"Remember the Past, Challenge the Future" is the apt motto for Orange County's beautiful city of Lake Forest. Lake Forest has the charisma of a small community with the simplicity of a large urban city where a home can be found to suit the needs of anyone. Lake Forest Real Estate offers homes for sale comprising of condominiums, townhomes, single family homes, lake front homes, and retirement communities.
The City of Lake Forest is situated at the scenic Saddleback Valley Mountains. Thanks to its convenient location near Interstate 5 and Interstate 405, as well as the 241 Toll Road, all of the wonderful attractions in the area are readily accessible, whether in Orange County, San Diego, or Los Angeles. Lake Forest is also a mere nine miles from the Pacific Ocean, providing beach activities within easy striking distance. Restaurants are plentiful in Lake Forest as well, providing a number of both casual and fine dining options for residents and visitors alike.
The city was first incorporated on Dec. 20, 1991, and Lake Forest has generously expanded its city limits to include the adjacent communities of Foothill Ranch and Portola Hills. The city has been consistently ranked among some of the safest cities in the United States, which combines with its other numerous benefits to make Lake Forest an ideal place for raising a family. Lake Forest takes its name from its location near two lakes--hence, "Lake"--and the presence of a dense forest of eucalyptus trees, which leads to the "Forest" in the name.
The two lakes in Lake Forest feature the Lake Forest Beach and Tennis Club, and Lake Forest Sun and Sail Club. Locally, each lake is identified by whether it is the location for the Beach and Tennis Club or the Sun and Sail Club. In both cases, there are condominiums and custom homes built at the shores around the lakes.
There is one public high school in Lake Forest, called El Toro High School, which was first opened in 1973. El Toro has established itself as one of the first-rate high schools in Southern California, along with the other three public high schools administered by the Saddleback Valley Unified School District (SVUSD). There is also a fine assortment of private school options in Lake Forest, including denominationally affiliated schools for high school and younger ages, as well. Preschools children will find Montessori and other preschools available for their needs. Lake Forest has two public libraries, which are officially branches of the Orange County Public Library system.
Lake Forest is the home to two county parks. The enormous Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park covers roughly 4,300 acres of scenic woodland canyons, wide slopes of sage and native trees, and broad grassland hills. Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park is the site of astonishing rock formations, with the stunning Red Rock Canyon. Three streams called Aliso Creek, Borrego Creek, and Serrano Creek may be found on the park, depending on the rainfall and time of year. These streams help to support a variety of wildlife in the area.
The other park is smaller, but every bit as fascinating for other reasons. Heritage Hill Historical Park is comprised of over four acres of land. The park includes four historic buildings in addition to other structures for the maintenance of the park, as well as public restrooms. The historic buildings are completely restored and cover the early historical background of both the Saddleback Valley and El Toro location. Tours of the historical sites and through the buildings are available for the public from Wednesday through Sunday, offering a wonderful educational experience for families and interested individuals. The tours cover the Saddleback area's history using available artifacts, historical events, and portrayals of the actual characters associated with each building. In addition, all of the park grounds are landscaped and maintained in accordance with the historical importance and style of the buildings. Residents are often pleased to learn that the beautiful and pristine grounds are made available for weddings and other special occasions. The Heritage Hill Historical Park is also used for holiday events every year, such as the immensely popular Victorian Christmas, held annually on the first weekend in December.
Lake Forest features many open spaces and an assortment of public parks that offer an excellent variety of outdoor and sporting activities. The city has facilities for baseball and softball, tennis, handball, volleyball courts, basketball courts, and other sports. In addition, residents make use of beautiful golf courses, riding stables, equestrian, hiking and biking trails, and even swimming and boating. For the skaters and BMX riders in the family, there is also the amazing Etnies Skate Park of Lake Forest. Lake Forest is truly a city with unbelievable amounts of outdoor activities to offer.
Shopping in Lake Forest has recently taken a giant step forward, as well. El Toro Road has been developed into the new "Arbor at Lake Forest" commercial district. This picturesque and well-planned new center competes very handily with larger shopping centers located in Orange County cities that surround Lake Forest. The "Arbor at Lake Forest" provides residents with a terrific selection of restaurants and shopping.
Business is booming in Lake Forest, as well. The city is the home base for Oakley, Inc., the world-famous eyewear manufacturer. Other excellent companies located in Lake Forest include the in-flight entertainment company Panasonic Avionics, computer hard-drive makers Western Digital, telecommunications software company Greenlight Wireless Corp., the Barbeques Galore barbecue company, Apria Healthcare medical equipment, and a collection of skateboarding companies. These include Etnies, Sole Technology, Inc., and Tilly's. The city is also the base of the corporate headquarters for Eagle Community Credit Union, which proudly serves the government and postal employees who live and/or work in Orange County. In addition, Pastor Rick Warren's Saddleback Church, one of the most famous churches in the United States--as well as the largest independent church in California--is found right in Lake Forest. Other religious communities abound, as well.
Find out more about Lake Forest homes for sale & other property opportunities in the Orange County by getting in touch with the home experts at Aaronson Group. Contact us to get started!
