Getting to Know The Orange Coast 


The Orange Coast is the string of cities and neighborhoods fronting the Pacific Coast in Orange County, California.The Orange Coast cities include Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Newport Coast, Newport Beach, Balboa Island, Balboa Peninsula, Corona del Mar, Irvine, Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, San Juan Capistrano, Monarch Beach, Crystal Cove, Capistrano Beach, Dana Pointand San Clemente .

The term South Coast is often used synonymously for the coastal communities south of Long Beach, and especially for those areas south of the Santa Ana River(although there exist many other definitions and common uses of South Coast). Many local businesses and institutions have adopted these names, such as Orange Coast College, the Orange Coast Daily Pilot, South Coast Repertory and South Coast Plaza (all based in Costa Mesa). In household use, however, they may simply referred to as "the beach cities."This area has been described as the Gold Coast of Orange County.
 
You'll most likely be exploring the coast by car, so the beach communities are covered in order, from north to south. Keep in mind, however, that if you're traveling between Los Angeles and San Diego, the Pacific Coast Highway (Calif. 1) is a breezy scenic detour that adds less than an hour to the commute -- so pick out a couple of seaside destinations and take your time.

Seal Beach, on the border between Los Angeles and Orange counties and a neighbor to Long Beach's Naples Harbor, is geographically isolated by both the adjacent U.S. Naval Weapons Station and the self-contained Leisure World retirement community. As a result, the beach town appears untouched by modern development -- it's Orange County's version of small-town America. Take a stroll down Main Street for a walk back in time, culminating in the Seal Beach Pier. Although the clusters of sunbathing, squawking seals that gave the town its name aren't around any more, old-timers still fish, lovers still stroll, and families still cavort by the seaside, enjoying great food and retail shops or having a cold drink at Hennessey's tavern.

Huntington Beach -- or "Surf City" as it's known -- is the largest Orange Coast city; it stretches quite a ways inland and has seen the most urbanization. To some extent this has changed the old boardwalk and pier to a modern outdoor mall where cliques of teens coexist with families and the surfers who continue to flock here, drawn by Huntington's legendary place in surf lore. Hawaiian-born George Freeth is credited with bringing the sport here in 1907, and some say the breaks around the pier and Bolsa Chica are the best in California. The world's top wave riders flock to Huntington each August for the rowdy but professional U.S. Open of Surfing. If you're around at Christmastime, try to see the gaily decorated marina homes and boats in Huntington Harbor by taking the Cruise of Lights, a 45-minute narrated sail through and around the harbor islands. The festivities generally last from mid-December until Christmas; call tel. 714/840-7542 for schedules and ticket information.

The name Newport Beach conjures comparisons to Rhode Island's Newport, where the well-to-do enjoy seaside living with all the creature comforts. That's the way it is here, too, but on a less grandiose scale. From the million-dollar Cape Cod-style cottages on sunny Balboa Island to elegant shopping complexes like Fashion Island and South Coast Plaza (an über-mall with valet parking, car detailing, limo service, and concierge), this is where fashionable socialites, right-wing celebrities, and business mavens can all be found. Alternatively, you could explore Balboa Peninsula's historic Pavilion and old-fashioned pier or board a passenger ferry to Catalina Island.

Laguna Beach, whose geography is marked by bold elevated headlands, coastal bluffs, pocket coves, and a very inviting beach, is known as an artists' enclave, but the truth is that Laguna has became so "in" (read: expensive) that it's driven most of the true bohemians out. Their legacy remains with the annual Festival of Arts and Pageant of the Masters (see "A Special Arts Festival," above), as well as a proliferation of galleries mingling with high-priced boutiques along the town's streets. In warm weather, Laguna Beach has an overwhelming Mediterranean-island ambience, which makes everyone feel beautifully, idly rich.

San Juan Capistrano, in the verdant headlands inland from Dana Point, is defined by Spanish Missions and its loyal swallows. The Mission architecture is authentic, and history abounds. Think of San Juan Capistrano as a compact, life-size diorama illustrating the evolution of a small Western town -- from Spanish-Mission era to rancho period, statehood, and into the 21st century. Surprisingly, Mission San Juan Capistrano is once again the center of the community, just as the founding friars intended 200 years ago.

Dana Point, the last town south, has been called a "marina development in search of a soul." Overlooking the harbor stands a monument to 19th-century author Richard Henry Dana, who gave his name to the area and described it in Two Years Before the Mast. Activities generally center on yachting and Dana Point's beautiful harbor. Nautical themes are everywhere, particularly the streets named for old-fashioned shipboard lights -- a hodgepodge that includes Street of the Amber Lantern, Street of the Violet Lantern, Street of the Golden Lantern, and so on. Bordering the harbor is Doheny State Beach, which wrote the book on seaside park and camping facilities.

 Orange Coast Websites that may be of interest

Orange Coast Yachts - www.orangecoastyachts.com
Orange Coast Computer - www.orangecoastcomputer.com
Orange Coast Funding - www.orangecoastfunding.com
Orange Coast Carpet Care - www.orangecoastcarpetcare.com
Orange Coast Insure - www.orangecoastinsure.com
Orange Coast Restaurants - www.orangecoastrestaurants.com
Orange Coast Advertising - www.orangecoastadvertising.com
Orange Coast News - www.OrangeCoastNews.com
Orange Coast College - orangecoastcollege.edu
Orange Coast Properties - www.orangecoastproperties.net



--- OC Mom Magazine - the online magazine for Moms in Orange County

--- OC Executive - The Executive Lifestyle Magazine of Orange County