What are the Best Beach communities in OC? (Huntington Beach, Orange: best cities, crime)

[Roma]

Hi, We are planning on moving to the Orange County area in about a year or so. We are 40 year old retirees. We do not have children. We do not party (to old for that) (so no Huntington Beach LOL) We are looking for a great area along the coast to buy a home. What in your opinions are the best cities/towns to live in along the coast? We are looking for a oceanview home in a safe and nice area. Thanks in Advance!

[Sage of Sagle]

I would go Laguna Beach, Newport Beach (south of the harbor), Corona Del Mar, Monarch Beach (in between South Laguna and Dana Point). I would avoid north Newport, HB, and Seal Beach simple because it's flat so you won't get a view without being right up on the beachfront. I would avoid most of Dana Point, and South San Clemente since crime is higher. If you go there, I would suggest San Clemente from Estrella north to Capo Beach area.

I don't live in the area any more, but grew up in south OC and I'm still there frequently visiting friends/family.

[Roma]

Thank you Sage of Sagle for the information. It helps alot.

[newportbeachsmostwanted]

Laguna Beach and Corona Del Mar by far..

Look into these more specific areas:

Emerald Bay
Monarch Beach
Three Arch Bay
Crystal Cove
Top of the World
Pirates Cove Beach
Pelican Point

All homes in these areas will go for atleast 7 figures. Top of the line.

[Roma]

Emerald Bay
Monarch Beach
Three Arch Bay
Crystal Cove
Top of the World
Pirates Cove Beach
Pelican Point


Thanks NBMW, Are these names above subdivisions or areas within different cities? I heard of Monarch Beach but not the rest.

[ScooterMama]

You're 40 years old RETIREES? OK... I'm jealous!!!

[nevercoldcall]

I'm a newbie but so far Laguna Beach seems to be a much older crowd (65+) and one of the reasons we chose to leave Scottsdale was to get away from that, and is why we didn't consider Laguna as an option.

[Jenali]

Dana Point would be your best choice ,I'll upload some photos of one of its beaches ,and of it's harbor for you.I heard the city of DP is planning to renovate the whole marina area there in 2008.The DP harbor is one of my fav place in OC ,very quiet and beautiful .
Also Talega in San Clemente is a great place ,a lil bit isolated from the the rest of sOC,as u cannot get from there to the other cities in sOC unless you take the highway.

Another city to consider would be Laguna wood ,it's a city for seniors,it contains leisure world ( retirement community where minimum age requirement is 55 and the average age is in the 70s),but then u have to drive like 2-6 miles to the nearest beach (main beach in LB),but the prices there are lower then the rest of south OC .

Dana Point's Salt Creek Beach :
















Dana point's harbor:








Another great beach there is the Doheny State beach(click here to see photos from the web:http://www.dohenystatebeach.org/)

[ferretkona]

For the best beach cities/towns I would look south a bit more. La Jolla, Torrey Pines. I enjoy Mendocino up north more as well.

[killer2021]

Good beaches in OC? HA. Do you know what we dump into there? We constantly get warnings about beaches getting closed due to contamination and excess bacterial levels. Yea, I guess if you consider going for a swim and getting an ear infection or skin rash as a good beach then well you have low standards. Let me put it this way, I live about 2 miles from the beach and I haven't been there in over three years! The beaches out here are DISGUSTING - Trash all over the place, bums, needles (YES - in the sand!), broken beer bottles near the fire pits. It is unsafe!

If I were you I would not go to any beach that is located close to the main city. Go far away where there is less people. The beaches are way better.