rings illuminate the beach.
• Newport Beach Municipal Beach: O.C. Weekly recently named this large beach one of the country’s cleanest beaches. During the early mornings, you can purchase freshly caught fish at Dory Fishing Fleet, located at the end of Newport Pier.

Extraordinary Restaurants for Dining

Whether you crave a flavorful steak, classic Italian food, seafood, or tastes of international cuisine, Orange County offers some superb restaurants for dining.

Vine Restaurant & Bar in San Clemente is a contemporary American dining establishment that takes pride in bringing together the highest quality fresh, seasonal ingredients in dishes inspired by the finest culinary traditions. Samplings of specialties include a lemon verbena poached Scottish salmon and pinot noir-braised prime short ribs.

Located in Laguna Beach, Starfish unites Asian cuisine with Southern California style for distinctive dishes that awaken the palate with taste and texture. Representative dishes include spicy ahi tuna rolls, sashimi, and Thai coconut chicken satay.

Engaging Arts and Culture

From visual arts and music to street fairs and festivals, Orange County’s rich arts and cultural heritage remain on display throughout the year. The Festival of Arts of Laguna Beach is a premier fine art show held every summer. Its most famous attraction, the Pageant of the Masters, brings together the worlds of visual artistry and theatrical illusion.

Immerse yourself in the art collections of some of Orange County’s dynamic galleries, such as Mission Fine Art Gallery in San Juan Capistrano, Village Gallery in Irvine, and the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art in Santa Ana. At the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, you can witness entertaining musicals, accomplished classical musicians, and inspirational speakers in dynamic cultural performances and programs.

When you choose to call Orange County home, you can experience the Southern California lifestyle that its longtime residents enjoy. Our attorneys at Lem Garcia Law are proud to serve the Orange County community and provide trusted, compassionate legal representation for individuals with personal injury cases. If you have an attractive Orange County feature that you think we should include in this article, drop us a line and let us know your thoughts.