Golden Hills

In the heart of Orange County's Fullerton, the sought-after suburb of Golden Hills offers vintage charm and open space. "This is Fullerton's most historic neighborhood," says Realtor Melissa Yeo of Hawk & Dove Real Estate Group, "with a mix of Craftsman bungalows, Spanish Colonial Revival, midcentury and contemporary 1970s homes. The oldest homes are especially well made and hold their value, but their owners tend to lovingly fix them up and hold onto them. What you'll mostly see on the market here are the later homes, a mix of tract and custom properties." Here in Golden Hills you're just northeast of Downtown Fullerton shopping and dining, with easy access to the 5 freeway and state routes 91, 39 and 57. Disneyland is a few miles south, Downtown LA is 24 miles north (a little over an hour in rush hour traffic), and you’re roughly 20 miles from both Irvine and Huntington Beach.

Homes in Golden Hills generally date between the 1920s and 1970s, many with recent renovations, on lots ranging from 6,000 square feet to a quarter acre. Many of the early 20th-century homes can be found in the Golden Flats area, some within a protected historic overlay and all averaging $1.7 million (but rarely up for sale); this is where Fullerton goes trick or treating on Halloween and to be dazzled by Christmas decor in winter. As you head into the hills (no longer golden with mustard weed, as they were in the 19th century), you'll more commonly see midcentury ranch-style homes averaging $1.2 million and large contemporary '70s homes averaging $1.5 million. The sometimes wide, well-paved and often leafy streets here are quieter and less traveled than those downtown, always lined with neatly manicured lawns and gardens. The higher you climb, the less likely you are to see a sidewalk, a smaller home or a younger tree.

You'll find elbow room and some cardio at 16-acre Hiltscher Park, laced with leafy, dog-friendly trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding; have a rest and a quiet moment in the park’s Hundred Oaks Trail Native Garden, a graceful grove of oaks and sycamores. You can also bike or hike the 11-mile Fullerton Loop, which is shaded and flat for the first few miles, eventually climbing (and descending) into steep hills. You’ll see your neighbors and their kids at Fern Drive Park, which has a little wood-chip-cushioned playground with spring riders and a slide, as well as playing fields, walking paths and a barbecue area. Just east of the neighborhood’s northern tip, you’ll find the Fullerton Family YMCA; Brea Dam Park with paved paths and a golf driving range; and beside both, Providence St. Jude Medical Center.

Up near the hospital, you can start your day with a matcha latte or cappuccino at Coffee by Eggspresso, while in the Hillcrest Park Shopping Center, you can fuel the day with superfoods from Acai Republic or American comfort fare from the Black Bear Diner. Tuck into street tacos, bowls and burritos from the locally owned Gonzos, or enjoy fish, chips and a lager from The OIde Ship, a classic, cozy British pub festooned with the Union Jack. You’ll find lots more independent eateries south in Downtown Fullerton (known to locals as DTF), which is known for its hopping bar scene. Your area grocery options include Ralph’s, Costco, Stater Bros., Albertson’s and Target.

Many local kids attend Fullerton Unified district schools, which are some of the strongest in the Greater Los Angeles area. The desirable Golden Hill Elementary for Creative and Performing Arts is a GATE school rated 8/10 by Great Schools, while D. Russell Parks Junior High earns a 9/10 for its students’ test scores. Fullerton Union High (go, Tribe!), which offers academies for visual, performing and culinary arts, and athletics that include swimming and tennis, earns a 9/10 for its students’ college readiness.

Surrounded by the best of Orange County, the well-established suburb of Golden Hills offers vintage charm, easy access to shopping, dining, nature and good schools in the heart of Fullerton.

Written By

Melanie Wynne

Photography Contributed By

Darren Asay

Video By

Jacob McAllister