Orange County, is known for its wonderful climate, famous tourist attractions like Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm, expansive beaches, and wide open spaces. But to over 3 million people, Orange County is simply home.

Orange County, California is the third most populous county and the fifth most populous in the United States. Orange County residents take their county name as their label of cultural identity. Until the 1950s, agriculture remained the most important part of Orange County’s economy. As other crops disappeared, citrus became more and more popular. Orange County is almost uniformly suburban. Anaheim was the first American town founded in what is now Orange County. In 1857, a group of German immigrants living in San Francisco started a new community, built on winemaking. After the initial development was complete, the first colonists moved to Anaheim in 1859.

Almost 30% of Orange County was created as master planned communities. The most notable are the Anaheim Hills, Irvine, Coto de Caza, Ladera Ranch, Tustin Ranch, Talega, Rancho Santa Margarita, and Mission Viejo. Irvine being the model master planned city was planned under the Irvine Company in the mid-1960s. Communities throughout the country have used Orange County developments as a model. Community clubhouses, community pools, pocket parks, horse trails, and active associations were first established in Orange County planned communities and have been copied in numerous places throughout the United States.

Some highlights of the area include Huntington Beach (nicknamed "Surf City, U.S.A."), a hot spot for sunbathing and surfing and home to many surfing competitions. The Anaheim Convention Center is the largest such facility on the West Coast. The old town area at the "circle" in the City of Orange still maintains its 1950s image and is a historical area of the county. Little Saigon is another notable tourist destination, being home to the largest concentration of Vietnamese people outside of Vietnam.

Other notable structures include the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda, the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, and the historic Balboa Pavilion in Newport Beach, the Huntington Beach Pier, and the restored Mission San Juan Capistrano.

Some of the most exclusive neighborhoods in the U.S. are located here, many along the Orange County Coast, and some in north Orange County. The area's warm Mediterranean climate and 42 miles of year-round beaches make Orange County a wonderful place to live.