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TRAIL GUIDE: 26 HIKES ON THE IRVINE RANCH
In Irvine, connectivity is the name of the game. Most hikes here offer a variety of trails that link to other wilderness or parklands. Hikers…
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Sep 2, 2026
Irvine income growth among fastest in U.S.
Irvine residents are seeing their paychecks outpace inflation faster than almost anywhere in the nation, according to a SmartAsset study. …
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Sep 2, 2026
Top real estate market in California
Irvine ranks as the best real estate market in California and second among large U.S. cities, showing that local homeowners …
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Sep 2, 2026
Timberland now open at Spectrum Center
Outdoor apparel brand Timberland has opened a location at Irvine Spectrum Center. Known for its workwear-inspired style, the brand landed …
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Welcome to a world of wagyu at these restaurants
Not long ago, only the most ardent and well-heeled fans of Japanese cuisine were familiar with the term wagyu. Now…
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Best city for pets on West Coast
Irvine is the most pet-friendly city on the West Coast and the 10th-best in the U.S., a new WalletHub study…
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The Canopy promises new energy at Great Park
Great Park is getting more dynamic with every passing week. This fall, the momentum is building with anticipated new restaurants,…
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Take action against hunger with Second Harvest
If you’ve been looking for a good way to get involved in the community, learning about food insecurity in Orange…
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10 happenings in September
1. Fiesta Latina en IrvineCelebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with a free festival showcasing lotería games, calavera makeup demonstrations, traditional dance…
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Teens earn global honor for problem-solving apps
Chenxi Huang and Kelley Gou build apps the way most teenagers might build a playlist – alone, at home, working…
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Pro baseball coming to Great Park in 2027
A new Pioneer Baseball League franchise, a partner of Major League Baseball, will begin play at Great Park Baseball Stadium next year. The Irvine team will join the 12-team professional league based in California and the Rocky Mountain states. The club is borrowing from Japanese and Korean pro baseball traditions: coordinated crowd chants, in-game entertainment and a stadium menu built around Asian street food. Don Wakamatsu, the first Asian American manager in major-league history, leads baseball operations for the group. “This partnership will bring elite entertainment to our city without the elite price tag,” says council member William Go, Great…
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Irvine softball teams win championships
Northwood High School’s softball team won the Division 5 final to earn its first CIF title. Irvine High School captured its second CIF softball title…
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Q&A: Swim star credits Irvine’s summer swim league for success
Ella Eastin won 12 NCAA titles, broke four American and NCAA records and helped the Stanford swim team win three NCAA championships. She started at…
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Athletes of the year
northwood high school Natalie Keith Softball, flag football The 2026 Pacific Coast League female athlete of the year was a standout on the Northwood varsity…
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UCI basketball signs world’s tallest player
The tallest person ever to play college basketball is making Irvine his new home. Olivier Rioux, a 7-foot-9 center transferring from the University of Florida,…
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20 years of National Natural Landmark distinction
In 2006, the U.S. Department of the Interior and the National Park Service designated much of The Irvine Ranch open space, permanently preserved by Irvine Company, as a National Natural Landmark. That was 20 years ago – a great anniversary to celebrate, says Michael O’Connell, president and CEO of Irvine Ranch Conservancy (IRC), who notes that more than 5 million people visit all the lands included in the Irvine Ranch National Natural Landmark every year, which is a similar attendance number to national parks such as Yellowstone, Yosemite and Grand Canyon. As the National Park Service director said during the…
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Beyond the hike
If you’re a naturalist but not much for hiking, there are plenty of options on The Irvine Ranch land. Every month, you’ll find events that…
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Natural choices for family fun
Nix Nature CenterFamily-friendly exhibits include a topographical map of Laguna Coast Wilderness, microscopes for exploration, a fossil dig pit and an art exhibit showcasing paintings…
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A 22-MILE ADVENTURE
Epic and exhilarating: The Mountains to Sea Trail will lift your spirits
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Irvine gives away free trees to residents
Irvine is giving away free trees to residents as part of a push to cover 30% of the city with shade by 2055. The city…
Master Plan
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New pedestrian bridge creates citywide connection
When the city of Irvine celebrated the grand opening of the 1,200-foot Jeffrey Open Space Trail Bicycle & Pedestrian Bridge, it marked more than a…
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New vision for Oak Creek Golf Club unveiled
Over the past nine months, a collaborative community effort has shaped the evolving vision for the Oak Creek nature park and village. Through extensive resident…
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How freeway improvements impact Irvine
Mobility in Irvine is about more than getting from point A to point B; it is about the integration of neighborhoods, retail centers, schools, parks…
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The Irvine advantage
Cities inevitably change. A well-conceived master plan’s value lies in how its fundamentals can remain consistent even as conditions change over the years. By identifying…
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Irvine is area’s best city for renters
Irvine once again affirmed its reputation as one of the nation’s premier places to live by earning the top spot among Southern California cities for…
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Best city for families in Southern California
WalletHub recognized Irvine as the fourth-best city for families in the U.S. for 2025.
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Irvine is top city in the state
Irvine has been named California’s best city to live in – and the fifth best in the U.S. – by Niche, a national platform for…
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Irvine earns Master Plan accolade
The master-planned city of Irvine has been recognized as the nation’s best planned community by Zonda, an international real estate research organization.
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Irvine schools receive $200K to integrate AI in classrooms
Irvine Unified School District students will soon have greater access to personalized lessons and faster feedback under a new $200,000 grant to expand classroom artificial intelligence programs. The innovation grant from the Irvine Public Schools Foundation will help pay for AI software such as Gemini, Snorkl and MagicSchool in local classrooms. It follows major national recognition the district’s technology initiatives received earlier this year. Irvine Unified was named one of 12 educational institutions in the country to receive the AI K-12 Student Agency Award. The award recognized the district for involving students directly in shaping its AI policies, through shadowing…
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Accolades add up for Sierra Vista teacher
Henry Miller was named a CMA Music Teacher of Excellence this year for the second time
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Beckman High artist wins grand prize
Beckman High School student Steve Han has won the $6,000 grand prize in the 11th annual international ARTEFFECT competition. The global contest challenged middle and…
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Four named National Merit Scholars
Irvine high school students accounted for four of 11 seniors in the county who were awarded prestigious college-sponsored National Merit Scholarships. The Irvine winners are…
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Behind the dynasty
Forget track spikes and starting pistols. At Sierra Vista Middle School, the most fiercely contested sport on campus is played with safety goggles, data sheets…
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Timberland now open at Spectrum Center
Outdoor apparel brand Timberland has opened a location at Irvine Spectrum Center. Known for its workwear-inspired style, the brand landed next to fellow outdoor retailer Columbia, which also opened this year. In 1973, Timberland introduced the first fully waterproof leather work boot – an innovation that became its signature.
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Iceye plans to make satellites in Irvine
Microsatellite manufacturer Iceye US plans to start building its radar-imaging spacecraft in Irvine, where the company is headquartered, according to an Orange County Business Journal…
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City launches innovation center to help local startups
When Zarina Bahadur started her company, 123 Baby Box, she was still a full-time graduate student at UC Irvine, packing subscription boxes by hand in…
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Celebrating Small Business: Harvard Place Shopping Center
Find fitness and friendship at Co-Op Pilates For most of her life, Jessi Midstokke hated gyms. She wasn’t athletic, and most fitness studios made her…
Sustainability
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Irvine among first Clean California Communities
The city of Irvine has been named one of the first 33 communities in the state to earn the new Clean California Community designation from Caltrans, the state agency responsible for highway maintenance and transportation infrastructure.
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Concepts of environmental sustainability were pioneered in Irvine and continue to guide the city today
Nature was on the minds of Irvine Company planners as far back as 1959. Though “environmental sustainability” is widely recognized today, it was largely unknown…
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Irvine among nation’s greenest cities
Thanks to its abundance of parks, open spaces and trees, Irvine has been named one of the “Greenest Cities in America” by the finance website…
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EV drivers boosted by more city chargers
Electric vehicle owners in Irvine have a growing number of options to charge up.
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Water-wise tips for fall
In September, plants’ water needs drop by approximately 30% even if the temperature is hot. Because the days are shorter, evaporation decreases. Plus, plants begin…
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