Newport Beach

On the sun-soaked Pacific Coast, Crystal Cove provides residents with some of Newport Beach’s premium real estate. Homes face Crystal Cove Beach, one of Southern California’s state parks. Lee Ann Canaday, who has been selling homes in Orange County for 30 years, says, “It’s some of the most expensive real estate in Orange County, and part of what people are paying for is the exclusivity. The homes are beautiful, and the neighborhood has great amenities.”<br><br>The hillside neighborhood faces Crystal Cove State Park, providing residents scenic views of the rolling Pacific. While the state park is public, the neighborhood’s overlook vistas feel exclusive. When residents are ready to go for a walk on the beach or stand in the surf, Crystal Cove Beach is easily accessible via a tunnel running underneath the highway. <br><br>Residents can hang out in the neighborhood at Crystal Cove’s handful of parks. Residents play friendly games of tennis or basketball at the neighborhood courts. Hikers enjoy Brian’s Head Trailhead, which winds around the private community. Residents also have access to the Crystal Cove Canyon Club. Canaday says, “Nearly everyone has their own pool, but it is nice to spend time at the community pool. And it’s a beautiful pool—it’s like the Ritz Carlton.” <br><br>Streets and sidewalks curve through the neighborhood's quiet streets, past meticulously manicured lawns. Groomed trees and bright green grass, maintained to the specifications of the homeowners association guidelines, give each home a refined air tangible from the street. Each home in the neighborhood is expansive, with thousands of square footage and multiple bedrooms. Stucco siding and red tile roofs of the neighborhood homes evoke Mediterranean villas. Canaday says the location is key, as the incredible ocean views entice buyers. Although the views are priceless, Crystal Cove homes come with a multimillion-dollar price tag. Smaller homes start at over $10 million, but the larger palatial villas often exceed $50 million. <br><br>Although the community doesn’t sponsor large events for neighbors, residents still enjoy socializing. “There are more private events than community events, but it's a very friendly community,” says Canaday. “People walk together in big walking clubs. People have all sorts of little clubs and teas and parties among themselves. All the different interest groups can find their niche.” Residents venture outside of the neighborhood to Newport Beach for more to do.<br><br>Highly-rated Laguna Beach Unified School District<br>Crystal Cove is zoned for the Laguna Beach Unified School District, which earned an A-plus on Niche. Students begin school at El Morro Elementary before proceeding to Thurston Middle School and graduating from Laguna Beach High School. Niche scored each school with an A rating and ranks Laguna Beach High School as the 13th-best public high school in Orange County. <br><br>Residents enjoy shopping at the Crystal Cove Shopping Center, located off East Pacific Coast Highway and within walking distance of the neighborhood. The open-air plaza houses large retail chains, like Banana Republic and William Sanoma, and locally-owned boutiques and restaurants, like Coastal Cool and Mastro's Ocean Club. Although many stores are higher-end, it’s a one-stop shop for completing errands. Visitors can bank at Chase, pick up groceries at Trader Joe’s or get a manicure at Blü Nail Bar & Spa. <br><br>The Pacific Coast Highway runs across the mouth of the neighborhood. Aside from making for a scenic drive, the highway trails the Southern Californian coast and transports drivers 85 miles down to San Diego or 12 miles up to Huntington Beach. Irvine, via State Route 73, is 11 miles away. Within the neighborhood, residents enjoy strolling down the sidewalks to visit neighbors or go to the beach, but a car is needed for traveling outside the neighborhood.<br><br>Two gates insulate the community from outside visitors. The gates are guarded 24/7 for residents' security, which helps ensure low instances of crime. The neighborhood has a CAP Index score of two out of ten, two points below the national average.

If you’re looking to live in a location where you can hike beautiful canyons in the morning and swim in the ocean in the afternoon, Newport Coast is where you want to be. Located in the San Joaquin Hills in Newport Beach, Newport Coast boasts desirable homes in gated communities surrounded by picturesque views of the hills to the east and west and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Plus, it's not too tucked away like some areas near the water. "The location is good, you’re close to Irvine, which makes it convenient if you work in Irvine but want to live near the beach," says Realtor Matt Tilley with First Team Realty, also known as "The British Bloke" on his YouTube Channel. "And it’s more centrally located in Orange County so it’s easier to get to LAX or Los Angeles County from there than, say, if you were living in Laguna Beach."<br><br>Newcomers to Newport Coast will find homes that will satisfy a variety of price points ranging from cozy 2,000-square-foot modern Spanish-style homes boasting two stories and two car garages for around $2 million to sprawling 12,000-square-foot mansions featuring stunning views of the ocean for $20 million. You can find some 2,000-square-foot homes with ocean views, too, but those will cost you anywhere from $2 million to $8 million. The streets bend and curve throughout each neighborhood, often ending in cul-de-sacs. Tall, mature trees are abundant, as are wide sidewalks that are perfect for taking an afternoon stroll. You can also find condos and townhomes in Newport Coast’s center, near main artery Newport Coast Drive with prices ranging from $750,000 for 1,000 square feet to $3 million for 3,500 square feet. Many of these homes boast amenities similar to their single-family counterparts, like guard-gated access, multi-car garages and scenic views.<br><br>The public schools in Newport Coast are a part of the Newport-Mesa Unified School District and include multiple elementary schools, one middle school and one high school. Younger children may attend Newport Coast Elementary, which serves approximately 500 students from kindergarten through sixth grade and boasts an eight out of 10 overall on GreatSchools. After elementary school, students may then head to Corona del Mar Middle and High School, which serves approximately 2,500 students from seventh to 12th grade. The school boasts an A+ rating on Niche and has a robust athletics department with teams that routinely win CIF championships. One of the more recent wins was for the football team, which won the Division 1-A State Championship in 2019.<br><br>One of the many perks of living in Newport Coast is easy access to the ocean, which you can find at nearby Corona del Mar State Beach, a popular spot for swimming and surfing. If surfing’s not your thing, there’s plenty of space to lay out on the sand and relax while listening to the ocean. For hiking and biking, make your way to Buck Gully Reserve, a 1,200-acre coastal watershed that boasts an easy 4-mile trail where you can get a change of scenery; the trek through the canyon doesn’t provide ocean views, but thanks to the dense tree coverage and various creeks, you’ll feel like you’ve escaped to the woods. If you want a hike with an ocean view, head to Crystal Cove State Park and take the popular El Morro Canyon Trail, where you'll be treated to one as you descend the five-mile loop. Along the way, keep your eyes peeled for birds such as ravens, mourning doves, and many varieties of lizards and snakes, all of whom call this park their home.<br><br>Golf fans won’t have far to go to play a round or two; they can make their way to the Pelican Hill Golf Club, located off South Pelican Hill Road, which is open daily to the public and for guests of the nearby Resort at Pelican Hill. With ocean-view courses and 36 holes, the golf club was designed by world-renowned golf course designer Tom Fazio and has hosted notable events like the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce Putting Competition.<br><br>Head to Newport Coast Shopping Center for groceries at Pavilions and a variety of services, including an animal hospital, a dry cleaner, and a pet supply store. You can also find shopping at nearby Crystal Cove Shopping Center, an upscale open-air plaza in Crystal Cove featuring over 30 retailers from locally owned boutiques and familiar mall favorites like Williams Sonoma, Banana Republic and The Gap. Crystal Cove Shopping Center also has dining options like Javier's, a local favorite specializing in upscale Mexican cuisine. Start your meal with a hand-shaken margarita and an order of Empanadas de Camaron, made with shrimp, poblano peppers and salsa quemada. <br><br>For commuting, the SR-73 toll road can get you out of Newport Coast and connect you to the 5 or the 405, depending on which direction you head in. From there, you’ll have easy access to the rest of Orange County, Los Angeles County or wherever else in southern California you need to go. Need to go a little further? John Wayne Airport is less than eight miles away, which offers flights across the country and to Mexico and Canada.