Orange County Pocket Guide by Grand Pacific Resorts

ORANGE COUNTY

WHERE CITRUS MEETS THE SEA Pocket Guide

STANFORD COURT ANTIQUES & DECORATIVE ARTS

IN WITH THE OLD!

This antique store in Historic San Clemente is housed in a building dating back to 1910 and has remained true to its roots by boasting original flooring, banisters, and hardware. As a co-op with over 20 different leased spaces,

FARMERS MARKET

it offers a wide variety of high-end antique and vintage finds, ranging from European and Asian collectables to American midcentury modern pieces – something for every decorative style!

We’re lucky, because San Clemente is close to an abundance of local farms and hosts a farmers market every Sunday! There’s everything from beautiful orchids to soft breads, handmade dips to

fresh-picked produce – and it’s less than a 10 minute walk from the resort. We took a stroll down to the market and captured some of what you may see when you visit us next.

{ THINGS TO DO AROUND }

Dana Point

WHALE WATCHING ADVENTURE

January is peak migration season for California Gray Whales, and you can experience a portion of their journey from the cold waters of Alaska to the warm waves of Baja California.

Along with gray whales, you may also get to see blue whales, humpback whales, orcas, seals, sea lions, and dolphins.

DATE NIGHT ADVENTURES

Because you deserve a night all to yourselves.

Raya at The Ritz-Carlton Bourbon Steak Orange County

SWEET STUFF

There’s no better way to end a meal than a trip to taste something sweet.

South Swell Hand Dipped Ice Cream

Sugar Blossom Bake Shop

Get in touch with your sweet side! Whether you love baked goods, or frozen treats are more your sugar craving style, this charming seaside bakery offers something for every sweet tooth.

From cupcakes to ice cream, these allnatural goods are made on site all day and also come in gluten-free options!

Customize your own ice cream sandwich or stop in for a cinnamon roll on Sundays.

Montage Lobby Lounge

Shopping

There are a variety of fabulous shopping outlets around Orange County, from large outlet malls to small mom & pop shops.

These are just a few of our favorite places to go!

Outlets at San Clemente

Rocket Fizz Soda Pop & Candy Shop

South Coast Plaza

Buy Hand Dana Point Harbor

The Shops at Mission Viejo

Events

The beach can be great, but if you’re looking to take your vacation to the next level, head to any of these fun events that take place around Southern California.

SAN CLEMENTE OCEAN FESTIVAL

A free two-day event that is dedicated to the education and support of ocean safety and the environment.

“The Greatest Show on Surf” is Fun for the Whole Family

FESTIVAL OF ARTS, SAWDUST ART FESTIVAL, AND ART-A-FAIR FESTIVAL

Visit before the end of August and head up the coast to Laguna to experience all these festivals have to offer, including the acclaimed Pageant of the Masters!

Day trip to Laguna Beach’s Summer Art Festivals

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

The first inhabitants of Orange County were here thousands of years ago, living off the land by hunting fish and gathering plants and seeds. When the first Spanish explorers arrived on the land, they renamed the two native groups the Juaneño and the Gabrielino.

In 1769, Spain sent Catholic missionaries and soldiers to colonize California and develop missions throughout the region, which are still standing today.

TRADING COWHIDES AND CHANGING NAMES

In 1784, a retired Spanish soldier was granted grazing rights between the Santa Ana and San Gabriel Rivers, and soon after that there were multiple families settling down and running cattle. By 1846, almost all of what is now Orange County was part of one rancho or another! This created a great trading opportunity, and countries like the United States sailed up the coast of California to trade manufactured goods for cowhides. The trading of cowhides is actually what brought Richard Henry Dana, Jr. to Capistrano Bay, leading to his book Two Years Before the Mast, published in 1840. It was in that book that Dana described the headlands and the bay as “the only romantic spot in California”, and residents were so pleased by his comments that they renamed the area Dana Point.

GOLD RUSH

The Gold Rush of 1849 brought thousands of new people to California in hopes of getting rich off the land. The local economy soared, and with a series of droughts, floods, diseases, and the cost of defending their land, most of the Rancheros were driven out. With these changes, communities began to form.

THE COUNTY COMES TO LIFE

The Southern Pacific railroad held a monopoly in Southern California until 1885, when the Santa Fe railroad pushed their tracks over the Cajon Pass. This brought competition and a drop in ticket prices, which then created a real estate boom throughout the region.

New towns and subdivisions were popping up everywhere, although we wouldn’t see Dana Point until 1920 and San Clemente until 1925.

THE ORIGINS OF ORANGE

From the 1890s to the 1950s, oranges dominated the agriculture space of Orange County. Navel oranges were the original orange breed of the county, but Valencias, with their longer harvesting period, became the dominant orange of the area.

The orange market was quite limited until good railroad connections and refrigerated cars became available, and by 1936 Orange County was producing one-sixth of the nation’s Valencia crop.

Most of the local farmers became a part of a packing house to better control and market the industry, and most local packing houses were members of the Southern California Fruit Exchange – better known by their trademark, Sunkist. Sunkist and other

organizations were able to sponsor major advertising campaigns that helped transform oranges and orange juice from a holiday treat to an everyday item.

Unfortunately, oranges are very susceptible to a number of insect pests and diseases. The worst citrus disease was the Quick Decline, a virus that infected local groves in the 1940s and killed off trees by the thousands.

Citrus acreage reached its peak in 1948 with 67,000 acres of Valencia oranges alone - more than five million trees. As of 2004, there was less than 100 acres of citrus still being harvested in Orange County. The citrus industry of Orange County will soon be just a memory.

DANA POINT BEGINNINGS

In the 1920s, Sidney H. Woodruff (known for the development of Hollywoodland and the Hollywood sign) and several other investors purchased a large plot of land in the area and made plans to transform it into a resort town that combined the romance of Old California with modern amenities. They looked to design it with a Spanish influence, with wide roads and white adobe houses with red-tiled roofs in what became known as Lantern Village.

The stock market crash of 1929 ended the development of this area.

Edward Doheny, an oil tycoon, also had purchased a large plot of

land with the intention of developing it, but also failed due to the Great Depression.

Doheny ended up donating his 40 acres of beachfront property to the state of California, which later turned into Doheny State Beach, California’s first state beach.

Photo Spots

There are so many places around Orange County to take photos and make great memories that your family can share and cherish for a lifetime. Here are just a few of our favorite picturesque destinations:

• Pines Park

• San Clemente Pier

• Casa Romantica

• San Clemente Beach Trail

• Mission San Juan Capistrano

• Calafia State Beach

• Sea Summit Trail

• Water Tank Trail

• St. Francis by the Sea

• Victoria Tower, aka “Pirate Tower”

• Top of the World (Alta Laguna Park)

• Montage Laguna Beach