84 2024-25 TRAVEL GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA
B Y C H R I S T I N E D E L S O L
D
ays when Disneyland, 42 miles of idyllic beaches and swaths of
orange groves were all that lifted "The O.C." out of Los Angeles'
shadow are long gone. Orange County today is a diverse collection of
cities counting famous surf breaks, historic missions, art colonies and
scenic marinas among its attractions.
While beach towns—from surf-centric Huntington Beach to tony New-
port to artsy Laguna to serene San Clemente—still embody the casual,
creative California of popular imagination, inland cities have grown into
shopping, entertainment and sports meccas. Irvine—encompassing a Uni-
versity of California campus, the evolving Orange County Great Park and
several "villages"—was the vanguard of a trend toward master-planned
communities in recent decades.
Defying the suburban stereotype, Orange County cities possess distinct
personalities. Even Anaheim, with its modern convention center, revival of
the historic Center Street Promenade commerce district, and bustling
Packing District, has distinguished itself from the Magic Kingdom. About 30
percent of OC residents hail from another country, and English is a second
language for more than 45 percent; Little Saigon is the largest Vietnamese
community outside of Vietnam. A true melting pot, the county hosts a
dizzying array of international food, festivals, markets and cultural events.
Performance venues such as the Segerstrom Center for the Arts and the
South Coast Repertory are sprinkled throughout the county. Destination shop-
ping malls, including Irvine Spectrum, Costa Mesa's South Coast Plaza and
ORANGE
COUNTY
TOP CITIES
Anaheim, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Fullerton,
Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Irvine,
Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, Orange,
San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, San Clemente
INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY
John Wayne/Orange County Airport (SNA),
located at the juncture of Costa Mesa,
Santa Ana and Newport Beach near I-405
TOURISM WEBSITES
travelcostamesa.com/visittheoc
visitanaheim.org
visitbuenapark.com
travelcostamesa.com
surfcityusa.com
destinationirvine.com
visitlagunabeach.com
visitnewportbeach.com
sanjuancapistrano.org
POPULATION
3,170,000
ORANGE COUNTY
Find exquisite beaches, diverse cities and thriving
art scenes in this Southern California county
