Your thoughts about laguna niguel :) (low crime, theatres, schools)

[Wave Rider 1]

Originally Posted by AddieJane

If I were looking for a vacation home and couldn't afford Laguna Beach, then I'd go to San Clemente. You could probably afford a little condo within walking distance to the town or beach.

Good luck!

San Clemente is less expensive than other beach cities because its home to the Nuclear Plant.

FYI: Google San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS)

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by Wave Rider 1

San Clemente is less expensive than other beach cities because its home to the Nuclear Plant.

FYI: Google San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS)

I really don't think that's the reason. It was always cheaper because it had older and smaller homes, was further to drive to job centers, and because of its proximity to Camp Pendleton. It never acquired the panache of a Laguna Beach or Corona Del Mar. Dana Point was similar until things developed around the harbor and affluent parts of what was previously Laguna Niguel were annexed.

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by Wave Rider 1

San Clemente is less expensive than other beach cities because its home to the Nuclear Plant.

No it isn't.

[piggyy]

extremely boring and dull, full of religious nuts....i am so glad i live in san clemente now

[GonzoSurfer]

Originally Posted by Good Neighbor Dan

Laguna Niguel is such a beautiful and well-planned town. One of the best places to live in the country.

Laguna Niguel is very well located -- 5 minutes to the beaches and Dana Point Harbor, and 45 minutes-to an hour to San Diego and Los Angeles.

If you commute, don't overlook the AMTRAK and METRO trains.

[GonzoSurfer]

Originally Posted by JackMarshall747

TRUE!!! Adding to that, Laguna Niguel's City Council took a responsible stand against the illegal alien issue by declaring that it is a RULE OF LAW City.

Unlike it's liberal neighbor to the north (Laguna Beach), Laguna Niguel remains a safe and sane place to live.

Alas, Laguna Beach has a bunch of ACLU leftists running their town into the ground. They even voted to raise their own city sales tax to build and maintain the illegal "day worker" shelter on Laguna Canyon Road.

Yes, it's picturesque alright, but I wouldn't want to live there anymore. It's too over-built, touristy, loud, lots of drunk drivers weaving in and out of the narrow winding roads make traffic an ongoing nightmare -- and the very limited, metered parking is another painful aspect of life in LB.

[GonzoSurfer]

Totally agree with you, Dan!

I LOVE Laguna Niguel!

I read that our home prices are remaining relatively stable and higher-end during this recession because it's one of the most sought-after places to live in the country.

[GonzoSurfer]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

I really don't think that's the reason. It was always cheaper because it had older and smaller homes, was further to drive to job centers, and because of its proximity to Camp Pendleton. It never acquired the panache of a Laguna Beach or Corona Del Mar. Dana Point was similar until things developed around the harbor and affluent parts of what was previously Laguna Niguel were annexed.

Do you know when LN's coast was annexed by DP?

[Wurzig]

Originally Posted by pacific2

The “Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel” is actually in Dana Point, not Laguna Niguel, and it’s on the coastal side of PCH:

One Ritz-Carlton Drive, Dana Point, California 92629 USA
Southern California Beach Resorts-The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel-Dana Point Hotel

As far as saying it is in Laguna Niguel, who knows, maybe the Ritz believes the “Laguna” name, associated with Laguna Beach, draws more visitors.

To answer a few who are curious, I lived in Laguna Niguel for over 25 years and just recently retired to CO., so I know a bit about its history. I saw the ocean from my home and did not need a car to get to the water. The sidewalks are decent, the streets are wide and there are some good trails leading down to the ocean. I could not see the sand, but could easily see waves and sail boats, and quite often, Catalina. When we first moved to Laguna Niguel, Monarch Beach was part of the area called Laguna Niguel and there were plenty of houses on the sand.......this all changed with 'the vote'. The homes in the Monarch Beach area were amongst some of the first to be built in the Laguna Niguel area.

The area containing Ritz Carlton, Laguna Niguel, was 'taken over' by Dana Point in the late 80's, maybe '88 or '89. Plain and simple, Dana Point had a LOT more in population than Laguna Niguel did at the time and wanted those tax dollars, so LOTS of D.P. people showed up at the polls.

At the time, (and to be honest), Dana Point had yet to be 'gussied up', and the small population in Laguna Niguel was not happy to have such a prestigious hotel associated with Dana Point, and management at the hotel felt the same way. (Not to be labeled as 'snobs', but to once again be honest, Laguna Niguel was 'shiny and new' and Dana Point was 'old, rotten wood filled with mildew'---for the most part, this has since changed for the better. The harbor is beautiful and soon to be 'fancier', most of the homes are nice, the streets are clean....I have a lot of friends in D.P. Nobody has fallen through a floor. ) The hotel and its breath-taking location were already world famous and there was not about to be a name change. We had just moved to Laguna Niguel and did not understand the full impact, or maybe were just too busy with other things to think about it, but I recall that people grumbled.

The hotel was not 'smothered' with a town crammed around it such as the smaller-weekend-getaways in Laguna Beach, which is just a few minutes north of the hotel. The setting was, and still is, quite gorgeous. (btw: A fairly new one towards the south end of Laguna, built in craftsman style, The Montage, is quite different than the Ritz, but both are high-end, resort hotels and will always remain so. If you can't afford to stay, take a walk around the grounds....you will think you are in Hawaii. The grounds used to be a mobile home park called Treasure Island....working out a deal with the city, the hotel owners have provided a small public parking lot by the end of the hotel for beach goers).

Laguna Niguel used to be very small..when we first moved there, a lot of our mail was addressed to 'South Laguna Beach' or just 'South Laguna, 92677'. Laguna Niguel's zip is 92677. Many of the streets, which are now main roads, dead-ended. Getting from one place to another was not easy. You could see the stars at night, lots of wildlife, no Wally, no Target, it was very quiet. I think the population was @ 12 - 16k and we wondered where they found us all....now, it is @ 70k. Aliso Viejo did NOT exist....there were no roads, nothing but hills filled with wildlife.

Anyway, they voted on the Ritz and Laguna Niguel became a city. I do not remember the exact year, (too lazy to look it up), and both were most likely on the ballot at the same time.

The location of the Ritz is beautiful and yes, it has its own beach. (The 'other hotel', aka: St. Regis, which my husband calls a 'sheik's palace', is right on the other side of PCH and has beach access, it's own golf course, music piped through the pool water, yadda, yadda, and although nice enough, will NEVER be like Ritz Carlton, Laguna Niguel, no matter how many stars it has in the rating----maybe there is just 'too much golf course and a busy road' before you get to the water, I dunno).

Laguna Niguel is a very nice community and can stand on its own. In no way was the hotel named in order to be connected to Laguna Beach and its tourist dollars. Salt Creek runs through Laguna Niguel and the word 'Niguel' has to do with some Indians who lived near the creek or something along that line. Laguna means Lagoon. (Water also runs through Laguna Beach). The R C hotel was built long before most of the homes were built in Laguna Niguel. I recall the manager saying that no matter what, it would always be called 'Ritz Carlton, Laguna Niguel', and yes, all those stationary and other business change-overs are very expensive, too.

Both Laguna Niguel and Dana Point are pretty much 'built out'. San Clemente is not cheaper because of the plant. Even thugh it is very close, it is farther south, (they are still fighting a toll road connection because it is near a prime surf and ecological area, not to mention homes), so it is farther from a lot of northern jobs, (I-5 is very crowded during commute hours---a LOT of new towns have 'sprung up' over the last 15 or so years that now use I-5 in that area), is somewhat of a fog pocket during certain times of the year like Newport Coast, (Laguna Niguel gets very little fog and the high overcast burns off almost always), and just really wanted to keep the small town feel forever so new developments were discouraged. Most homes were on the ocean side of the freeway, on winding streets, everybody knew everybody, lots of surfers, SMALL TOWN FEEL. It is only in recent years that they have built inland, past the high school......complete with strip malls and Wally......(same with San Juan Capistrano).

I do not think the proximity of Pendleton would make San Clemente cheaper. Practice 'runs' in the air or out on the ocean can occasionally be heard in Laguna Niguel and it's certainly not cheap. (Oceanside, which used to be a HUGE marine hang-out has even cleaned itself up and has quite a few pricey restaurants). Most people do not realize that Pendleton is right behind the new inland housing area of San Clemente. The entrance to Pendleton is down by Oceanside, but it comes way back up north, up behind San Clemente. Pendleton is pretty much self-contained.......it even has its own McDonald's.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by GonzoSurfer

Do you know when LN's coast was annexed by DP?

1989 when DP became a city. Before that it and the rest of Laguna Niguel were unincorporated county territory within the 92677 zip code.