Page 86 - 2025-2026 Travel Guide to California

ORANGE COUNTY
Beyond magnificent beaches and Mickey Mouse
lies a rich melting pot with artistic energy
B Y C H R I S T I N E D E L S O L
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
travelsantaana.com
surfcityusa.com
destinationirvine.com
visitlagunabeach.com
visitnewportbeach.com
sanjuancapistrano.org
POPULATION
3,105,000
ORANGE
COUNTY
Days 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 per-
sonalities. 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 among the largest Vietnamese com-
munities 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
84 2025-26 TRAVEL GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA