It's looking like it's going to be our new home. I'm an east coast girl so I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed and sad about the whole thing.
I'm looking for advice for nice areas within a reasonable driving distance to Irvine. I kind of hate the suburbs so someone mentioned Santa Ana but I don't know much about the area. I'd prefer more city-ish or a beach town with good schools that isn't ungodly expensive. Help!
pomegranate / 3392 posts
I lived in OC for graduate school and at the time, I was very against it, but looking back, it has its charms! Some of my favorite beaches are still there.
I don't know much about schools, but a lot of my classmates who wanted a more urban living situation lived in Long Beach (not OC). Costa Mesa has a funky vibe too. But yeah... it's expensive and has a suburban ethos, no getting around that!
wonderful grape / 20453 posts
Heh, everything is crazy expensive! I grew up in Fullerton, but I don't know what the vibe is like now. Troy high school is a great school, though.
Traffic is brutal near the beaches, too.
grapefruit / 4455 posts
@blackbird: yeah.. Especially beach towns and cities and places with good school districts.
apricot / 398 posts
@Ra: I live in Irvine and would be happy to answer any questions you have! It's beautiful here and very safe, excellent school district but it is expensive with high HOA and Mello Roos on the newer homes. Certain areas of Santa Ana are ok, but I wouldn't recommend it overall. Huntington Beach and Tustin are also nice areas.
honeydew / 7586 posts
Thanks guys! I will look into some of the areas mentioned. I've heard great things about Irvine but I've also heard that it's VERY suburban which is not my thing at all. I want city or beach if we can swing it.
clementine / 918 posts
@Ra: I really think it's best to start with how long you and your SO are willing to sit in traffic. If you are working traditional hours, traffic can be horrendous and the time you are willing to sit in it will set your maximum living radius. There is very limited public transit and I would not suggest relying on it for commuting. Are you planning on renting or buying?
honeydew / 7586 posts
@Ms.Badger: I work from home. My husband is not willing to sit very long in traffic. The office hours are 9-6 (if he leaves on time). We will rent to start.
blogger / apricot / 349 posts
How exciting! Is hubby going to be working in Irvine? I wouldn't recommend living in Santa Ana. Some parts are nice (closer to Costa Mesa) but most are kind of not nice/low income. Huntington Beach, Tustin, Yorba Linda, Placentia, Brea, Anaheim Hills, are all nice areas that are not TOO pricey but they are all suburban. Any which way, it's expensive to live in Orange County.
pomegranate / 3392 posts
There are parts of Irvine that are more urban, or at least there are condos and high rise buildings!
blogger / eggplant / 11551 posts
Hi! Like everyone mentioned, it is expensive in Orange County, but it also has its charms. I wrote a blog post about all the reasons why I love suburban living and it's based on Orange County! We have so much good food here, lots of hikes and outdoorsy things to do. Super close to so many beautiful beaches. If your DH is going to be commuting to Irvine, based on your criteria I would look into Huntington Beach to start! Huntington Beach is about 25 min away and since it's closer to LA and he'd be driving into Irvine he would actually be driving away from traffic.
The only city cities are LA or SD, but the commute would be brutal. LA is 1 hour away from Irvine without traffic and SD is 1.5 hours away. Though if you live in LA and commute to Irvine it would be against traffic. Huntington Beach would be a good middle ground because it would be in between the two cities so I'd look there and the surrounding areas.
cantaloupe / 6131 posts
San Clemente is pretty far from Irvine. I would look into Newport Beach or Huntington Beach if you are really into living near the ocean, but again, that 405 traffic is not a game.
blogger / eggplant / 11551 posts
@Ra: San Clemente is in between Irvine and SD so more south (about 30-40 min away from Irvine without traffic), and will be towards the flow of traffic when commuting to Irvine. I feel like it's more far from everything, but it is definitely a beach/surfer city!
pomegranate / 3401 posts
@Ra: oh yay! We live in OC and LOVE IT! Personally I would stay away from Santa Ana....we live in Lake Forest (a tiny city just South of Irvine) and really like it! Irvine will be expensive but the schools are very good! Aliso Viejo is also nice (South County) and closer to the beach. Definite research the commute though...it can be brutal in the morning going up to Irvine even if it's only 10-15 miles. Feel free to wall me with questions....we have only lived here for 2 years (originally from Downtown LA) but we really love it here and have embraced it!
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
@Ra: I can't believe you are moving to CA! I thought of you the whole time we binge watched The Wire this year (um, is that weird?). I don't know much about the area, though DH's company has an office in Irvine and he talks about moving there every time he goes there for work. Good luck!
honeydew / 7586 posts
@Foodnerd81: Not weird! It's funny you say that. I was telling Steve that people were saying to avoid such-and-such area because it's a "bad" area and he was like, "Don't these people know where we live?! I think SoCal and Baltimore have very different definitions of bad areas." 
clementine / 918 posts
@Ra: I think San Clemente and Huntington Beach will have a similar drive time to Irvine. San Clemente is definitely a beach town and not very urban at all. It's south orange county so farther from the older, more urban suburbs of north orange county. It is very beautiful around there.
I think huntington beach is a good option for you and I"m surprised so few people have suggested Coasta Mesa, it's very close to Irvine, has a lot of decent rentals, and actually has some walkable areas. Lots of grad students from UCI lived there and were really happy with it.
nectarine / 2288 posts
I live in huntington. It's beautiful and we love it but hubby used to work in Irvine and getting home from work every day was completely brutal, it was 13 miles from our house and sometimes took over an hour. That said costa mesa is nice and closer, also close to the beach and has a good school system. Huntington is gorgeous just the 405 is rough
honeydew / 7586 posts
@Ms.Badger: Thank you for the insight! I think we are going to look into all three of those areas. My husband adamantly refuses to live in Irvine but is open to all of those areas. He also just told me his office hours can be 10-7. I don't know if that would help with traffic at all?
clementine / 918 posts
@Ra: I think it would really help and know it would help from san clemente. I drive from mission viejo to UC-irvine (about 1/2 way between irvine and san clemente) once a week around 10 (and used to do it daily) and my drive is pretty easy at that time.
cherry / 168 posts
I grew up in Orange and would for sure stay away from Santa Ana, my husband works there and knows the area well and we would not ever live there. Orange County overall is very suburban, if you want more city vibe then I would look north of Irvine. For a short commute Costa Mesa is nice, my sister lives there and loves it. Huntington Beach is awesome and we are considering moving there in the near future. Or to get even closer to the city Long Beach also has some really nice areas as well but his commute would be a little longer. To me most of south county feels very suburb, think Real Housewives of Orange County, but some areas by the beach are super cute and more of the beachy vibe and have some good walkability.
bananas / 9118 posts
Nothing to add, but I am THRILLED that you could be moving closer and we might be able to see you guys sometime!
pineapple / 12053 posts
@Mrs. High Heels: @Ra: @Ms.Badger: what about seal beach in conjunction with looking at Huntington Beach? I was just there for a weekend and it seemed better than I remember and maybe more affordable but not sure on that last matter.
blogger / eggplant / 11551 posts
@birdofafeather: I don't know too much about Seal Beach!
nectarine / 2210 posts
I grew up in long beach and loved it. I do think it's a lot more "city" then oc. As for Seal Beach I had a number of friends grow up there too and think it would be another good, more beach-y option.
grapefruit / 4045 posts
If you are going to look at Seal Beach, then you might as well look at Belmont Shores, which is essentially the next town over but in LA County. And if you are going to look at Costa Mesa, look at East Side Costa Mesa. There is also an area called Santa Ana Heights that isn't part of the bad Santa Ana. I agree with what others are saying about Santa Ana, but there are actually some awesome places in true Santa Ana if you don't mind thick gang activity. Downtown Santa Ana has great restaurants (the playground in particular) and some newer housing options scattered about. Same with downtown Anaheim around the baseball stadium. Good luck!
honeydew / 7586 posts
@Miss Ariel: My husband's office was in Long Beach up until last month so we are very familiar with the area. They just moved the office to Irvine. 
nectarine / 2210 posts
@Ra: that's too bad. 
but since you're moving you'll at least be close enough to visit more often.
nectarine / 2274 posts
I live in Orange County as well, yes it's expensive, but like all the other bees have stated, there's definitely a benefit of living here. I would recommend looking into Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Alicia Viejo, Tustin, Costa Mesa, and RSM. I would skip Santa Ana. Costa Mesa will get you pretty close to the Newport Beach (where I work). However if you're trying to keep cost low, I would skip all beach cities, its not really affordable.
grapefruit / 4045 posts
Just FYI regarding the current events in Santa Ana. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/police-674068-vehicle-santa.html
honeydew / 7586 posts
Thanks for the tips, everyone! My husband is going to make a list of all the places that have been recommended and start checking them out when he makes his monthly trips for work. I pretty much have my heart set on a beach town so hopefully we will be able to swing it! They haven't approached him with the financials behind it all but we are hoping for a increase that is large enough to keep it from just being a lateral move.
grapefruit / 4997 posts
@Ra: So excited for your next adventure! I feel like there is a better chance for a meet up if you live in the OC since we have family there.
blogger / eggplant / 11551 posts
@Ra: maybe on one of his trips, you guys could make a family vacation out of it! it would be fun!!
mrs. schoolbus wrote a very comprehensive post on all the things you guys could do around here - http://www.hellobee.com/2015/06/16/vacationing-in-the-oc/
honeydew / 7586 posts
@Mrs. High Heels: I've flown out with him a few times (once with B) and we've had a blast!
blogger / eggplant / 11551 posts
@Ra: Oh cool! I'm sure you'll feel right at home when you move then! 
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