Newport Beach, California

No place in Southern California evokes the stereotype of California's good life quite the way Orange County does: Million-dollar mansions dot the coastline, lush golf courses line beaches and meander through inland hills, and residents in late-model convertibles glide down Pacific Coast Highway. But, while visitors and locals are adept at relaxing under swaying palm trees while lounging beachfront, the inland cities are alive with amusement parks, professional sporting events, and dozens of hotels and restaurants, all within minutes of each other.

Few of the citrus groves that gave Orange County its name remain. This region south and east of Los Angeles is now a high-tech business hub where tourism is the number-one industry. The theme parks of Anaheim lure hordes of visitors; numerous festivals celebrate the county's culture and relatively brief history; and the area supports fine dining, upscale shopping, and several outstanding visual and performing-arts facilities. The Nixon presidential library and the Crystal Cathedral are two major inland draws, along with several shopping-and-entertainment complexes. As for the coast, exclusive Newport Beach, artsy Laguna Beach, and the up-and-coming surf town of Huntington Beach are the stars, but lesser-known gems on the glistening coast -- such as Corona del Mar -- are also worth visiting.

The snowcapped Matterhorn, the centerpiece of the Magic Kingdom, dominates Anaheim's skyline, serving, along with the city's landscaped streets, as an enduring reminder of the role Disneyland has played in the urbanization and growth of Orange County.