Keys to the City

Facts & Fundamentals

Most estimates place the population of Orange County at around 3 million. Oddly enough, the cities in this area derive their identity from the county in which they reside, which is different from much of the nation in that counties typically play second fiddle to the large and even mid-sized cities that sit within their borders.

Ranking as the second largest county in the state, Orange County occupies approximately 800 square miles in Southern California, tucked between Los Angeles to the north and San Diego to the south, with the county seat being Santa Ana. All cities within the county have populations that number less than 360,000.

Major employers in the area include the likes of Boeing, Valeant Pharmaceuticals Intl., First American Insurance, Newport Communications Inc., and area colleges and health care facilities. Well-known name brands like Quicksilver and Billabong also claim the county as their spot of origination.

Generally, sales tax is 7.75% in the county, but cities do have the option of adding additional taxes as necessary, so it can reach 8.25% in some locations.

Weather

The county has a Mediterranean climate, making for mostly warm and dry weather. Coastal communities experience a bit more fog in summer than those areas located further inland. Winter months usher in the lion's share of the area's precipitation, but even so, the county sees over 325 sunny days annually. Average temps stay in the mid 70s Fahrenheit.

Holidays & Business Hours

On federal and state holidays, many offices and businesses close or have truncated hours. Naturally, policies vary, but in general, the following holidays are broadly observed:

Coming & Going

John Wayne Airport (SNA; www.ocair.com) serves the Orange County area. It is situated about 35 miles south of Los Angeles between Costa Mesa, Irvine, Newport Beach, and Santa Ana. The airport handles about 9.6 million passengers annually. Ten major domestic airlines and three commuter airlines service the airport.

If you want to make your way around the county via rental car, the airport offers a number of options. Rental counters are located across from the John Wayne statue on the Arrival Level, between Terminals A and B. Among the companies located on-site are:
Alamo Rent-A-Car 800-327-9633
Enterprise Rent-A-Car 800-736-8222
Hertz 800-654-3131
National Car Rental 800-227-7368

Taxi fares are charged at $2.65 for the first 1/5 mile with $0.50 per additional 1/5 mile. Waiting fee is $28.80 per hour ($0.48 per minute).

For shuttle service, the airport also has a number of options. Several providers include:
ABC Shuttle 714-719-4197
Express Shuttle 800-427-7483
Prompt Shuttle 800-643-4757

Buses run throughout Orange County and to Disneyland_® Resort.
Orange County Transportation Authority buses service the airport via routes 76 and 212. The stop is located at the arrival level outside B Terminal. For information regarding schedules and fares, contact 714-636-7433. For transport to Disneyland_® Resort, ride the Disneyland_® Resort Express; call 800-828-6699 or 714-978-8855.

Amtrak and Greyhound stations are located approximately 10 minutes from the airport.
Amtrak 800-872-7245
Greyhound 800-231-2222

Parking is available at the airport, with both short and long term options available. Rates are $1 per hour or $12-$17 per day depending on the lot. Complimentary shuttle service transports guests to and from the airport and distant parking lots.

A smaller airport, Long Beach Airport (LGB; www.lgb.org) is located 30 minutes outside Anaheim. It's significantly smaller than SNA and is serviced by five airlines.

Metrolink trains are a cooperative effort between Orange County and surrounding counties to alleviate traffic congestion and provide alternative transportation for travelers and commuters. The link operates service on 7 regional lines, including Ventura County, Antelope Valley, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Orange County. For more information, contact 800-371-5465 or visit www.metrolinktrains.com.

Making Your Way

You can get around by taxi, rent a car while in the area (see Coming and Going section for rental car company contact information), or use public transportation. The Orange County Transportation Association (OCTA) runs local routes throughout the county.

Fares for OCTA local buses are $1.50 each time you board and $4 for a day pass. Express service between the County and LA is also available. Contact OCTA at 714-636-7433 or visit www.octa.net. Routes connecting LA to Orange County are also run by the Los Angeles MTA (213-626-4455 or www.mta.net).

Metrolink trains operate on 7 regional lines, including Ventura County, Antelope Valley, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Orange County. For more information, contact 800-371-5465 or visit www.metrolinktrains.com.

Major area highways include the San Diego Freeway (I-405) and the Santa Ana Freeway (I-5) running north/south through the county. Highways 55 and 91 run east to west. The San Gabriel River Freeway runs through a small portion of northwestern Orange County. The Pacific Coast Highway (Hwy 1) provides access to area beach communities.

News & Views

Several newspapers have dedicated readers within Orange County. These include the Orange County Register, the Los Angeles Times, and the OC Weekly, an alternative paper. For local cultural and entertainment news, visit OC Weekly's website at www.ocweekly.com, or visit http://www.ocregister.com or www.ocartsource.org, the Orange County Art Source. For business news, get a copy of the Orange County Business Journal.

Quirks & Curiosities

Master-planned communities have historically been very popular in the county. In fact, about 30% of the county has been developed by way of master plan. Well-known examples include Irvine, Anaheim Hills, Talega, and Mission Viejo.

Getting Your Bearings

When visiting the county, contact any of its Visitor Information Centers with questions or for more information. Their details are as follows:

Anaheim-Orange County Visitor and Convention Bureau
Anaheim Convention Center
800 W Katella Ave
Anaheim, CA 92802
Phone: 714-765-8888
Website: www.anaheimoc.org

Buena Park Convention and Visitors Office
6601 Beach Blvd
Buena Park, CA 90621
Phone: 800-541-3953
Website: www.buenapark.com

Costa Mesa Conference and Visitors Bureau
Phone: 866-918-4749
Website: www.costamesa-ca.com

Huntington Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau
301 Main St, Suite 208
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
Phone: 714-969-3492
Website: www.hbvisit.com

Laguna Beach Visitors Bureau
252 Broadway
Laguna Beach, CA 9265
Phone: 949-376-0511; 800-877-1115
Website: www.lagunabeachinfo.org

Newport Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau
3300 West Coast Hwy
Newport Beach, CA 92663
Phone: 800-942-6278
Website: www.newportbeach-cvb.com

San Juan Capistrano Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center 31781 Camino Capistrano, Suite 306
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92693
Phone: 949-493-4700
Website: www.sanjuanchamber.com

If you have political or county-related questions, contact county government at:
Orange County Government
Hall of Administration
333 W Santa Ana Blvd
Santa Ana, CA 92701
Phone: 714-834-5400
E-mail: webmaster@ocgov.com

Necessities - Post Offices

The county offers plenty of post offices, but the following are among the most conveniently located:
Anaheim Canyon Post Office
8161 E Kaiser Blvd
Anaheim, CA 92809

Harvest Post Office
17192 Murphy Ave
Irvine, CA 92623

Laguna Niguel Main Post Office
29911 Niguel Rd
Laguna Niguel, CA 92607

Santa Ana Main Post Office
2201 N Grand Ave
Santa Ana, CA 92711

Westminster Main Post Office
15030 Goldenwest Cr
Westminster, CA 92685

Common Courtesies

Although tipping is generally a personal matter, some guidelines prove helpful to travelers. At restaurants, servers typically get 15% of the bill, although 10% acknowledges basic assistance, and 20% awards exceptional service. Taxi drivers usually fit into similar guidelines by receiving a tip equivalent to 15% of the tab.

Often, tipping a dollar or two covers many situations, including bellhops, coat checks, daily housekeeping services, and the like. The exception is a concierge, who generally receives $5-10 for standard service (additional assistance suggests more).