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Each of the three areas you mention has a different vibe. I grew up closer to Laguna and am partial to it. They're all relatively safe. There's never been a fatal shark attack off the coast of any of them, nor anywhere in Orange County for that matter. Careful body surfing though as there are some shallow steep breaks. I'd add Dana Point to your list.
Each of the three areas you mention has a different vibe. I grew up closer to Laguna and am partial to it. They're all relatively safe. There's never been a fatal shark attack off the coast of any of them, nor anywhere in Orange County for that matter. Careful body surfing though as there are some shallow steep breaks. I'd add Dana Point to your list.
Basically the vicinity of Huntington, Newport, and Laguna beaches.
answer in the best way you can.
Near the beaches: Dense and expensive, probably more DINKS than families, more bars/restaurants than preschools or soccer fields, more sports cars than SUVS.
I lived in Balboa Village (part of Newport) however it has been a while.
It is hard to beat coming home from work and going for a walk on the pier or beach before or after dinner. Weekends were fabulous. Any spare time, you could just go lay on the beach for a while or, swim, boogie board, bike or roller blade along the boardwalk. I never got the hang of surfing and after a few nasty injuries I gave up body surfing (although I did get good enough to take the multi wave ride at the wedge - dangerous but awesome beyond words). zThe Wedge is crazy dangerous. There was an ambulance there four or five times a summer.
We were regulars at several of the bars and restaurants. It was neat to walk in, sit down and they just bring you your drink. Some of them allowed me to bring my cockatoo despite state laws prohibiting it.
Off seasons was better than the summer season. It was kind of like a small town. Most of the full time residents of the village knew each other.
We used to have some fun events that are no longer allowed. One was New Years day everyone would bring their old Christmas tree to the beach and we would build a HUGE bonfire, and throw another tree on as soon as it died down a bit. I heard the airplanes from John Wayne complained about the updraft from the heat. Anyway they disallowed it for some reason. There was a thing where they gathered at the pier jump off the end and swim in and then have a barbeque on the beach. We did not go to that, I am not a great swimmer wifey is not a great jumper off of high things.
During the summer it is pretty awful. Crowded constantly. People all around your house. We frequently found people sitting on the front porch and once found some people using our barbeque to cook food. Parking is impossible and even if you have parking, your friends will rarely visit because they will not be able to park. In Balboa it took me 22 minutes to get to work and 1.5 hours to get home. We had a special sticker that allowed us to cruise past the line on Balboa Boulevard, but it was still a to of crawling along. Winters were rarely a problem.
Newport did not allow dancing anyplace that serves drinks. There was a place called bubbles that often had live bands. We went there 3-5 times a week. Sometimes we and others would get up and dance next to our tables. One year on new years eve at 11:50 they shut the place down for dancing and kicked everyone out. (So we went out int he street to welcome the new year, the band came out and played and we danced int he streets. The police made us disperse and threatened to bring in riot squads, it was funny). Not sure if they still have that ordinance.
During summers we would either plan a stay home and hang at the beach weekend, or a go out and shop/visit weekend. If we left, we did not come back home until evening. It was not practical to come and go. It was so nice to be there we rarely wanted to leave, but sometimes shopping was necessary or we wanted to hang with friends who were not interested in searching for parking for an hour.
Things like Home Depot or Sam's club are not at the beach. It is a bit of a drive, not horrible, but enough that you want to plan well and get everything you need. In Balboa, a lot of the residents were college kids (UCI) living 2-4 to a bedroom. Some of them were noisy parties and we had to ask them to take it down a level. Some of them decided to hate us, some invited us to their parties, some just ignored us until we started calling the police. Most of the college kids pretty much ignored us. Another large portion of the homes are corporate owned or vacation homes for rich people. You might meet a few neat people, but you will not get to know them well. A few are permanent residents. We got to know pretty much all of them. Most were very friendly (once they realize you are not tourists or richies). Some of our best friends were a group of Australian guys who lived in a tent on the roof of the building next to our apartment. They crawled in an open window one day when we were having a large party. We let them come take showers at our place from time to time. One of them had a coke habit, but they were basically OK.
Several people who became our friends had drinking or drug problems. Not sure whether that is location oriented or just because we were youngish. Two had an issue with heroine. One died up in LA. We never got much detail.
I also lived in South Laguna for a time. It is different from Balboa. It was fun, but not as fun IMO. Laguna is nicer and has more permanent residents. It is also richer and therefore a bit older. More houses fewer apartments and condos. It is hard to get in and out of, especially in the summer. I rode my bike to work up near John Wayne Airport and sometimes I could beat my roommate who drove. It is a beautiful picturesque town with a lot of neat things to do. I used to hang out at a bar above a restaurant called the place ac cross the street form the Hotel Laguna. I do not remember the name of it, but it was still there last i looked. I met a lot of neat people there and at Las Brisas (authors, televisions people, even a few movie and sports figures). I even met and dated Ms. St Pauli girl for a short time. Enjoyed it for a summer, but I think we had more fun in Balboa (but then we lived there longer, plus I lived on a boat for the first year and that was especially fun).
Never lived in Huntington, but some close friends were there. It was very different. You do not live at the beach, you are across the street. Very very people are even within viewing distance. It is bigger and more open. It did not seem to have the same "This place belongs to me" feeling. No small town feel, at least that was our impression. It is a bit more of a frat boy and surfur dude vibe. However that is just from our visits and talking with our friends. They wanted to move to Balboa but could not afford to. Huntington was cheaper. It is a much much larger beach area so there is more available property close to the beach.
As a whole, before kids, it simply cannot be beat. Both Laguna and Balboa were one of the best places I have ever lived. (Ann Arbor is up there with them). However when you get older and or have kids, you want to get away from the crazy hubub, not hear people yelling screaming and swearing all the time or have them looking in your windows. At that point we found Old Town Orange to be a more pleasant place to live if not as exciting.
As to safety, no shark attacks I know of in over 20 years. However there was a surfur that got bit near Huntington or long beach. There were drownings and severe injuries every years, especially at the wedge in Balboa. One time two 16 Year old girls were walking along the sand and a rogue wave hit them and pulled them out into the ocean. One made it back, the other was never found. I had a couple of scares, one in South Laguna I took a boogie board and fins and just started kicking my way out. After a time I tried to return and I could not figure out where the shore was. It was only a few minutes of panic before a wave lifted me enough to see it, but it was scary. In Newport while body surfing I got slammed by a wave and smashed into he bottom and knocked out. Luckily my wife was nearby and dragged me out.
My wife used to go way way out and swim parallel to the shore. Sometimes dolphins would swim with her. She often went with her dad when he visited or sometimes alone with me watching form shore (as if I could do anything, I can stay afloat, but I do not seem to have to coordination to swim effectively). I kept a boogie board and fins handy, but it still woudl have taken me fifteen minutes or so to get out there if she got into trouble. She never did. She is an excellent swimmer (formerly highly competitive). I would never even go out that far from shore (without a boogie board anyway). The dolphins scared the snot out of her the first time one surfaced near her. There were not always there, but sometimes they were and once in a while they were all around her.
Laguna has some decent architecture. The other two is mostly blah. Just big squares all crammed in side by side. Most have zero yards. the mansions on the islands in Newport Bay are pretty nice. There are a few at the point worth seeing too and even a couple scattered along the boardwalk. The house we rented in Balboa was built in 1906. It was a cute little two bedroom with a barn shaped roof. The best architecture in OC is in Santa Ana and Orange. IMO.
We did nto have too much issue with crime. Our cars got broken into a couple of times. I had a convertible and I quit locking it after someone cut through the top to seal a coat and a British flag. They stole our barbque off our front port so we chained and locked it. (Then they just stole it and used it right there). Some friends left there garage open on the alley and someone went in and stole their laundry from the dryer. Mostly little stupid crimes that people who are still learning to drink and control themselves do (or people who never learned to control themselves when they drink). My car got hit a few times in the big parking lot where we had an annual pass. Someone wrote all over my wifes car with lipstick.
Oh that reminds me. A few times, we came out to the parking lot and found our cars sitting in 6 plus inches of sea water. Sometimes (very rarely). A huge storm blows up big waves that wash right up onto the streets. It only happened maybe three times in just over two years. We thought it was neat rather than a problem, althrough the salt water on my car worried me. I had to take off my shoes and socks and roll up my pants and wade through really cold water to get to both cars (so my wife did not have to wade). It only happened in the winter.
One other odd thing about Balboa, stray cats were everywhere. Hundreds of them. College kids wanted a cute kitty, but when they moved on and could nto bring kitty, they just left her to eat rats in the alleys. Oh and when we lived upstairs next door to bubbles, cockroaches were a huge problem.
Would I live there again? Probably not now. Our kids are old enough it woudl work, but a house big enough for us woudl be way beyond our means. We like the open space. Besides it is not as exciting or fun and more annoying as you get older. Glad I did it certinaly. I hope my kids get to do it when they are 30 or younger. While I might rent a condo for a few weeks, Probably would not live in Balboa again (depends on the day, some days I say once the kids are grown I woudl go back there in a flash - but I am too old and out of shape to do a lot of the things I used to enjoy, so when I am being realistic - no, when I am being nostalgic - yes.). Laguna - probably would live there. Huntington never interested me and still does not. Seal beach - definitely would live there. That woudl be my top pick now of the beach cities. Maybe San Clemente too.
Last edited by Coldjensens; 03-11-2013 at 09:12 AM..
Do you find the area attractive aesthetically? As in architecture, etc. Could use some help. Lots of old 1970/1980 architecture. Not a big fan of the the walls that close in Subdivisoun, and hate them even more when the are not maintained or "handymanned"
Are the beaches any good/do you like the beaches there? Are they overcrowded? or just right? waves any good? I avoid going downtown of weekends. way too many out-of-towners, tousists, tools and douchebags. Mon-Thursday still has a nice vibe, even during the summer. Bolsa Chica is walking distance, anyway.
How do you like the people there? examples: Friendly, unfriendly, stuck-up, artistic, partygoers, druggies, drunks, straightedge, fun, boring, etc. Good mix of people that actually live here. Most are very friendly. As in any beach community you get your share of druggies, drunks, and entitled. Lots of 40-something cases of arrested development.
Is there much to do there? Yes
Is it generally quiet or loud? Generally quiet. Gets rowdier the closer you get to main street, but even the party scene wraps up around midnight.
What's the general age/financial/cultural demographics? Fiscally conservative, socially liberal. Lots of transients (not hobo transient) in the downtown apartments. Solid family community, 18-50.
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