Why do people love South OC but hate Irvine? (San Diego: cheap apartments, restaurants)

[saibot]

To me the beach cities of South OC feel organic, I mean in the sense of having grown rather than having been built. They have history. There are old buildings and houses, there are families with roots going back several generations, and not everything is shiny and upscale. There's very little hustle and bustle, and the beach vibe is unique.

By comparison Irvine feels like the new rich kid on the block who's trying too hard to establish himself as top dog. It's like the difference between old money and new money.

Originally Posted by MrJester

However, can you honestly say Mission Viejo or Aliso Viejo is more exciting than Irvine?

No, those two are very different from Irvine, but "more exciting" they are not. I find both cities quite boring.

[CA4Now]

Originally Posted by saibot

Irvine feels like the new rich kid on the block who's trying too hard to establish himself as top dog.

I guess that depends on one's definition of "new."

https://www.irvinecompany.com/about/history/

[saibot]

Originally Posted by CA4Now

I guess that depends on one's definition of "new."

https://www.irvinecompany.com/about/history/

I said Irvine "feels like" that.

Anyway, I can certainly remember when there was very little of Irvine, at least that could be seen from the freeway.

[Socalpal]

I prefer areas that have scenery and architecture that is interesting. There are only a few cities in Orange County that offer this (mainly older cities). Even the areas of Irvine that have "custom" housing stock all look the same due to CC&R's.

The hills and coast are by far the most interesting parts of Orange County, anything in between is usually monotonous tract homes.


You can't tell one neighborhood in Irvine from another, other than different colored stucco- ditto for Aliso Viejo and other south county cities. This is why the North Tustin area is becoming highly desirable, great views, eclectic housing stock and close proximity to jobs etc.

Go a further north and you have some eclectic neighborhoods in Anaheim Hills with custom mid century homes, ditto for Orange Hills and other areas in that general vicinity. Would take all of these over the typical tract home found in most South OC cities.

[Fontucky]

I've always held PARTS of Irvine up as the epitome of beige conformity, where CC&R restrictions reach new heights of idiocy, producing a Stepford-like bland emptiness in the inmates. I mean citizens.

That said, you want to know my little secret? I'd put up with all of that BS that if it meant my kids would be attending excellent schools. But that train pulled out of the station years ago.

[TimTheEnchanter]

Originally Posted by MrJester

People bash Irvine as boring, but then they go on to rave about how great South OC is. I'm not sure how Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, RSM, and Also Viejo, etc. Are any more exciting or interesting than Irvine.

Who are these people "bashing Irvine" and "raving" about South OC (Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, RSM, and Also Viejo)?

Originally Posted by Beartown

When people talk about South OC being better than Irvine they are primarily talking about San Clemente, Laguna Beach, and Dana Point. RSM gets bashed on harder than Irvine for being boring. But Irvine is not just boring in the sense of things to do, but the look and the culture. If these cities were burger shops, Irvine would be a national chain burger restaurant ran by a board of directors and San Clemente would be the mom and pop burger joint that’s been around since the 50s.

Apparently you don't get east of the 5 Freeway in San Clemente often. Hello Burger King.

Originally Posted by Beartown

Irvine just feels like it has no “soul” (and I think RSM is much worse). The people seem much more boring too. South OC beach towns have lots of dads who still surf, have tattoos and drink IPAs. Irvine dads tend work in tech or finance and play golf. And very few of those people are from Irvine, they moved there within the past 10-20 years because of the great schools, jobs, good amenities, blah blah. The people in South OC tend to have more roots there.

Really? Those people in Marblehead, Talega, Forester Ranch, The Coast, The Reserve, Rancho del Rio, etc have roots, tattoos, surf and drink IPA?

Originally Posted by roadwarrior101

The beach cities of South OC are absolutely gorgeous. Many of the homes are palatial with amazing ocean views and the towns have cute boutique shops/restaurants up and down the PCH. It is really the only thing that I find unique about OC (as an outsider) other than maybe Disneyland.

The old towns (downtowns) of Fullerton, Tustin, Brea, Anaheim and Orange are great, interesting and unique.

Originally Posted by roadwarrior101

Irvine, on the other hand, is your typical upscale suburban town that grew into a large, neverending metropolitan area. Other than the weather (which is unique to SoCal), it could be part of any other sunbelt community. Nothing is wrong with it and the university is good, but it doesn't have that aura you think of say, Laguna Beach.

Irvine isn't a suburb that "grew" into anything. Thanks to William Pereira and Ray Watson, the now City of Irvine is one of the best master planned communities in the world. The new neighborhoods that pop up aren't subdivisions, but long planned expansions. My only knock on the Master Plan is that they didn't install a permanent public transit (light rail/street car) system.

Originally Posted by Vic Romano

Your posts about "people bashing Irvine" remind me of the self-flagellation rituals performed by Persians...

Who ironically all seem to live in Irvine.....

Originally Posted by MrJester

Yes, but I've hear ridiculous claims about Irvine, too. People have said that Irvine has hardly any sidewalks, is conservative, is mostly white, has no diversity, etc. None of this is true. It is more conservative than the Bay Area, but that's not saying much.

People who've never been to Irvine think it is white and conservative.

Originally Posted by roadwarrior101

No. Other than Laguna, Newport and a few other coastal communities, OC all looks/feels the same to me. Very monotonous.

Laguna Beach is unique in the country, not just OC. Newport Beach, less so, but still unique.

Originally Posted by saibot

To me the beach cities of South OC feel organic, I mean in the sense of having grown rather than having been built. They have history. There are old buildings and houses, there are families with roots going back several generations, and not everything is shiny and upscale. There's very little hustle and bustle, and the beach vibe is unique.

Laguna Beach is the one outlier in all of OC because it really cannot grow because of the lack of free, open space. Newport Beach, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente all have large areas, some massive, of recent growth, with more to come.

Originally Posted by saibot

By comparison Irvine feels like the new rich kid on the block who's trying too hard to establish himself as top dog. It's like the difference between old money and new money.

There is so much new, crude money in Newport Beach, my old money cronies from the yacht club call it the City of Nouveau Riche.

Originally Posted by saibot

Anyway, I can certainly remember when there was very little of Irvine, at least that could be seen from the freeway.

I remember when there was no freeway or City of Irvine. The 405 stopped at MacArthur Blvd.

[kauaidooley]

Irvine for us...... We do not go there, if it is painted beige it is Irvine. Tall buildings, and some apts, or condos look like Russian Gulags. As to going out, there are lots of fast food joints.

That being said, Erica's sis and BIL lived in Turtle Rock for many years, and we have sailing friends who also live in turtle rock ( Irvine ). I like it. It is really nicely landscaped, peaceful and feels good. Schools are top notch, but for us as to living there, or even going there to have drinks or dinner, that is not what is happening.

Our sister towns , Dana Point, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano are what we prefer. From ourplace we can walk to Salt Creek Beach in about 5 plus minutes. Next next door to Salt Creek Beach and Park is Strands Beach. Dana Point Harbor is a nice hike, about 4 miles round trip, but very short drive by car

Dana Point Marina is very nice with several excellent restaurants and bars, shops, and just strolling along the slips enjoying the boats . Plus the Catalina Ferry Boat, Full and half day fishing boats, sailing , kayaking, and day tour boats for whale and dolphin watching. There is also have the headlands trails up on the bluffs with great views of the harbor and ocean and catalina.

Dana Point also has loads of parks and BBQ areas, and several hiking trails in the near by small towns.
Also, plenty of hiking along our coast, and inland trails, plus wilderness trails out past San Juan Capistrano. Also, tails in the San Clemente area. Add in riding bikes , as well.

San juan Capistrano is a great area, with restaurants , bars, shops, and the mission. Plus the rodeo .
San Clemente has Del Mar Street, one main drag heading to the pier . Lots of excellent shops, restaurants, and fun.
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HATE is a very severe word, we do not hate Irvine, it is just not the way we wish to live our daily lives, nor put up with the traffic, heat, and lack of scenery and activity.

Now, plenty of people enjoy it there, and have marvelous homes, and raise their families .

There you go, as others have mentioned, it is an individual choice as to where you wish to live, or visit. Do what feels good to you. We all are free to make what ever choice that will be best for us and our families .

[saibot]

Originally Posted by TimTheEnchanter

There is so much new, crude money in Newport Beach, my old money cronies from the yacht club call it the City of Nouveau Riche.

Sure, that's true, and maybe it's just me, but I have never considered Newport Beach to be South OC.

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by saibot

maybe it's just me, but I have never considered Newport Beach to be South OC.

Not just you.

[Socalpal]

Originally Posted by saibot

Sure, that's true, and maybe it's just me, but I have never considered Newport Beach to be South OC.

That is a recent phenomenon fueled by Irvine Co and other developers that want to market the "South OC" lifestyle by adding in Newport. Heck even the OC Register claims that Huntington Beach and Fountain Valley are South OC. It is all driven by developer marketing dollars the "South OC" lifestyle vs the "North OC" lifestyle.

From a pure geographic standpoint everything south of Laguna Canyon Rd could be considered "South OC" everything north is "North OC"

I cannot imagine a delineation in which San Clemente and Fountain Valley are both considered to be "South OC"