Irvine is a master-planned city in central Orange County, California, built largely on the former Irvine Ranch. It is one of the safest and most meticulously organized cities in the United States — wide boulevards, tidy village centres, and an unusual amount of green space for suburban Southern California.
The main draw for visitors is the University of California, Irvine, whose campus includes the excellent UCI Arboretum and several art galleries. The Irvine Spectrum Center is a large outdoor shopping and entertainment complex. For nature, the San Joaquin Marsh nearby is one of the largest freshwater marshes in coastal Southern California, with good birding along its trails. Newport Beach and its coastline are a short drive west.