From Wikitravel
Irvine is a city in Orange County, California.
Understand
Formally incorporated on December 28, 1971, Irvine is one of the
newest and largest cities in Orange County, and it is still
growing. Irvine is spearheading the growth in Orange County where
almost everything is either new or refurbished. Most of the growth
in Irvine was sparked by the donation of a large parcel of land to
the University of California system in order to establish the 4th
largest UC Campus (in terms of attendance) - UC Irvine.
The city is becoming the de facto business center of Orange
County with many national and international companies having a
presence in Irvine. Most of Irvine bordering Newport Beach (and the
airport) and the areas surrounding any freeways are commercial
areas where most of the larger companies have their offices.
The city is best characterized as a perfectly planned suburbia,
which it is. The arterial streets are very wide and have very
generous speed limits. Most residential areas are off the arterial
streets on smaller two lane residential streets that lead to
housing communities.
- Fly via John Wayne/Orange County Airport (SNA) and Irvine is across the
street. Alternatively, Los Angeles International
(LAX) is about an hour's drive
away without traffic, or Long Beach Airport.
- Amtrak provides rail service via
Metrolink and the Pacific
Surfliner with a stop right in Irvine.
[1]
By car
Irvine is at the intersection of the 5 and 405 freeways. One
does have to consider, though, that these freeways have a
significant amount of traffic and may be slow during rush hour. If
traveling from San Diego and you wish to avoid some traffic, you
may consider using the 73, which splits off from the 5 in Laguna
Nigel. Be aware that this is a toll road, however.
The 55 state freeway may be used to get to destinations in the
northwest of Irvine; north of the 55 is Santa Ana.
- Greyhound [2]
+1-714-542-2215 has a station in Santa Ana, a neighboring
city.
- As in all suburbs, it is extremely difficult to get around
without a car. Rental cars are available near John Wayne
Airport.
- Irvine is known for its winding streets that do not follow the
traditional grid pattern most urban drivers are used to. It is
extremely easy to become disoriented and lost if you are unfamiliar
with the area. Bring a GPS or a map if you are new to the area. In
the various housing tracts, if you follow the double yellow lines
it will always lead you to an exit or through fare to a major
street.
- Since Irvine is bounded on all sides by freeways, most of the
arterial streets (which tend to be 4+ lanes in either direction)
will eventually lead to a freeway, but it may be many miles before
this happens.
- Gas stations are unusually rare for a city this large and are
not usually visible from the street. If you are in need of gas in
Irvine, your best chances are to look in large shopping plazas
where a gas station is usually hidden. Hiding the gas stations are
a 'sign of upscale gentrification' in this city where household
incomes rank as one of the highest in the nation.
- Most of the major roads in Irvine have a bike path near the
shoulder. Watch out for cyclists using the bike paths.
- The Orange County Transit Authority (OCTA)
provides bus transport. [3]
By bike
Irvine is a large city, covering 74 square miles, but is very
friendly to bicyclists. There are over 45 miles of off-road bicycle
trails and 282 miles of on-road bicycle lanes provided in Irvine.
It is possible to transit from north to south in Irvine via tree
shaded greenbelt bike trails with only two grade level crossings of
highways. Other trails lead into the nearby hills for road touring
or mountain biking experiences. Some paths parallel wildlife
corridors and riders can often get glimpses of some of the wildlife
native to the area - ranging from birds (sparrows to hawks), to
oppossums and skunks, and coyotes to mountain lions.
City of Irvine Bikeways
There are numerous bicyclist clubs in Irvine and weekend
mornings are a favorite time for street touring by groups sometimes
numbering in the dozens. Buses and trains carry bicycles when
riders are traveling longer distances.
- University of California, Irvine (UCI) The largest (1500 acres) and
highest ranked university in Orange County.
- Irvine Museum, 18881 Von Karman Avenue Ste. 100, Irvine,
California 92612, ☎ (949)
476-2565, [4]. Displays California art of the Impressionist
Period (1890-1930). Free.
edit
- Irvine Historical Museum, 5 San Joaquin, Irvine, CA
92612, ☎ (949)
786-4112, [5]. Small, house-sized museum that displays ranch
artifacts and other items related to the history of Irvine.
$1 (suggested donation). edit
- William R. Mason Regional Park, 18712 University Drive,
Irvine, CA 92612-2601, ☎ (949)
923-2220, [6]. Expansive 345 acre park with open grassy areas,
trees, and lakes. Also features playgrounds. edit
- Visiting Irvine [8] city portal
information on city and events.
- Bren Events Center [9] offers concerts for many
independent and lesser known groups. Along with various dance
groups and shows, they feature UC Irvine's Anteater Athletics
events, most notably their well regarded basketball games, in which
the men's team has had two NCAA Division II tournament bids, four
NIT bids, and has been the champions of the Big West two
times.
- Irvine Barclay Theatre [10] features concerts,
plays, and performances that range from student groups to
world-renowned international artists.
- Musical Theatre Village, 36-C Mauchly, Irvine, CA
92618, ☎ 1-949-753-1996, [11].
A non-profit, community-based
theatre. edit
- Verizon Wireless Irvine Amphitheater [12] hosts
various concerts ranging from rock to classical. Concerts generally
held from May through December.
- Irvine Global Village Festival, [13]. This annual event is Orange County's largest
multicultural festival. Occurs in Fall. Free. edit
- ReggaeFest, [14]. ReggaeFest is an annual event in Aldrich Park
on the UC Irvine Campus. Occurs in Spring. Free. edit
- UCI Free Film Series, [15].
UCI screen movies each Thursday during
Summer. Free admission and free snacks. edit
- Wayzgoose, [16].
Occurs in Spring. Free. edit
- Oak Creek Golf Course, One Golf Club Dr, Irvine,
CA 92618, ☎ 1-949-653-5300, [17]. edit
- Ranch San Joaquin Golf Course, One Ethel Coplen Way,
Irvine, CA 92612, ☎ 1-949-786-5522. edit
- Strawberry Farms Golf Course, 11 Strawberry Farms Road,
Irvine, CA 92612, ☎ 1-949-551-1811, [18].
edit
- Woodbridge Movies 5, 4626 Barranca Parkway, Irvine, CA
92604, ☎ 949-733-3795, [19].
An inexpensive cinema, known informally
as "The Dollar Theater," that screens movies a couple months after
they have left other theaters. Highest movie ticket price is
$2. edit
- Film and Video Center, Humanities Instructional
Building, Irvine, CA 92697-3535, ☎ (949) 824-7418, [20]. FVC screens classic movies, international
films, art house cinema and more. Located on the UC Irvine Campus.
Screenings typically occur at least once a week during the academic
quarter. $5. edit
- Edwards University Town Center 6, 4245 Campus Drive, Irvine,
CA 92612, ☎ (949)
854-8818,
[21]. Shows independent, art house,
and foreign films. edit
- Boomers!, [22].
A family amusement park near the
intersection of Michelson and Harvard which features indoor/outdoor
activities such as miniature-golf, batting cage, laser-tag, Go
Karts, and arcade games edit
- Wild Rivers Waterpark, [23]. Located next to the Verizon Wireless
Amphitheater. Open from mid-May until the end of September. There
are lots of awesome rides including a wave pool and a lazy
river. edit
- The Great Park, ☎ 1-949-724-6247. Much of the park is still under development,
but the Great Park Balloon ride is open to the public.
edit
- K1
Speed, 17221
Von Karman Ave, Irvine, CA 92614, ☎ 1-949-250-0242, [24]. K1 Speed is an indoor go-carting venue.
edit
- Park Place. A Regal Cinema movie theater
(closed down 2006), Fat Burgers, California Pizza Kitchen,
Houston's, Ruth's Chris steakhouse, and Wahoo's Fish Taco. Located
on Jamboree and Michelson.
- Acrobatics Everyday, [25]. Brings bands and artists to Orange
County. edit
- Atomic Ballroom, ☎ (949)
250-3332, [26].
Hosts evening dances (Mon-Sat). Styles
include: ballroom, swing, and salsa. Charming venue that attracts
people of all ages. edit
- Gourmet Detective, 105 Main St., Newport Beach, CA
92661, [27]. Murder mystery dinner show. Shows every Friday
and Saturday night. edit
- Irvine Improv Comedy Club, 71 Fortune Drive # 841,
Irvine, CA 92618, ☎ (949)
854-5455, [28].
Comedy club and dinner theatre, featuring
local and nationally recognized comedians. Located at Irvine
Spectrum. edit
- Irvine Lanes, 3415 Michelson Dr., Irvine, CA
92612, ☎ (949)
786-9625, [29]. A 40 lane bowling alley. edit
- Zot Zone Games Room, ☎ (949)
824-4636. Offer pool games
and video games. Located on the UC Irvine campus. edit
- University of California, Irvine - The fourth
largest campus of the University of California, UC Irvine (24,000
students), is located in the city's southern suburbs. [30]
- Concordia University - A Christian university
of roughly 1800 undergraduates. [31]
- Irvine Valley College - Part of the California
Community College system enrolling about 16,000 students. Popularly
referred to as "IVC". [32]
- Marketplace, Irvine, CA. Corner of Bryan/Jamboree. Hosts Circuit City,
Lowes, Ross, Barnes & Nobles, Babies R Us, Toys R Us, Home
Depot, Bed Bath and Beyond to name a few. Several popular
restaurants include California Pizza Kitchen, BJ's Restaurant and
Brewery, Bucca di Beppo, Cafe Chin Chin, Corner Bakery, French 75
Brasserie, Macaroni Grill, On the Border, edit
- The Irvine Spectrum has shops, boutiques,
department stores, and plenty of merchant carts. http://www.shopirvinespectrum.com/
. The Spectrum is also considered by natives in Irvine as one of
the better places to spend time. The spectrum is a common place of
diversion by most people living in southcentral and southern Orange
county.
- Culver Plaza. One of the two shopping plaza
featuring a multitude of Asian stores and restaurants, including 99
Ranch, Sam Woo's, JJ Bakery, Morning Glory, etc. Located at the
intersection of Culver and Irvine Center drive.
- Walnut Plaza. The other Asian shopping plaza
located at the intersection of Walnut and Jeffrey, also built
around a 99 Ranch, along with Pho 99, House of Shabu Shabu, Taiko
Restaurant, Lollicup, A&J's Restaurant, etc.
- The Market Place. A two sided large shopping
center divided by Jamboree the side opposing the Irvine side is
theTustin Market Place. It features a lot of restaurants.
Located on the border of Irvine and Tustin, on Jamboree. [33]
- Irvine Spectrum. The Irvine Spectrum
[34] has
several restaurants in additon to its food court which includes:
The Cheesecake Factory, Johnny Rocket's, PF
Chang and Wolfgang Puck.
- Heritage Square. Shopping plaza located at the
intersection of Culver and Walnut. Features several Asian and
Middle Eastern restaurants, including, Caspian Restaurant,
Denny's, Elephant
Bar Restaurant, India
Cook House, Kaya Restaurant, Korean Dae Myoung OK Restaurant,
Sumo Sushi & Seafood Restaurant, Super Mex, Wheel of Life.
Bakeries include Diho Bakery and Assal Pastry.
Individual Restaurants
- Chakra Creative Indian Cuisine. University
Plaza, 4143 Campus Drive, Irvine, CA 92612, 949-854-0009. http://www.chakracuisine.com/
- Gina's Pizza, 4533 Campus Dr., ☎ (949) 725-1144, [35]. Delicious, handmade pizza, pasta, and salad.
Very popular with local UCI and UHS students. price: moderate. edit
- Le Diplomat Cafe, 4237 Campus Dr Ste B161, ☎ (949) 854-5161. Tasty sandwiches. Chicken Broccoli Mushroom is
one of their most popular sandwiches. edit
- Wholesome Choice, 18040 Culver Drive, ☎ (949) 551-4111, [36]. The food court inside of the grocery store
offers a variety of food options: pizza, Chinese, Indian, Thai,
Persian, American, Mexican, and Italian. edit
- The
Korean Restaurant (Dae Myoung Ok), 14250 Culver Dr Ste B, ☎ (949) 651-1177. Good tofu pot. edit
- Anthill Pub & Grille, 4200 Campus Dr, Irvine, CA
92614, ☎ (949)
824-3050, [37]. Pub features Monday night comedy and other
events. Located on the UC Irvine Campus. edit
- Dave & Busters, 71 Fortune Drive Suite 960 Irvine , CA
92618, ☎ (949)
727-0555,
[38]. Known for its food, bar, and
arcade. During the school year, D&B is popular among UC Irvine
students, especially on Thursdays. Located at Irvine
Spectrum. edit
There are several areas of the city where bars are clustered.
Please be aware that the Irvine Police Department knows where they
are, too. The IPD is very concerned about keeping drunk drivers off
the city's streets, so if you have been drinking to the point of
intoxication don't be surprised to see flashing lights in your rear
view mirror. The IPD stakes out these areas at closing time and
actively pulls over anyone showing signs of DUI.
- A Comfort Inn Irvine Spectrum, 23061 Ave de la
Carlota, (949) 581-5135, Near Irvine Spectrum Entertainment
Center[39].
- Candlewood Suites, 16150 Sand Canyon Avenue,
(949) 788-0500, [40].
- Courtyard Irvine John Wayne Airport/Orange
County, 2701 Main Street, (949) 757-1200, Fax: (949)
757-1596, [41].
- Crowne Plaza Irvine Hotel, 17941 Von Karman
Ave., (949) 863-1999, [42]. Close to Orange County
Airport (SNA).
- Doubletree Hotel at Irvine Spectrum. Barranca
Road.
- Embassy Suites Irvine - Orange County Airport,
2120 Main Street, (949) 553-8332, Fax (949) 261-5301. $6M
Renovation completed April 2008. [43].
- Hyatt Hotel, Jamboree Road at Interstate
405.
- Irvine Marriott, 18000 Von Karman Avenue,
(949) 553-0100, Fax: (949) 261-7059, [44].
- Residence Inn Irvine John Wayne Airport/Orange
County, 2855 Main Street, (949) 261-2020, Fax: (949)
261-2011, [45].
- Residence Inn Irvine Spectrum, 10 Morgan
Street, (949) 380-3000, Fax: (949) 588-7743, [46].
Stay Safe
Irvine is considered America's safest city by FBI studies. Feel
free to walk around alone at 3:00 AM if you are over 18. The Irvine
curfew is 11:00 PM for minors unless accompanied by guardian; just
don't jaywalk or you may find yourself run over on Irvine's fast
moving streets.
- UC Irvine Libraries[47] Both campus
libraries, Langson Library and the Science Library, offer free
internet access to the public.
- Fedex Kinkos [48]
There are four Kinkos locations in Irvine. They offer internet
access for a fee.
- University, 4255 Campus Dr Ste A100, Irvine, CA
92616-9001, ☎ 1-949-474-0292,
[49]. edit
- Harvest Station, 17192 Murphy Ave, Irvine, CA
92623-9998, ☎ 1-949-474-1429,
[50]. edit
- 949 is the local area code.
- KUCI 88.9 FM Irvine, [51]. Located on the UC Irvine campus, KUCI is run by
both UC Irvine students and community members. It is a free form
radio station--DJs have complete control over their shows. Features
a variety of music and talk show programming. edit
- OC
Register, [52]. Local newspaper. edit
- New University, [53]. Weekly UC Irvine student newspaper. You can
pick up a free copy of the paper from various locations on campus
as well as inside several stores near campus. edit
- Crystal Cove State Beach. Generally considered
the nicest beach in Orange County. Follow the Pacific Coast Highway
south from Newport Beach.
- Corona del Mar. Nice small beach with
tidepools and natural reserve on one side, and firepits on the
other. Free parking on the side of the road, or $6 parking at lot
on the beach. Southern end of Irvine. Keep going south on Jamboree
until you hit the Pacific Coast highway.
- Fashion Island. Another shopping mall similar
to South Coast Plaza. Based in Newport Beach. Take Jamboree south.
- Laguna Beach. One of the nicer beaches around
here with plenty of restaurants and shops. Take the 405 or 5 south
until they merge, then take the 133 south all the way until you hit
the Pacific Coast Highway.
- South Coast Plaza. The largest shopping mall around
here in Costa Mesa. Just as luxurious as Fashion Island, but much
larger.
- Newport Beach and Balboa.
these two semi-connected beaches are closest to irvine. Take the 5
North to the 55 South which ends in the center of Newports shopping
district.
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