Fun place to live in/close to Irvine (Long Beach, Santa Ana: rental, safe neighborhoods)

[yingie]

Hi, I am a single girl planning to move down to Irvine for work from Vancouver Canada. I am not familiar with the city and I'd like to know where to live that is fun.

So far, people tell me Irvine is boring as hell and it pretty much scares me off to take the job, so is there some place close to Irvine that would be good for singles who are into activities such as golf, kayaking, running, hiking, biking, dancing, yoga, swimming etc. and like to socialize/make friends?

Thanks!

[bhcompy]

Budget? That will go a long way in determining where you can live.

You can kayak in Newport Harbor and Alamitos Bay, among other places. Newport is closer, but a more expensive area possibly than living near Alamitos Bay.

Golf can be had all around. There are municipal courses that are cheaper, private courses that are more expensive, exclusive country clubs, etc. Costa Mesa has decent municipal courses near Irvine(Mesa Verde). Anaheim as well(Dad Miller). Long Beach has the most comprehensive municipal course system in SoCal(Heartwell[par3], Litte Rec[par3], Big Rec, El Dorado, Skylinks).

You can run and bike up and down the beaches. Some cities have paths, like Irvine.

Swimming you have beaches, health clubs, and some municipal pools(those are going by the wayside). If you're serious about having a good pool for lap swims, I'd check a health club/YMCA, or if you decide to live in western OC, the olympic pool on the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos is open to the public.

There are various hiking opportunities in OC. You can hike near Crystal Cove, Whiting Ranch and the surrounding parks have hiking, and places like the San Bernardino Mountains and such are very close.

For dancing/yoga, you can find this is most nice areas.

If you're youngish, you might like coastal Long Beach(Belmont Shore, Naples, Bluff Park, Downtown) or Huntington Harbour/Downtown Huntington Beach more than Newport Beach. It's a bit longer drive, but better amenities possibly(particularly the athletic amenities).

As far as Irvine itself, parts of it are boring and parts aren't. There is a major university in Irvine and major universities tend to have entertaining things for students to do. I'd say the liveliest area is on the west side of town. No clubs, but plenty of young adults out late at the restaurants, bars, etc off Jamboree.

[CostaMesan]

Santa Ana is perfect for you.

[yingie]

Bhcompy thanks so much for such an informative reply! I really appreciate that .
I am so happy to hear there is so much to do! And awesome that there is an olympic size pool,
Since i like doing laps and the pool i love here is 135 m long.
I will rent so my rental budget is 900 to 1300 for a one bedroom apt.
Is this feasible in Irvine or am I being too naive?

[yingie]

Thanks costamesan, I will google up that place

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by yingie

Thanks costamesan, I will google up that place

Santa Ana is the armpit of Orange County.

[yingie]

Armpit....that doesn't sound positive....
How so?

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by yingie

Armpit....that doesn't sound positive....
How so?

Very poor, very crowded, lots of illegals.

[skrepo]

Originally Posted by yingie

Armpit....that doesn't sound positive....
How so?

Santa Ana is not that bad! Let me put it to you this way, the bad neighborhoods in Vancouver are worst than Santa Ana by a mile. If you see and can handle those up your way anything in the OC is cake. Often times when something is not cookie cutter and predominately white like in Irvine or Laguna Beach, people call it a bad neighborhood down here and everyone is illegal by default. You will see contrasts in the OC between the rich and the poor and between the neighborhoods that contain them but there is no reason to fear for your life anywhere down here.

The further south you go the more affluent the neighborhood (after Costa Mesa). Personally what you get in south OC is not worth the extra cost you have to pay to live there. If you are late night person like me, South OC will get old real quick as everything shuts down early. Even with UCI (UC Irivne) in the neighborhood, the bars and the night scene are tame. Activities other than going to the Irvine Spectrum and Fashion Island are few and far between. Watch the tv shows "OC" and "Laguna Beach" and you have a very good idea what south OC is like. Lets just say it is our "Jersey Shore".

I personally live in Fountain Valley which is in the dead middle of the OC and I love it. Four miles from the beach and all. We border on Westminster, Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, and Santa Ana. Decent people from all brands live here and are tolerated. Many places in HB and FV are open late, have safe neighborhoods, good schools, reasonable rent in the price range you were asking about, etc etc. Huntington Beach has a laid back attitude for the most part.

Up north positives with them is that their actually activity going on in the community (Anaheim, Orange, Santa Ana, Westminster) Activities and places to go are endless up there. They are working class neighborhoods with a lot of transit but if you are people watcher you will love it. If you actually like a little culture in your community as well you will like even more.

The cool thing about Orange County that people sometimes mock is that you can change the scenery and the mentality of the people around you just by simply jumping on the freeway. Bored with Irvine and its people, go to Costa Mesa and be surrounded by theirs. You want a laid back approach to life go to Huntington Beach. Tired of the laid back go to Garden Grove or Anaheim. Everything can be changed going on the freeway, especially the 405 that cuts right through the county. From one end of the OC to the other, everything is accessible with an hour, give or take on traffic delays. Why pay for exclusivity that can easily be accessed regardless?

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by yingie

Armpit....that doesn't sound positive....
How so?

I think there are better places that would suit you than Santa Ana. It isn't the best place in OC. of course the closer you are to the beach the more active the life style and the younger the crowd, but the pricier as well. I think you better think $1300 rather than under $1000.