$3,326,443Average Value$1,720Average Price per Sq Ft1Home For Sale
Ocean views and Victoria Beach walkability
Alta Vista has panoramic views of the Pacific, just above Victoria Beach. “It rises really quickly off the coastline, so you get stupendous, dynamite views,” says Jesse Brossa with Compass, a Realtor since 2006. “Other neighborhoods have those views, but they’re so far up into the hills that you have to drive to the beach. This is one of the rare places where you get those views, and you’re still within walking distance.” Though the hills continue up into Arch Beach Heights, Alta Vista itself is only about a half-mile from top to bottom, and the ocean is visible most of the way. It peeks out between modern homes and jungle-like foliage. Steep, curvy roads and few sidewalks seem to discourage pedestrians, yet the area has little through traffic and 25-mile-per-hour speed limits.
Alta Vista residents have close access to Victoria Beach.
Alta Vista residents always have the best views of the ocean sunset.
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Victoria Beach and Top of the World
Among Laguna Beach’s many coastal areas, Victoria Beach is one of the least crowded. Some locals know it, though, as the birthplace of skimboarding. Because of this coastline’s shape and current patterns, Victoria’s waves can get rough and unpredictable during high tide; this makes surfing a challenge, but skimboarders can enjoy big whitewash. These high tides also block the shoreline hike to the beach’s Pirate Tower. This 60-foot-tall structure was built in the 1920s by a California Senator and was sold later to a pirate aficionado, earning it the nickname. While the tower is sealed, visitors can walk along the area’s rocks during low tide and check out the landmark. Others might just prefer to sunbathe. Leashed dogs are permitted at sunrise and sunset in the summer, but they can come all day during the other seasons.
The Santa Ana Mountains also stretch along this shoreline, just north of Alta Vista. Moulton Meadows Park is on the hilltop closest to the neighborhood, and it has views of the beach. It also has basketball courts, tennis courts, a playground and a soccer field. The park’s north side connects to Top of the World trail, a famous 2-mile hike along a ridgeline. Because the area doesn’t have many trees, the ocean view is unobstructed, and Catalina Island is visible on clear days.
Victora Beach is famous for its pirate tower and the tide pools that surround it.
You'll frequently see skimboarders on Victoria Beach trying to catch a good wave.
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From free lots to multimillion-dollar homes in Alta Vista
Nobody wanted to live in Alta Vista or Arch Beach Heights in the early 1900s. Because of their hillside locations and the lack of a paved road, it was difficult to build anything. The land was so undesirable, in fact, that The Los Angeles Times ran a promotion to give away lots with every annual subscription. That all changed after a paved road was put in and more people arrived in the 1960s. “People were buying a dream then. Not much had been built yet,” Brossa says. “They had to picture themselves on this coastline. They probably stood on the beach once and said, ‘Oh my god, I have to have a piece of this.’” Now, these homes are prized for their ocean views, and they’re usually renovated with modern architecture and multiple stories. Most properties have expansive patios and banded windows to see the water. They start at $1.7 million, but homes with four times the square footage are close to $10 million. “Nothing is inexpensive in Laguna Beach, but Alta Vista is sometimes less expensive,” says Stephanie Cismoski with Compass, a Realtor since 2016. “It’s a great place for someone to buy their first home on a tight lot and have beautiful ocean views.”
The base of Alta Vista is comprised of mainly smaller homes and cottages.
Modern homes in Alta Vista can have ocean views in just about every room in all directions.
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Dizz’s As Is, The Drake and downtown Laguna
Two neighborhood restaurants are at the bottom of Alta Vista’s hill, just off the PCH. Dizz’s As Is is a 1920s-era house turned antique-filled restaurant. Started in 1977, this Laguna staple attracts a lot of regulars for its cozy atmosphere, continental food and signature cocktails. The Drake is just down the street for fine dining and nightly jazz. About 2 miles up the coast, downtown Laguna has additional restaurants and a Ralphs Fresh Fare for groceries. This district, right next to Main Beach, also has clothing boutiques such as Harper & Dakota and Louise’s Place, and the Laguna Art Museum has over 3,500 works on the waterfront.
Dizz's As Is is a local favorite for Alta Vista residents with fine dining options.
The Drake Restaurant by Alta Vista gives a modern, luxury atmosphere for fine dining.
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All As for Laguna Beach Unified Schools
Students above San Clemente Street can attend Top of the World Elementary, a short walk from the trail of the same name. Niche gives it an A. Students in the south can attend El Morro Elementary, rated an A-plus. Niche ranks both schools among the top 15 best public elementary schools in Orange County, ahead of nearly 400 others. Serving Alta Vista and Laguna Beach overall, Thurston Middle gets an A, and Laguna Beach High gets an A-plus. The high school has a class called Authentic Exploratory Research, in which students can study their passions with a mentor. A student can study social media marketing, for instance, with an industry leader or an academic scholar in that field.
Safety is the number one priority at Thurston Middle School in Laguna Beach.
Top of the World Elementary School, in Laguna Beach, is an award winning elementary school.
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Pacific Coast Highway and OCTA buses
Pedestrians and bikers can get around Alta Vista Way, the main route through the neighborhood. It goes south to the beach; it goes north to Arch Beach Heights and the Santa Ana Mountains. The Pacific Coast Highway connects to this route and travels along the coast, leading roughly 50 miles north to downtown Los Angeles. This freeway can often back up with traffic, especially when beachgoing tourists arrive in the summer. Parking near the beaches is challenging at this time, so people may have to lug their beach chairs and towels for a while. As an alternative, the city of Laguna Beach operates a free trolley on the PCH, and it runs seven days a week, every 20 to 40 minutes. Another option is the Orange County Transit Authority bus, which stops at the Laguna Beach Bus Depot in downtown Laguna. The closest international airport, John Wayne Airport, is about 15 miles north.
Alta Vista residents can drive up and down the coast through the Pacific Coast Highway.
Laguna Beach offers shuttle and bus transit for Laguna Beach and Southern California.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
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Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime
Alta Vista
US
Homicide
1
4
Sexual Assault
3
4
Assault with Weapon
2
4
Robbery
2
4
Burglary
4
4
Motor Vehicle Theft
4
4
Larceny
4
4
Crime Score
4
4
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Alta Vista Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Alta Vista, Laguna Beach sell after 32 days on the market compared to the national average of 53 days. The median sale price for homes in Alta Vista, Laguna Beach over the last 12 months is $2,685,000, down 18% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
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