San Juan Capistrano

In southern Orange County, San Juan Hills comprises a series of private residential communities that surround the state-of-the-art San Juan Hills Golf Club. As a suburb of San Juan Capistrano, the community offers access to both urban and natural amenities. “This neighborhood, surrounded by hills, makes you feel like you’re out in the country,” says Doug Robinett, a local Realtor with First Team Real Estate. “It’s so quiet, yet it’s five minutes from restaurants and activities.” The San Juan Hills Golf Club sits at the center of the neighborhood and features an 18-hole course, the San Juan Hills Sports Bar & Grill and a driving range. “We support the surrounding community whenever possible, and we were recently voted the Best Golf Course in Orange County by readers of the OC Register,” says Ryan Brown, the General Manager of the San Juan Hills Golf Club.<br><br>This neighborhood is home to several private subdivisions, all of which are gated and situated around San Juan Hills Golf Club. The five largest communities here include Mesa Vista, Loma Vista, San Juan Hills, San Juan Hills West and San Juan Hills East. Notably, both the San Juan Hills West and East subdivisions are 55-plus only. Single-family homes, condo units and townhomes throughout the entire neighborhood offer similar architectural styles, including a mix of Mediterranean and Spanish-inspired dwellings, as well as a handful of New Traditional properties. Condo units and townhomes in San Juan Hills tend to range between $900,000 and $1.2 million, while most single-family homes sell between $800,000 and $2.5 million. In the neighborhood’s two 55-plus subdivisions, residents can also expect $375 per month in HOA fees.<br><br>Adjacent to San Juan Hills is a series of rolling hills that feature numerous hiking trail options, including the Flag Hill and Patriot Trail, which is also referred to as the Flagpole Hike. Residents here often use these trails for biking and horseback riding; Robinett notes that the area’s topography makes it an appealing equestrian town. Several farms and stables can be found in and around the neighborhood, most of which offer boarding and various equine-related amenities. Rancho Mission Viejo Horse Park and 5M Ranch are two popular equestrian training facilities situated just outside the neighborhood. San Juan Hills is also home to San Juan Creek Park, an outdoor recreation spot featuring shaded playground areas, picnic tables and walking paths. <br><br>The San Juan Hills Golf Club offers a variety of events throughout the year, including live music performances on the weekends and golfing tournaments. The club is also known to host holiday celebrations, wine tastings and themed golfing days. Outside the golf club, residents can also enjoy events put together by the city of San Juan Capistrano. In the summertime, the city hosts San Juan Summer Nites, a series of free live music events at Historic Town Center Park every third Wednesday from June through September. <br><br>Less than a mile away from San Juan Hills is the San Juan Capistrano downtown area, which offers plenty of local shopping and dining options. Robinett recommends visiting Los Rios Street. “It’s the oldest street in town with charming shops and several nice restaurants.” Some of the popular spots along Los Rios Street include Ramos House Café and The Tea House on Los Rios, an eclectic restaurant characterized by floral decorations and bright pastel colors. “Trevor’s at the Tracks and Swallow’s Inn are great places, too,” Robinett says. The downtown area is also home to the Mission San Juan Capistrano, a historic landmark and chapel built in the 18th century that now includes a museum and outdoor garden area. Mission San Juan Capistrano attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year and has been dubbed the “Jewel of the California Missions.” Along Del Obispo Street is the Plaza Del Obispo Shopping Center, which features a Target, a Marshalls department store and several chain eateries.<br><br>Students in this neighborhood are served by the Capistrano Unified School District, which receives an overall A-plus rating from Niche. Young learners in kindergarten through fifth grade can attend Harold Ambuehl Elementary School, an A-minus-rated institution, while students in grades six through eight might head to Marco Foster Middle School, also rated A-minus. San Juan Hills High School receives an A-plus rating and offers students Advanced Placement courses and honors classes. St. Margaret’s Episcopal School is a private and co-ed college preparatory school that receives an A-plus rating and was named the No. 1 Christian high school in the Los Angeles area by Niche in 2024. “St. Margaret’s is a big draw for the area in itself,” Robinett says. “I’ve sold a lot of houses here because kids were accepted to the school.”<br><br>Commuters in San Juan Hills have convenient access to Interstate 5, a major thoroughfare that runs through San Juan Capistrano and travels the entire length of the West Coast. Approximately 1 mile outside the neighborhood is the San Juan Capistrano transit station, where locals can access two Metrolink commuter rail lines and Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner train, which offers daily service between San Diego and Los Angeles. In the downtown San Juan Capistrano area, the Orange County Transportation Authority offers bus service along Route 91, which stretches from Laguna Hills to San Clemente. San Juan Hills has an overall CAP Index score of 2, which is lower than the national average of 4.