Between New Port & Dana Point (San Diego, Irvine: apartments, rentals, condos)

[mattnorris]

Hello

Im leaving on Dec 1st 2007 from Toronto ON, Canada, and heading to California. The purpose of this trip is to get a feel for all of South California, mainly because I would like to relocate there someday in the near future. I am going to start down by San Diego and work my way up the coast, focussing most of my time in the Newport/Laguna/Dana Point area. Between hotels and vacation homes im looking to stay for about 4 months.

I guess my question is do you have any advice on moving to OC, and what type of person does it take to make such a bold move.

Also i have yet to find much information on places a bit further inland, such a as Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods. If you could help me out with that, well that would be great.

thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you

Matt Norris

[newportbeachsmostwanted]

Price(lowest to highest)-Dana Point, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach.

Mission Viejo is a cozy area built upon large trees. It has a lot of single family homes and a few luxury apartments. Highlights of the city include a man-made lake, Shops at Mission Viejo, Kaliedoscope Mall, Saddleback College, and a relatively short trip to Irvine(10 minutes without traffic).

Laguna Woods is a retirement community for those over the age of 55.

Laguna Hills/Niguel is a mix of older/newer homes. It's a pretty quiet area. The 73 tollroad is the main north/south arterial. (The 73 is efficient, expensive and never jammed.) One thing about Laguna Hills/Niguel is that there isn't too much to do. The general area doesn't have any major highlight that attracts tourists or out-of-towners. The Laguna Hills Mall is on the edge on Laguna Hills, and is nothing that special. Laguna Beach is about ten minutes to the west.

Irvine is an option. There is more things to do there. Irvine Spectrum Center has shops/restaurants. South Coast, Newport, and Costa Mesa are closeby via 405/55/MacAuthur. Verizon Amphitheatre has all the big name concerts from Tom Petty to 50 Cents. The area is general upper-middle class whites and asians. There is a comprehensive path network in Irvine which is great for walks or riding your bike.


Newport Beach has a rentals around the end of the 55 freeway and on the Balboa Penninsula. There's also upscale complexes around Fashion Island. The penninsula is good option due to the fact that you can walk to shops, food, and beach(key). You can also ride your bike along the beach path (something not possible Laguna/Dana Point). There is a collection of bars(from Sharkees(younger crowd) to upscale restaurants and sushi bars(older crowd) that allows Newport to withhold that bit of vibrancy. (if you want to believe this area has any energy at all)

The biggest issue on the penninsula is parking(make sure the landland gives you a parking spot!). Streets and parking gets very crowded(especially during the summer) as every Tom, Dick, and Jane from Costa Mesa is at the beach!

Laguna Beach is far more touristy. The nightlife, in my opinion, is more catered to the older crowd. Traffic can be a pain if you live near downtown. In that case, I would choose Dana Point over Laguna.

If I can be of further assistance, please let me know!

[kimyart]

Hi Matt, I think that it is wonderful and ballzy of you to take a trip like this. It's the only real way to find out what's up. I live in Capistrano Beach and I can tell you anything you want know about this place as I've lived here all my life. The coast is cool and clean all year around. Sometimes the fog comes in and you can here the buey from the harbor (how do you spell buey?)Anyway, the more inland you go, the hotter in summer. San Juan Capistrano is 10 miles inland and gets 10 degrees hotter. Mission Viejo is 20 minutes inland and gets 20 degrees hotter, and so on and so forth. I guess the first thing you have to ask yourself is why are you coming to California. Weather? girls? (we don't look like the girls on bay watch you know). Settle down with your family? Surf nazi? The more you know what you are looking for , the more we can help you.

[mattnorris]

Thank-you so much for the info. I guess the main reason for leaving would have to be because it's always something that i have wanted to do. You only live life once and there is just so much out there to see, and i cant see it living in the same small town my whole life.

There are SO many listings on Craigslist.org for rooms to rent between Newport and San Clemente and allot of them seem like a great fit for me because they are willing to do month to month. And thats perfect because im looking to see, Newport, Laguna, San Clemente, and maybe LA.

- Im 25 year old Canadian looking to live on the coast for around 4 months to start, and if i can stay longer and i like it then i will for sure.

- Im driving my SUV down, so i will have a dependable car while im down there.

- I don't know ANYONE in California, But i just LOVE meeting new people.

After reading those points could you give me your opinion on how you think i will do, and maybe what area i might like the best.

Thank you so much for your time

matt norris

[kimyart]

Well , now you know someone in California ! I grew up in these small towns and got away from here as much as I could to see what else was out there. It's a good thing to do. Lots of folks(the locals) around here never leave. But lots of folks not from here have arrived and the place has filled up a bit. Lots of track homes where the orange groves and cows used to live. Thats ok tho, because it makes for more work to maintain and decorate all those houses. Still not alot to do tho. Bar hopping and movies is it in most of the little towns. LA on the other hand never sleeps, but you can get into alot of trouble there as it is all very available.
Town flavors - Dana Point is the harbor town. They are beginning to spruce it up a bit after years of neglect.
San Juan Capistrano is supposed to be kind of a cowboy town, especially since they ran out all the Indians and turned their neighborhood into a tourist attraction. Lots of hispanics there too. They also turned the hills into condos, so I suppose the cowboys roamed off eventually too. There is still a biker bar there tho.
Laguna Beach is the art colony that has turned into a very elite, expensive, euro flavored , coffee shop kind of town with lots to do and in summer , lots of people to meet. I mean LOTS. It's a town you walk thru rather than hassle with driving. In winter it quiets down and everybody knows everybody's business.
Laguna Niguel is just condos and houses. Laguna Woods is senior citizens. Newport is spread out a bit, lots of mercedes and lexus's . I was never that impressed with the town tho. Newport has a fancy harbor. OH, and the outdoor mall. I like to call it Facsiast Island, but it's actually pretty neat.
Balboa Island is neat fun. There is a boardwalk, rides, girls in summer. clubs. a ferry. shops. boats.
Need more?

[mattnorris]

Kim you have been SO helpful, thank you so much. It's so nice to receive the help and support i am looking for, so thank's again.

I guess if i had to put it in order i would have to put the Laguna's at the top of my list.

Laguna Beach is probably what im looking at the most. You said it slows down in the winter and that actually is totally ok with me. Im not looking to "vacation" on this trip, im looking to actually live the life of a californian, and see how it suits me.

Since i will have my car with me on this trip then places around Laguna Beach also work for me as well. What are your thoughts on places like Laguna Niguel, Laguna Hills, Mission Viejo, and Aliso Viejo.

thanks again for everything, your advice really means allot.

I look forward to hearing back from you.

Take Care

Matt Norris

[Dennis P]

Originally Posted by kimyart

(how do you spell buey?)

You must mean "buoy," right? I'm someone who has a never-ending fascination with words, their origins and meanings. Also, I use the latest version of Firefox which has a built-in spellcheck.

[EricJess123]

Well Laguna Niguel is an awsome town, I would not consider it inland beacause you can see the ocean from many parts of Laguna Niguel, Laguna Niguel does not have its own beach in less you consider Monarch to be Laguna Niguel's but im pretty sure its Dana Point, Now MV is great, has a good size manmade lake, where you can take the boat around if you live in the community I live in a unincorparted city called Ladera Ranch about 6.5 miles from Mission Viejo Lake and about 7 miles to San Jaun Capistrano, I love Ladera Ranch as do I Coto De Caza Exept Coto Has to Many Rules that were my wife lives in Coto in my other home (we are leggaly separted at the time) and then theres Lake Forest A.k.a El Toro it is an alright averge city well for South County beutiful but for me its to much like Irvine, Irvine Bothers me because of its Planned Community if I were looking to buy in Lake Forest I would go for Foothill Ranch which is a commuinity annexed into Lake Forest, Then there's Laguna Hills which is more inland then Laguna Niguel but has better bang for your buck, it has great schools out of all the city besides Ladera Ranch I would go for Laguna Niguel or Maybe Coto De Caza Good Luck, EJ from Ladera