Located in the world-famous Orange County along the southern coast of the state, Aliso Viejo, California, is home to a population of more than 40,000, as of 2007 estimates. Residents in the city average a median household income of $92,280, making it a wealthy area. The city was officially incorporated in 2001. It lies just down the road from Laguna Beach, where residents can enjoy the sand and the sun, and is about 60 miles south of the Hollywood/Los Angeles area.
The landscape of the city is quite varied, with views ranging from mountains and streams to cityscapes and parks. A big draw for those who enjoy spending some time outdoors in the balmy Southern California weather is Aliso And Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, a large expanse that stretches north from Laguna Hills down south to the shores at South Laguna. The recently constructed Renaissance ClubSport is a $65 million property providing relaxation and workout space.
The city is home to the headquarters of such companies as Buy.com, Ketel One, Quest Software, Pacific Life, And1, Valeant and more. The Aliso Viejo Town Center includes a movie theater, a variety of restaurants and some stores and boutiques. Annual events include Fall Harvest Santa's Arrival & Holiday Tree Lighting, the Spring Egg Hunt & Pancake Breakfast and the annual summer concerts in the park, all held at Grand Park. The 18-hole Aliso Viejo Resort & Golf Club is a popular destination as well, and ice skating can be enjoyed at Aliso Viejo Ice Palace.
Students in the area are served by Capistrano Unified School District, which includes here four elementary schools, two middle schools and a high school. There also are two private secondary schools, St. Mary and All Angels School and Aliso Viejo Christian School, and a university, Soka University of America. More than two dozen classes and leagues are provided to residents by the Aliso Viejo Community Association. Health care centers include Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center, Hoag Health Center and South Coast Health Center.
Coto de Caza Real Estate Homes For sale
A smaller census-designated place, Coto de Caza, California, is a guard-gated private community in southern Orange County. The suburban community is home to a population estimated to be at around 13,000, as of 2000 census figures. The city is a planned community of about 4,000 homes, and is one of the area's oldest and most expensive master-planned communities, with an estimated median household income in 2007 of more than $170,000. The city is located about 20 minutes from Interstate 5 and five minutes from the 241 toll road to Irvine and Riverside County, and just over an hour south of Los Angeles, slightly inland from the state's coast along the Pacific Ocean.
The community's construction began in 1968, where it actually began with plans of becoming a hunting lodge. It was completed in 2003, but there are still several lots for sell for development. Coto de Caza and some of its residents are also infamous as the town was the setting for the reality TV show, "The Real Housewives of Orange County," on Bravo.
Students in the city attend institutions in the Capistrano Unified School District: Wagonwheel and Tijeras Creek elementaries, Las Flores Middle School and Tesoro High School. There are also several private schools: Santa Margarita Catholic High School (located with the gates of the community), St. John's Episcopal School and Serra Catholic Schools (both located just outside the community gates.
There are two clubhouses in the city. The newer clubhouse, the Coto De Caza Golf & Racquet Club, includes two 18-hole golf courses and nine tennis courts and is the setting for the Rider's Cup Celebrity Golf Tournament. Thomas F. Riley Wilderness Park surrounds the city on its northern, southern and eastern borders and is usually open to the general public. Professional, scientific, and technical services, finance and insurance and education are the industries in which the most of the city's residents find employment.
Dana Point Real Estate Homes For sale
One of southern Orange County's smaller cities, Dana Point, California, is home to a population of just over 35,000, as of 2000 census figures. It is notable throughout the region as the home of one of the few harbors in operation along the Orange County coast. It is bordered by Laguna Beach to the northwest, the Pacific Ocean to the south, Laguna Niguel to the north, San Juan Capistrano to the northeast and San Clemente to the east. The city's median household income is just over $80,000 and the city motto is “Harboring the Good Life.”The city was incorporated in January 1989, and is named after Richard Henry Dana Jr., an author who once described the area as “the most romantic spot on the California Coast.” It lies about halfway between San Diego and Los Angeles and encompasses an area of about 6.5 square miles, with about seven miles of bluffs and hills along the Pacific Coast.
Students attend schools within the Capistrano Unified School District, which includes its own high school, Dana Hills High School. There is no shortage of things to see and do here. Festivals like the Festival of Whales in March, the Turkey Trot in November, a 4th of July fireworks show, the Tall Ships Festival in September and the Doheny Blues Festival in summer are celebrated and bring out a number of visitors and revelers.
There are nearly 2,000 hotel rooms for visitors to choose from, and more than 50 boutiques and restaurants. Two yacht clubs, the OC Sailing and Events Center, and Monarch Beach Golf Links and St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort provide other recreational opportunities. Catalina Island can be reached by a short boat ride. The Ocean Institute is a nonprofit educational center that operates the ships the Pilgrim and the Spirit of Dana Point and offers a number of educational tours and information.
Irvine Real Estate Homes for sale
Found in the southern part of Orange County, located about 40 miles south of Los Angeles, the city of Irvine, California, is a city of more than 212,00 residents, as of 2009 population estimates. It was incorporated in 1971, and encompasses an area of nearly 70 square miles. The city was inhabited by Mexican citizens after the country declared its independence from Spain in the mid-1800s. Parts of it were then sold to a man named James Irvine, for whom the town gets its name. Two military bases were built around the area during World War II, accounting for much of its growth and development.Irvine's City Council is made up of the mayor and four city council members. The top employers within the city are the University of California, Irvine, with more than 7,500; Irvine Unified School District, with nearly 4,000; St. John Knits clothing company and Irvine Company real estate, both with more than 2,500; and Parker Hannifin aircraft and Allergan pharmaceuticals, both with nearly 2,000 employees each. There are over two dozen companies headquartered here, included those such as Linksys, Taco Bell and Mossimo Corp.
The city is probably best known as the home to the University of California, Irvine, a research university with more than 20,000 students. In addition, however, the city is home also to Concordia University, Irvine Valley College, the Orange County Center of the University of Southern California, and the Irvine campuses of Alliant International University, California State University Fullerton and Pepperdine University. Most children attend public schools in the Irvine Unified School District, with four high schools, though parts of the north and west of the city fall in the Tustin Unified School District.
Three public libraries cater to city residents: Heritage Park Regional Library, University Park Library, and Katie Wheeler Library. The Irvine Global Village Festival is held each year to celebrate the diversity of the community. There are 20 community parks and a number of smaller village parks for residents to enjoy as well as nearly 50 miles of off-road cycling trails and almost 300 miles of on-road lanes. Transportation in Irvine is provided by the Orange County Transportation Authority, which operates several local bus routes. A commuter rail service has stops at the Irvine and Tustin stations of the Metrolink Orange County Line and the IEOC Line. The city also recently began offering its own bus service, named iShuttle, which provides three routes connecting the Tustin Metrolink station to the Irvine Business Complex area and John Wayne Airport.
Lake Forest Real Estate Information
Currently the most densely populated city in Orange County, the city of Lake Forest, California, is home to a population of nearly 80,000 as of 2009 estimates, enough to give it a ratio of more than 6,000 residents per square mile. It is notable for receiving multiple honors as as one of the safest cities in America and was incorporated in 1991. The city is located about 45 miles south of Los Angeles in the Saddleback Valley.There are two man-made lakes in the city dotted with condos and homes along the shores, and this is where the city's name is derived. Lake Forest's median household income is just over $86,000. It is situated adjacent to the intersection of Interstate 5 and 405 Freeways, and the Foothill and Eastern Transportation Corridors, meaning residents can easily gain access into other areas of Southern California. The Orange County Airport and an Amtrak station are located within minutes' reach.
Lake Forest is home to 20 public parks and the Whiting Ranch Regional Wilderness Park. The Lake Forest Beach and Tennis Club and Sun and Sail Club offer members such amenities as swimming pools, saunas, tennis courts, gyms and more. There are free summer concerts held in the parks, and theater productions and other events are held at Heritage Hill Historical Park. Etnies Skatepark provides a place for those interested in skateboarding to practice some moves. Two libraries of the Orange County Public Library operate here.
Development, technology, manufacturing and retail are some of the major industries in Lake Forest, with companies like Oakley, Wet Seal, Onyx Acceptance Corp., Black & Decker, Western Digital and Pacific Life Insurance having major operations in the city. Students attending public school will go to educational institutions in the Saddleback Valley Unified School District, which includes one high school, one middle school and seven elementary schools.
Mission Viejo Real Estate Homes For sale
Nestled in the southern half of Orange County, Mission Viejo, California, is a beautiful master-planned community situated in the Saddleback Valley. It is one of the largest master-planned communities ever constructed at one time in the U.S. Mission Viejo is home to a population of more than 100,000, as of estimates in 2009, and it has been named one of the safest large cities in the nation, according to a 2007 Morgan Quitno crime survey.The city is suburban and is primarily residential, although there are some smaller businesses and offices found here. The median household income here is $92,614. Mission Viejo derives its name from Rancho Mission Viejo, a Spanish land grant that the community was founded upon. Residents can receive medical attention at Mission Hospital, the area's largest. Malls and retail centers in Mission Viejo include The Shops at Mission Viejo, Gateway Shopping Center, Market on the Lake Shopping Center and Mission Viejo Mall Shopping Center.
Three golf courses, The Mission Viejo Country Club, Casta del Sol Golf Course and the Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club, provide golf enthusiasts a number of options, and the Norman P. Murry Community and Senior Center offers an array of activities and events. The city's center is home to Lake Mission Viejo, a man-made lake with boat rentals and beaches to enjoy. The Mission Viejo Youth Athletic Park is the site of eight baseball fields and five soccer fields.
Saddleback College is a large two-year community college in the southern part of the city. The University of California, Irvine, Chapman University and Soka University of America are also all located nearby and easily accessible by residents. The city is served by two school districts, the Capistrano Unified and Saddleback Valley Unified School Districts, which include here more than a dozen elementary schools, three middle schools and four high schools.
