Huntington Beach is internationally known as Surf City, due to its 8 miles of scenic, user-friendly beachfront - the largest stretch of uninterrupted beaches on the West Coast. Tourism remains a vital part of the city, as over 11 million visitors flock here during the summer, on weekends and for special events. Home to five city high schools, thirty-five elementary schools and Golden West Community College, Huntington Beach is also a short ride away from UC Irvine, Cal State Long Beach and Cal State Fullerton. Residents and tourists alike enjoy one of the largest recreational piers in the world, along with riding stables and equestrian trails, a marina, and a wildlife preserve.

Seal Beach has a quaint, small-town atmosphere, featuring the second-longest pier in California, beautiful beaches and a skate park. Located in the westernmost corner of Orange County, Seal Beach is a coastal surfing community, the gateway to Orange County between the cities of Long Beach and Huntington Beach. The city attracts more than 2,000,000 visitors each year making recreation an important factor in the local economy in an otherwise residential community. It is also served by the Los Alamitos School District, which has some of the area's best schools.

One of Orange County’s most affluent locales, Newport Beach sits on the ocean between Huntington and Laguna Beach. Newport Beach residents enjoy award-winning schools, magnificent homes, world-class shopping and culturally-diverse dining. Surfers and sunbathers flock to the city's expansive, soft-sand beaches in Corona del Mar and on the Balboa Peninsula, as well as body-surfing hot-spot, The Wedge. The Balboa Peninsula features the city's most popular attractions, including the Catalina Flyer providing daily transportation to Catalina Island, and The Balboa Fun Zone boasting a Ferris wheel, an old-time Merry-Go-Round, and bumper cars, as well as shops and restaurants.

Hidden at the edge of Newport Beach, Balboa Island is a charming and exquisite community that defines Orange County living and offers a unique and rustic charm that few places in Southern California can match. The beautiful local shops and boutiques draw locals and visitors in throughout the year. Balboa Island is actually not a single island, but a composite of Balboa Island, Little Balboa Island, and Collins Island. Once accessible only by sailboat, Balboa Island can now be reached both by ferry and by a bridge that connects it to the mainland. Homes for sale on Balboa Island are gorgeous and offer stunning ocean views, and most include small docks for the locals' boats.

The city of Laguna Beach is well known as an affluent, seaside resort town located in Southern Orange County. A unique beach community and artist's colony with 7 miles of beaches running along its 9 square miles, residents enjoy the ambiance provided by the sandy beaches, canyons and coastal hills. During the summer, several million visitors are drawn to the resort environment for its incredible beaches, art festivals and the Pageant of the Masters. Laguna's village shopping district, bluff top walkways and tram system create a pedestrian environment whose scale is rare in Southern California.

Halfway between LA and San Diego, Dana Point spreads along 7 miles of prominent coastal bluffs and rolling hills beside the Pacific Ocean in Dana Point. Notable the bluffs is the unique promontory, the Headlands, which overlooks Dana Point Harbor, a significant landmark of the Orange County coastline. Dana Point Harbor can accommodate over 2,500 boats and provides shopping and dining amenities, attracting thousands every year for different recreational activities including sport fishing and parasailing. Dana Point residents also have access to Doheny State Park, which has 62 acres of beautiful natural locales suitable for camping, picnicking, swimming, surfing, cycling and more.

San Clemente is the southern most beach city of Orange County known for its beautiful Spanish architecture, laid back vibe and small-town feel. San Clemente draws in nature lovers, surfers, families and cultural enthusiasts alike. San Clemente State Park sits on the bluffs overlooking the State Beach and is one of the most popular and beautiful State Parks on the coast. The city is also the surfing media capital of the world, with a large concentration of surfboard shapers and manufacturers, and is home to Surfing Magazine, The Surfer's Journal, and Longboard Magazine. San Clemente real estate is known for its white stucco and red roofed homes reminiscent of Spanish architecture.