Photo Credit Eric Ward
Photo Credit Alexander Mass
ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
Two Cities, Two Distinct Styles
BY HOPE GAINER
os Angeles may
be Southern
California’s
perennial headliner, but venture farther south and a more nuanced coastal story unfolds—one of Spanish colonial heritage, maritime glamour, and two Orange County destinations that could not be more distinct in character.
In San Juan Capistrano, history and charm converge amid mission bells, adobe cottages, and vibrant local haunts. Just up the coast, Newport Beach offers a polished counterpoint: a gleaming waterfront enclave of luxury yachts, designer boutiques, and refined coastal living.
Connecting it all is one of California’s most underrated travel experiences: the Pacific Surfliner, an award-winning rail route tracing the coastline from Los Angeles to San Diego. Affordable, scenic, and blissfully free of freeway traffic, the train stops directly in San Juan Capistrano and continues north to Santa Barbara, with convenient airport transfers from LAX making the journey seamless.
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