Relatively small in terms of square miles but populous nevertheless, Santa Ana - Orange County is tucked sweetly between Los Angeles to the north and San Diego to the south. Oftentimes, LA's affluent and conservative neighbor gets characterized as a homogenous entity, especially in treatments by TV writers and entertainment circles, but it's a much more diverse area than might be indicated at first glance. Certainly, immaculate planned communities and suburban wealth are part of the picture, but so, too, are charming oceanside communities, beautiful natural terrain, and residents who are drastically more engaging than stock characters in a teen drama. Orange County – the broad entity, not the fictional world – is also the regional locus of theme parks, including the original Disneyland® Resort, popular Knott's Berry Farm, and all their respective offshoots. Beyond that, it's a place where faithful swallows unerringly return after Mexican sojourns, where surfing finds a coastal home and propagates the vision of California dreams, and where the Angels – the Anaheim genus, at least – consistently rouse local pride and passion.
