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Hi folks. We will be relocating to SoCal from Dallas this summer. We have narrowed the search down to OC and North San Diego. We have a 2 year old boy and a baby girl in the oven.
We will likely rent in the area we prefer before purchasing. I am a tech executive and author, wife is stay at home mom and budding eCommece pro. Purchase budget is $1.5m-$2m. We are on top of the inventory with our agent so need no help there. Looking for community insight.
We do quite a bit of international travel and very much enjoy diversity. I am black, wife is white. Although most areas we have lived in have been predominantly white and we understand the disproportionately low % of minoroties at certain income levels - we also suspect some cities still may have more professional and even middle class minorities than others; or are large enough cities to have all social classes in them. We see value in kids interacting with many races and social levels rather than in a “virtual bubble” of you will. While we of course value quality schooling we do also not require the absolute best or insist on private. We are both products of average schooling and came out OK ;-). Plus I think it’s great for kids to see people have significantly more to keep them humble. As well as those that have significantly less to keep them appreciative!
In our limited visits so far we have liked San Juan Capistrano, Dana Point and believe it or not Anaheim Hills (lot sizes and older charming custom homes).
So... What cities do you guys think most fit our vibe?
Interesting Question. I'd have to say Irvine is the city in OC with the most ethnic diversity. Mainly being Asian and Indian. Those areas listed that you like are very nice too. Good luck
Interesting Question. I'd have to say Irvine is the city in OC with the most ethnic diversity. Mainly being Asian and Indian. Those areas listed that you like are very nice too. Good luck
Thanks. Yes Irvine is also a big tech hub so good access to talent. Very clean but seems kinda soul-less in a new tract sort of way. Would prob also have to raise the budget for the same custom house there.
We really like Dana Point, and , we , our sleves do not think you would have any problem. We are respectful and friendly to everyone, and found it easy to meet people here, of all races and back grounds and income brackets.
Irvine: Also personal, we just would not live there . Our personal observations only. We have friends who have lived there for years. And Erica sister and BIL, lived in a very nice area of Turtle Rock. The just retired, sold their home, and moved to Tubac Arizona. An art style community with a population of 500, that bounces up to 1000 when the snow birds arrive.
Dana Point has a small town feel, and the population is in the neighborhood of 30,000. There are very nice beaches, hiking trials, many very nice parks, beautiful homes, ease of freeway access and Pacific Coast Highway for heading to other areas in southern californa .
Also close proximity to other very quality and friendly communities like Laguna Niguel. The roads are new, and landscaped, wide, and easy to travel. Actually feels good. We drive to other nearby towns to go to the movies, and some lady shopping for Erica. Just a few minutes.
Saturday nights are date nights, and we love the many very excellent restaurants in Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano, and San Clemente.
We have met many of our neighbors and also many other people where ever we go. We felt comfortable and at home immediately after moving here. Oh, Dana Point has many dog lovers, and we meet the people and their dogs, when walking every where.
Just walking around areas of South County, we continually meet up beat, and friendly , alert, and interesting people.
Lots of smiles and greetings. Many are very fit, and positive.
We share aloha with everyone, and life here feels very special to us. Of course , we do not use the term Aloha, but we do share greeting, smiles, nods, a positive word, show respect, and strike up conversations. Is this 100%, nope, but it is the norm. We love it here.
We have the marvelous Dana Point Harbor, and walk around the marina and boat slips, restaurants, shops, whale watch boats, fishing boats, sailing lessons, stand up paddle boarding, nice park and bbq areas , etc.
We lived on Kauai Island for 10 years, after visiting for 12. I loved kauai and the people, and still do. But , after moving back to he mainland, we find that the people here in south county have aloha and don't even know it.
We flat love it here.
We also do not just sit around, we are very active ( retired), and get out and enjoy what south county has to offer.
We are out hiking, and walking, and that is not only just from our front door, but the many wilderness, county trails, that are all well maintained. Today, we drove out to Caspers Park, maybe 30 minute drive. They have marvelous trails, all perfectly maintained. As well as bbq and picnic areas. We have seen deer, squirrels, quail, etc.
Hardly anyone on the trails that we took today, large choice . After seeing no others on the two of the trails, we arrived back at the Bell Canyon tail that took as back to our car. We met a wonderful healthy family, mom, and four very young kids who even had their hiking sticks and having a ball. Then four ladies on horseback, and then a posse of ladies and girls with about 8 horses. How cool is that !!
That was it for a nearly 5 mile hike. No houses, no shopping centers, and no highway other than Ortega Highway that took us to Caspers.
That is just a bit of what living here in Dana Point, and south county has been for us. We absolutely love it, and are out physically enjoying all of the treasures, natural and man made.
Also, Salt Creek Beach is in Dana Point, long lovely beach, and a wonderful , beach park. huge nicely maintained, pavillions for relaxing or bbqing, large expanse of grass if you feel like having a little family picnic, and of course the long beach with the surfers, and beach goers.
I think there is something like 23 parks in Dana Point.
Oh, add in Doheny beach and beach park located at the south end of Dana Point . It is phenominal . Lots of cozy bbq areas, a marvelous beach, and ocean views of the boats sailing in and out of Dana Point Harbor . Bike rentals, a couple of consesion stands, etc.
I think you are going to enjoy south county. If you are going to rent first, which we think is a good plan, you can explore around and see what fits your family's idea of home and living before purchasing.
When we lived on Kauai, we gave that same advice to people who were thinking of moving over. Rent first , see what island life is really like, learn the island and then purchase .
We share aloha with everyone, and life here feels very special to us. Of course , we do not use the term Aloha, but we do share greeting, smiles, nods, a positive word, show respect, and strike up conversations. Is this 100%, nope, but it is the norm. We love it here.
...
We lived on Kauai Island for 10 years, after visiting for 12. I loved kauai and the people, and still do. But , after moving back to he mainland, we find that the people here in south county have aloha and don't even know it.
OP, I second what kauaidooley has to say about Dana Point. It's one of my favorite OC towns. I often take my dog there for walks at the harbor and people are always very friendly. I also have friends who have lived in Dana Point for a long time, and they love it.
We really like Dana Point, and , we , our sleves do not think you would have any problem. We are respectful and friendly to everyone, and found it easy to meet people here, of all races and back grounds and income brackets.
Irvine: Also personal, we just would not live there . Our personal observations only. We have friends who have lived there for years. And Erica sister and BIL, lived in a very nice area of Turtle Rock. The just retired, sold their home, and moved to Tubac Arizona. An art style community with a population of 500, that bounces up to 1000 when the snow birds arrive.
Dana Point has a small town feel, and the population is in the neighborhood of 30,000. There are very nice beaches, hiking trials, many very nice parks, beautiful homes, ease of freeway access and Pacific Coast Highway for heading to other areas in southern californa .
Also close proximity to other very quality and friendly communities like Laguna Niguel. The roads are new, and landscaped, wide, and easy to travel. Actually feels good. We drive to other nearby towns to go to the movies, and some lady shopping for Erica. Just a few minutes.
Saturday nights are date nights, and we love the many very excellent restaurants in Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano, and San Clemente.
We have met many of our neighbors and also many other people where ever we go. We felt comfortable and at home immediately after moving here. Oh, Dana Point has many dog lovers, and we meet the people and their dogs, when walking every where.
Just walking around areas of South County, we continually meet up beat, and friendly , alert, and interesting people.
Lots of smiles and greetings. Many are very fit, and positive.
We share aloha with everyone, and life here feels very special to us. Of course , we do not use the term Aloha, but we do share greeting, smiles, nods, a positive word, show respect, and strike up conversations. Is this 100%, nope, but it is the norm. We love it here.
We have the marvelous Dana Point Harbor, and walk around the marina and boat slips, restaurants, shops, whale watch boats, fishing boats, sailing lessons, stand up paddle boarding, nice park and bbq areas , etc.
We lived on Kauai Island for 10 years, after visiting for 12. I loved kauai and the people, and still do. But , after moving back to he mainland, we find that the people here in south county have aloha and don't even know it.
We flat love it here.
We also do not just sit around, we are very active ( retired), and get out and enjoy what south county has to offer.
We are out hiking, and walking, and that is not only just from our front door, but the many wilderness, county trails, that are all well maintained. Today, we drove out to Caspers Park, maybe 30 minute drive. They have marvelous trails, all perfectly maintained. As well as bbq and picnic areas. We have seen deer, squirrels, quail, etc.
Hardly anyone on the trails that we took today, large choice . After seeing no others on the two of the trails, we arrived back at the Bell Canyon tail that took as back to our car. We met a wonderful healthy family, mom, and four very young kids who even had their hiking sticks and having a ball. Then four ladies on horseback, and then a posse of ladies and girls with about 8 horses. How cool is that !!
That was it for a nearly 5 mile hike. No houses, no shopping centers, and no highway other than Ortega Highway that took us to Caspers.
That is just a bit of what living here in Dana Point, and south county has been for us. We absolutely love it, and are out physically enjoying all of the treasures, natural and man made.
Also, Salt Creek Beach is in Dana Point, long lovely beach, and a wonderful , beach park. huge nicely maintained, pavillions for relaxing or bbqing, large expanse of grass if you feel like having a little family picnic, and of course the long beach with the surfers, and beach goers.
I think there is something like 23 parks in Dana Point.
Oh, add in Doheny beach and beach park located at the south end of Dana Point . It is phenominal . Lots of cozy bbq areas, a marvelous beach, and ocean views of the boats sailing in and out of Dana Point Harbor . Bike rentals, a couple of consesion stands, etc.
I think you are going to enjoy south county. If you are going to rent first, which we think is a good plan, you can explore around and see what fits your family's idea of home and living before purchasing.
When we lived on Kauai, we gave that same advice to people who were thinking of moving over. Rent first , see what island life is really like, learn the island and then purchase .
Have fun
Wow that is some endorsement and post! Thank you so much for sharing such in depth personal experience and perspective. South county shall remain high on the list!
I grew up in OC and have family now in Dallas-Fort Worth so I've seen both areas. I know OC better though since it is my childhood home. It will certainly be a change diversity wise and there will be a lot less black people around. OC has a diverse population of people from all over the world, but the black population is very low (1.5% of the county). There are historical reasons for this, but it doesn't look like it is changing anytime soon. In my experience, OC is in general a tolerant place, but the frank reality is most of us in OC just don't know many black people so you may end up with awkward things like the Laguna Beach surf shop doing a MLK Day sale on "anything black in the store."
In my south OC high school circa 2004, we had maybe 7 black student per grade level, and the reality is many of them were treated like the "token black kids." They became the unofficial voice of black people to white, Hispanic, Middle Eastern, and Asian students who largely grew up with few or any black people in their lives (myself included). What they did, classmates thought was representative of all black people. I remember when we read Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison in English class, one of the students suggested the black student in class provide a counter-point and if his own experience matched the book... as if his one experience would define everything for how black people feel because he was one of 7 in our grade. I think it would have been different if there was more than 1 black student in the class and that wouldn't have happened. So people weren't racist and throwing rocks through windows and running them out of the neighborhood... I just think some of them felt pretty alone since they were a very small minority.
Aliso Viejo has the highest black population in south OC at 3.3%, so that might be a good area to check out. It also tends to have a good amount of diversity overall for South OC, good income, nice clean streets, close access to the beach, good shopping, great weather, etc... I personally would think OC would feel different than DFW and you should visit and walk around places like the Irvine Spectrum and Shops at Mission Viejo to see people out and about. Then think about your experience at places like the Galleria in Dallas.
I grew up in OC and have family now in Dallas-Fort Worth so I've seen both areas. I know OC better though since it is my childhood home. It will certainly be a change diversity wise and there will be a lot less black people around. OC has a diverse population of people from all over the world, but the black population is very low (1.5% of the county). There are historical reasons for this, but it doesn't look like it is changing anytime soon. In my experience, OC is in general a tolerant place, but the frank reality is most of us in OC just don't know many black people so you may end up with awkward things like the Laguna Beach surf shop doing a MLK Day sale on "anything black in the store."
In my south OC high school circa 2004, we had maybe 7 black student per grade level, and the reality is many of them were treated like the "token black kids." They became the unofficial voice of black people to white, Hispanic, Middle Eastern, and Asian students who largely grew up with few or any black people in their lives (myself included). What they did, classmates thought was representative of all black people. I remember when we read Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison in English class, one of the students suggested the black student in class provide a counter-point and if his own experience matched the book... as if his one experience would define everything for how black people feel because he was one of 7 in our grade. I think it would have been different if there was more than 1 black student in the class and that wouldn't have happened. So people weren't racist and throwing rocks through windows and running them out of the neighborhood... I just think some of them felt pretty alone since they were a very small minority.
Aliso Viejo has the highest black population in south OC at 3.3%, so that might be a good area to check out. It also tends to have a good amount of diversity overall for South OC, good income, nice clean streets, close access to the beach, good shopping, great weather, etc... I personally would think OC would feel different than DFW and you should visit and walk around places like the Irvine Spectrum and Shops at Mission Viejo to see people out and about. Then think about your experience at places like the Galleria in Dallas.
Interesting perspective. As a point of clarification we don’t live “in Dallas”. We live in the Southlake/Keller area which is Tarrant County. Very low % of blacks here as well. Based upon the stars OC would feel similar but still more diverse due to having so many other parts of the world there as well. Tarrant County is quite lacking of ANY color. However, we have been happy here and have friends all over. Just time to get west! You would compare OC to Tarrant county not Dallas county. LA County would be compared to Dallas county. Both of which would have relatively high % of black folks. We considered Woodland Hills, Tarzana, Glendale and Encino. Love the mature trees, older homes and increased diversity due to proximity to the metropolis. But we like dread the traffic and want a bit more laidback environment.
No escaping the repercussions of the unfortunate and sad history of our country. Certainly in most neighborhoods we select at our price point blacks and even diversity in general is usually even lower than broad city stats. The stats are what they are; and I found access to such stats! Hence I suppose the only real subjective question conducive to firsthand feedback is part B of the title - “Substance”. By substance I mean down to earth people, strong family values, a sense of community and warmth - or Aloha as Kauaidooley calls it ;-). While some of this might be found in Irvine, Newport, Laguna Beach, people probably do not associate these traits with them. We have heard this San Juan Capistrano, Dana Point and San Clemente described this way. Not knocking the other cities at all.
Can anyone weigh in on Laguna Niguel, Anaheim Hills, Coto and Ladera Ranch as it pertains to substance and community?
^Since you are coming from Tarrant and the Southlake area, I agree, you won't be surprised then and the overall diversity of Orange County will be a welcome improvement.
I highly recommend Laguna Niguel - great location and good sense of community. Coto de Caza is too far out from I-5 and hot in my opinion for the price of housing there.
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Aloha
