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Buena Park is located in northern Orange County and has a population of about 84,000. The city is solidly middle class with neighborhoods of small midcentury homes. Buena Park is located near the 5 and 91 freeways, making it a good hometown for commuters. Because it’s farther from the coast than most other cities in Orange County, high temperatures can make Buena Park an uncomfortable place to be in summer and fall. Luckily the beach is easily accessible with about a 15 mile drive down Beach Blvd.

Buena Park is best known for its “E-Zone” district where several entertainment venues are available along a short stretch of Beach Blvd. The most notable of these venues is Knott’s Berry Farm. This theme park is often compared to Disneyland, which is only about 10 miles away. Although the two parks were created around the same time in the 1950s, they have distinct characters.

Many people favor Knott’s Berry Farm because it has true roller coaster and thrill rides and has less of a corporate feel than Disneyland. Its origins as a fruit stand in rural Buena Park are still in evidence, including a very popular restaurant that has served chicken dinners and boysenberry pie since the park opened. Knott’s also runs an adjacent water park called Soak City. Two other nearby venues that are independent from Knott’s are Medieval Times and Pirate’s Adventure. These are both dinner theaters that provide an immersive entertainment experience.

For residents of Southern California, Buena Park has always been known as one of the best places for fun and entertainment in the area.

Stanton is a small city of 39,000 located south of Buena Park in the northwestern region of Orange County. It’s small (about 3 square miles) and surrounded on all sides by other cities, including Cypress, Anaheim and Garden Grove. Knott’s Berry Farm and other entertainment venues on Beach Blvd in Buena Park are only a couple of miles away, but Stanton in itself has no real landmarks that set it apart from its neighbors. There is a small amusement park on Beach Blvd in Stanton called Adventure City, but it’s overshadowed by the proximity of Knott’s.

Many of the streets in Stanton have a weathered and rundown appearance. There has been a recent effort by the city of Stanton to upgrade some of the small parks within its borders, but empty businesses and older strip malls detract from efforts to beautify the city.

According to U.S. Census figures, 20% of the population of Stanton has an income below the poverty line. Graffiti and illegal dumping is an issue in Stanton and some residents have created unofficial city websites documenting the issues. These websites also promote the feeling that city officials are overpaid when compared to the service they are delivering to the city.

Sharon Lane is part of a small community of about 50 homes located near Beach Blvd and Ellis Avenue in Huntington Beach. Sharon Lane forms one side of a square of streets that also includes Lori Drive, Alice Lane and Connie Drive. In the center of the rectangle are two tennis courts, a community pool and a clubhouse. The homes in this community are over 2,000 square feet in size and detached. Instead of having individual yards they share common landscaped areas.

To the west of the community is a small park called Terry Park. The businesses of Beach Blvd are to the west, with a car dealership backing onto the community. The dealership is large enough that it doesn’t really cause noise problems but instead serves as a buffer for the traffic noises from busy Beach Blvd. The 5 Points shopping center is located near Sharon Lane. Central Park and Central Library are also nearby. Huntington City Beach is two miles away via Beach Blvd.

Although I’ve lived in Huntington Beach for over 20 years but I wasn’t aware of this little community until I visited some friends who live there. I was surprised by its peaceful atmosphere since it’s so close to Beach Blvd. My friends have lived there for several years and enjoy the closeness of their neighbors and the amenities they share. They like having the benefits of tennis courts, yard and pool without all the upkeep.

Park Avenue is a most unique street in the most unique town of Laguna Beach. Park begins in the central shopping area of Laguna, a few blocks from the coast, and climbs to an elevation of about 1,000 feet in less than 2 miles.

Park initially climbs up through streets of small beach cottages and passes by Laguna Beach High School (the school that was featured in MTV’s Laguna Beach reality show). Past the high school, Park Avenue takes a turn just past the high school and then really starts to climb as it makes its way to the area of town known as Top of the World. Side streets give way to steep canyon walls. Park takes a sharp climbing turn and again passes by houses, only this time they are large custom-built homes perched on the steep hillside leading down from the canyon. Stunning views of the ocean and town spread out below. Park Avenue ends at Alta Laguna Blvd at the Top of the World.

Park Avenue has become popular for skateboarders who travel down the street at breakneck speed. Motorists on Park are advised to look out for both skateboarders and the deer that sometimes wander onto the road from the wilderness area adjacent to the canyon.

Labrador Drive is a residential street in the northern portion of Costa Mesa. It’s conveniently located near the busy commercial district on Harbor Blvd, but far enough away to be safe and quiet. South Coast Plaza, one of the premier shopping centers in the country, is just a few miles north of Labrador Drive. A short distance to the south is the Orange County Fairgrounds.

Labrador Drive is part of a large neighborhood of houses bounded by Adams Avenue, Harbor Blvd, the Santa Ana River and the 405 freeway. As the crow flies, Labrador is less than 4 miles from the ocean and enjoys cool ocean breezes. Both Huntington Beach State Beach and Newport Beach are easily accessible.

There are several small neighborhood parks near Labrador, including Smallwood Park, Estancia Park and Mesa Verde Park. The Mesa Verde golf course and Country Club are located less than a quarter mile away. A slight distance away are Costa Mesa Golf Course and Fairview Park, a large semi-developed park that’s great for picnics, hiking, horseback riding, biking, kite flying and model plane flying.

The homes on Labrador are small single-story houses built in the 1960s. Most are well-kept up and have attractive yards. The proximity of shopping, parks and the beach, combine to make Labrador a great place to live.

If you’re interested in shopping in Huntington Beach, then you should visit Edinger Avenue. The Bella Terra shopping center is located on Edinger near the intersection of Beach Blvd and the 405 freeway. Ever since this new outdoor shopping and entertainment center replaced the outdated indoor Huntington Mall, it has become a magnet for residents of Huntington Beach and surrounding cities. Bella Terra features a theater complex, large stores, small boutiques, and a variety of dining choices. Weekly free concerts are held in the center’s small amphitheatre.

Located directly to the west of Bella Terra on Edinger Avenue is Golden West Community College. Due to the college’s low tuition, many local students complete their first two years of college at Golden West. It’s also a great place to complete a certification program in a skilled trade. About 14,000 students attend Golden West college. The campus is medium-sized and is easily accessible from either Edinger Avenue or Goldenwest Street.

Continuing west, Edinger Avenue passes through a neighborhood of well kept homes built in the 1960s and then a neighborhood of small business and light industrial companies. The large Boeing facility is located just to the north. Edinger ends two miles from Golden West College at the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station.

The most well-known area of Seal Beach is Main Street, which begins at the city’s wooden pier. The city of Seal Beach has maintained this area over the years so that a total renovation of the type done in Huntington Beach hasn’t been required. Along the tree-lined street are restaurants and souvenir stores that have an old-time feel.

At the coast, Main Street is crossed by Ocean Avenue. Eisenhower Park provides a strip of landscaped grass above the beach parking lot, a unique touch among all the beaches in Orange County. Cozy beach cottages on Ocean Avenue enjoy views of the beach and ocean. On either side of the beach parking lot, the houses line both sides of Ocean Avenue. South of the pier, a large sand bunker has been built up to protect the homes along the narrow beach from high surf.

The Red Car Museum is located in an old Pacific Electric train car located in Electric Avenue Median Park on Main Street. It pays tribute to the 40-mile long electric railroad that once ran between Los Angeles and the coast. The Mary Wilson Library is also located in the park.

The beach experience at Seal Beach is different from other beaches in Orange County. The beach is narrow and only a mile long, limited by channels on each end. It’s a popular location for surfing, windsurfing, kite flying and hosts fun events like an annual sand castle festival.

Seal Beach is a beach town located in the northwest corner of Orange County. The population of Seal Beach is about 24,000. Sandwiched between the larger cities of Huntington Beach and Long Beach, Seal Beach has managed to maintain its own unique small-town identity.

Seal Beach is home to Leisure World, a gated community for senior citizens. With 9,000 residents, Leisure World represents a major portion of the population of Seal Beach. Seal Beach also contains the Naval Weapons Station, a series of large seemingly vacant fields that contain bunkers of hidden weapons and munitions. The Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge is located within the Naval Weapons Station but is only open for guided tours.

The main coastal neighborhood in Seal Beach is known as Old Town. This area has retained its traditional beach charm. It’s home to the longest wooden pier in Orange County and to restaurants and shops located along Main Street. Ruby’s Diner at the end of the pier is a great place to eat with a nostalgic theme. Seal Beach is very popular for surfing, swimming, fishing, kite flying, bike riding and other beach activities.

Seal Beach has one of the most accessible downtown beach areas. There are a variety of community events held throughout the year in Seal Beach. Neighborhoods in the Old Town area have a lot of beach charm that comes with a high price tag.

Lincoln Avenue is a long street that extends in an east/west direction through several cities in Orange County. At its western end, it begins at the 605 freeway in the Los Angeles County city of Hawaiian Gardens. It ends about 15 miles to the west in Anaheim Hills, where its name changes to East Nohl Ranch Rd after crossing the 55 freeway.

The section of the street between the San Gabriel River and Valley View Avenue in Cypress is the most unique part of the street. After passing over the concrete river bed, Lincoln passes the entrance to a large mobile home park on the left. On the right is Forest Lawn Memorial Park, a large cemetery that’s part of a Southern California chain. From Lincoln Avenue you can see a large fountain and imposing Southern-style mansion that is actually the mortuary. Forest Lawn encourages visitor to come and see the pieces of original art and art replicas that are located throughout the grounds. I’ve never done that, but I did attend one funeral there that was very beautifully done.

Continuing east, Lincoln Avenue gives way to a commercial district that has a small-town feel. One day as I was driving on Lincoln and needed some air in my tire I noticed that there are a large number of car repair businesses on Lincoln (like 3 or 4 in every block). I don’t know why this is, but if you need car work done in the Cypress area you should check out Lincoln Avenue.

The retail area at the intersection of Lincoln and Valley View has recently been renovated and now includes large updated shopping centers on each corner. The residential neighborhoods in the area of Lincoln Avenue are middle-class and well-maintained.

Sherwood Drive is one of the streets in a Huntington Beach development called Seagate. The development is relatively new and was built on previously empty land off Gothard Street. The streets of Seagate extend westward to Goldenwest Street. This area once consisted of oil fields, oil wells and industrial yards but within the past 20 years has been converted into a series of upscale housing tracts with many homes priced in excess of $1 million.

The best thing about Seagate is John Boca Park, a hilly expanse of grass that occupies the middle of the tract. The park includes a playground and basketball courts. Seagate is located in close proximity to Central Park, Central Library and the new sports complex. It’s also near the Huntington Beach Equestrian Center. There are stables to board horses at the Equestrian Center and horse trails have been added alongside a few of the streets near Seagate. Shopping and restaurants are available at nearby Seacliff Village. Best of all, the beach is only a couple of miles away.

The worst thing about Seagate is the cookie-cutter appearance of the houses and the fact that they are packed in very close together. There is very little that distinguishes one house from another and the yards are very small.

Irvine is a master-planned city in the middle of Orange County. It was established by the Irvine Company in the 1960s and rates high on lists of the best cities in America. This is due to a low crime rate and good schools, including a campus of the University of California.

The residential areas in the city consist of a series of villages divided by 6-lane roads. The homes within each village share similar designs and homeowners are not allowed to make changes that would detract from this uniformity. This is enforced by a Homeowner’s Association within each village.

Personally, I like homes that reflect the individual style of the homeowner and I enjoy cities that have evolved on their own instead of being planned, but many people value the perfection of a planned community.

The population of Irvine is about 220,000 and according to census figures only a slight majority are white (61%). Most of the people I know who live in Irvine are highly-educated people from other countries who are realizing their version of the American dream in Irvine. They value the safety, good schools and rules that protect the uniform appearance of the city. Irvine is the perfect city for people seeking planned perfection,

Garfield Avenue in Huntington Beach is an east/west street that provides quick access from one side of the city to the other. Garfield Avenue is about 4.5 miles long in total and serves as the border between Huntington Beach and Fountain Valley. On the east side of the city it begins near the Santa Ana river channel. At one time there was a plan to extend Garfield over the channel to Costa Mesa, but that has never been done. This explains why Garfield has 2 lanes in each direction and therefore is never crowded.

The neighborhoods that Garfield passes through have a characteristic seen throughout Huntington Beach and Fountain Valley – they are surrounded by brick walls. This decreases visibility as you drive into intersections, so you want to be careful and approach even signaled intersections with caution.

Garfield crosses Brookhurst and Magnolia, each of which has a wide variety of shopping centers and restaurants. It also crosses Beach Blvd, the major commercial street in Huntington Beach. West of Beach Blvd, Garfield is within two miles of the downtown beach area. A left turn on Main Street will lead right to the pier.

The area west of Beach is unusual because in the past it was filled with oil fields and oil wells. Within the past 20 years the area has been transformed and now is home to several new tracts, including some of the most expensive homes in Huntington Beach. Garfield passes by a newer school called Huntington Seacliff Elementary and ends at Seapoint Avenue with an amazing view of Long Beach, the beach and the Bolsa Chica wetlands.

Westminster is located in the northeast portion of Orange County and has a population of about 90,000. It’s one of the oldest communities in Orange County, founded in 1870 as a Presbyterian settlement. In 1957, it officially became a city. Unlike the neighboring cities of Seal Beach and Huntington Beach, Westminster is not located along the coast. Being inland, it gets warmer in the summer than the coastal cities.

In the 1970s, Westminster was given a much-needed shot in the arm when it was settled by many Vietnamese immigrants. The city had been in decline but since then has experienced a surge in new businesses and development. Westminster now has the largest settlement of Vietnamese people outside of Vietnam and the commercial area along Bolsa Avenue has been officially designated “Little Saigon.” Westminster is home to several Vietnamese-language media outlets, including radio and television stations, music recording studios and newspapers. The city is host to an annual Lunar New Year festival.

Westminster has one of the largest cemeteries in the area. It also has the Westminster Mall, a large indoor mall that serves Westminster, Huntington Beach and other surrounding cities. The mall is located off the 405 freeway and features Macy’s, Sears, Target and JC Penney as anchors. Until the Bella Terra center was built a couple miles away in Huntington Beach, the Westminster Mall was the only major retail outlet in the area. Perhaps in reaction to the popularity of Bella Terra, Westminster Mall was recently renovated to update public areas and its food court.

Next to Santa Ana, Anaheim is the largest city in Orange County. Thanks to its role as a center of entertainment, it’s probably the most famous. Anaheim is of course home to the Disneyland Resort. The Anaheim Convention Center, Angel Stadium and the Honda Center (a large indoor stadium) are also located in Anaheim.

With a population of about 350,000, Anaheim is one of the largest cities in California. Its boundaries extend almost across the entire width of Orange County, including urban neighborhoods, middle-class suburban developments and an upscale planned community in the Anaheim hills. The population of Anaheim is almost 50% Latino, including many recent immigrants who work in the tourism industry. The city is one of the safest in the U.S. for its size.

In recent years, Disneyland has expanded from a single theme park to a resort destination that includes two theme parks, the Downtown Disney shopping area and several hotels. The Anaheim Convention Center, across the street from Disneyland, is the location for major business and retail conventions throughout the year.

To keep up with Disneyland, Harbor Blvd near Disneyland has recently been renamed the Anaheim Resort district. The city has spent quite a bit of money improving the streets and adding landscaped islands and palm trees. The Anaheim Resort Transportation Network provides a shuttle service between hotels in the area and the various tourist attractions. The street has come a long way from just a few years ago when rundown motels and streetwalkers could be seen just a few blocks from Disneyland.

Laguna Woods is the newest city in Orange County (established in 1999), but it can also be referred to as the oldest. According to the official city website, the median age in this city of 16,000 is 78. This is because most of Laguna Woods encompasses a master planned retirement community formerly known as Leisure World. This community was developed in the 1960s and was a groundbreaking community geared towards people aged 55 and older.

Living in Leisure World has never been cheap. Several of the neighborhoods are gated and have guards to control access. Laguna Woods is filled with well-kept neighborhoods consisting of apartments, condominiums, small houses and larger residences. The design of all the residences is similar, in keeping with the master planned concept. One of the main concepts behind Leisure World was the creation of an active lifestyle for seniors, so there are pools, golf courses, tennis courts, fitness centers and community buildings. Dozens of clubs, classes and social events are available for the residents of the gated Laguna Woods communities.

There are a variety of shopping centers located in Laguna Woods and of course there are an above average number of medical facilities. The Irvine Spectrum is a short drive from Laguna Woods and is a popular destination for dining, shopping and entertainment. Hey, seniors like to have fun, too!

Laguna Canyon Road is one the main routes from the northern part of Laguna Beach to the inland cities of Orange County. As the road leaves Laguna Beach, it passes through a canyon in the San Joaquin Hills. Small businesses and funky houses line the canyon road. Laguna Canyon Road was first built in the early 1900s and hasn’t changed a lot in decades.

As Laguna Canyon Road enters Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, the landscape changes from steep canyon walls to woodlands with sage plants and oak and sycamore trees. This environment is known as chaparral and is unique to Southern California. Laguna Coast Wilderness Park has miles of trails and is a popular place for hiking and mountain biking. The small picturesque campus of the Laguna Canyon College of Art and Design is located in the canyon near the boundary of Laguna Coast Wilderness Park.

Part of the Laguna Canyon Road is narrow and winding, with one lane in each direction. Laguna Beach residents have fought plans to extend a freeway through the canyon. However, the road gets congested during morning and evening commute hours and on sunny weekends. There are a higher than average number of traffic accidents on the road. Luckily there are now a couple of alternate routes for getting in and out of Laguna Beach during peak traffic hours, including Crown Valley Parkway to the south and Newport Coast Drive to the north.

Villa Park has the distinction of being the least populated city in Orange County. Surrounded on all sides by the city of Orange, the city has a population of about 6,000 people. Villa Park has only one retail area (the Villa Park Town Center), giving it a small town feeling. The streets in Villa Park are lined with trees, creating a rural feeling despite that fact that there are no parks within its borders. Also, many homes are located on large lots that give the streets a feeling of spaciousness.

Villa Park is a quiet and safe place to live (it has the lowest crime rate in Orange County). There are four schools in Villa Park, all operated by the Orange Unified School District. Villa Park has its own government and City Hall and is lucky enough to have a branch of the Orange County Public Library within city limits. There are several youth sports leagues in Villa Park, with games and practices taking place at the local schools.

The main drawback to Villa Park its that it's located far from the beach compared to other upscale cities in Orange County. Summers can get very hot and residents who have pools put them to good use. I have friends from Villa Park and have spent some time there. Residents take pride in the sense of community and friendliness of their town. They endorse the city motto: “Villa Park, the Hidden Jewel.”

Main Street has been designated as the Historic Downtown area of Garden Grove, a city of about 175,000 located in northeast Orange County. It consists of a block of older buildings containing both old and new businesses and shops that were build following the Long Beach earthquake in 1933.

Garden Grove has very irregular city boundaries and its neighborhoods are hard to distinguish from neighboring cities, which include Anaheim, Stanton, Cypress, Westminster and Santa Ana. Main Street helps give Garden Grove a separate identity and is the location for community events and activities throughout the year. The most notable of these events is the annual Garden Grove Strawberry Festival, which the city claims to be the one of the largest festivals west of the Mississippi. The festival is held on Memorial Day weekend and is dedicated to the agricultural heritage of Garden Grove (even though only one strawberry field still exists within the city limits). Other special events held on Main Street are a weekly classic car show and a farmers’ market.

Adjacent to Main Street is Euclid Park and nearby are Community Center Park and the Garden Grove Regional Library. The Main Street area is the heart of Garden Grove and really does give the city a sense of identity.

Winton Street is located in an area sometimes referred to as West Garden Grove. This half mile long street is located behind the Eastgate Plaza Shopping Center in a small tract of attractive midcentury homes. A few houses have been remodeled and have added a second story, but the majority are single story older houses that are well maintained.

Winton Street is located in a family-oriented neighborhood that borders Eastgate Park. The park contains a public swimming pool, basketball courts, picnic tables, a playground and a small community building. A summer concert series is held in the park and youth sports teams practice there. A branch of the Orange County Public Library is located a couple of blocks from Winton Street. The closest major street is Valley View, which has plenty of shopping and restaurants. Valley View provides access to the 405 and 22 freeways, which are located about a mile from Winton Street.

Less than a mile to the west of Winton Street is the Navy Golf Course and an airstrip that belongs to the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base. Luckily air traffic to and from the base is light enough that it’s thrilling rather than annoying to see fighter jets and large transport carriers passing right overhead.

Cliff Drive is a residential street that runs along the bluffs above Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach. On its eastern end it skirts Cliff Drive Park, a sloping expanse of green grass surrounded by large stately homes. Cliff Drive Park is beautifully landscaped and has several different vantage points for enjoying the spectacular view of Newport Bay and the ocean. Homes on the south side of the street are perched above the businesses on PCH and can enjoy the same view from their own backyards. Despite being located above Pacific Coast Highway, Cliff Drive is far enough away to escape the sounds of traffic. This part of Cliff Drive is one of the most beautiful areas in Newport Beach.

Going eastward, Cliff Drive passes by Ensign Intermediate School and the neighborhood transitions into midcentury ranch houses intermixed with newer custom rebuilds. The yards are large and well maintained and there are bike lanes on each side of the street.

Cliff Drive is about a mile and a half long. It ends at Dover Drive, adjacent to the Back Bay and its large nature preserve. Newport Harbor High School is located just a few blocks from Cliff Drive. Other attractions in the neighborhood include the restaurants and shops on Pacific Coast Highway. For medical care, Hoag Hospital is a short distance away. Fashion Island, a beautiful upscale shopping center, is also nearby.