The City of Irvine is surrounded by more than 10,000 acres of wilderness for residents to enjoy year-round.
If you haven’t explored the Irvine Open Space Preserve, make plans now to experience the breathtaking sights waiting to be discovered this summer.
Whether you are hiking, mountain biking, or simply strolling through the native wildlands, be sure to take a few simple precautions to ensure an enjoyable outing.
The financial services company WalletHub has released its Best Places to Raise a Family in 2026 list and Irvine is ranked third-best in America. (Actually, we believe that our city is the very best place to raise a family!)
The report compared more than 180 U.S. cities using 45 key metrics across five factors — including family fun, health and safety, education and child care, affordability, and socioeconomic factors.
Irvine’s abundance of family-friendly activities, world-class medical facilities, quality of education and childcare programs, low crime rate, low divorce rate, high-paying jobs, outstanding parks and trails, and thriving community programs were among the many reasons for the City’s third-best ranking.
Throughout the summer, there will be a variety of free outdoor community events for families, friends, and neighbors to gather and enjoy summer fun at the City of Irvine’s award-winning parks.
On select Friday evenings, Irvine residents are invited to watch family-favorite films under the stars on a giant outdoor screen at Hicks Canyon Community Park.
On select Saturday evenings, enjoy live outdoor concerts at Mike Ward Community Park. And make plans now to attend the Homecoming-themed dance party on August 8th at the Great Park!
Earlier this month, the first truckload of steel was delivered for the future home of the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum at the Great Park. The delivery marked the beginning of construction for a world-class aviation museum, set to open in spring 2027.
Located on the land that housed the iconic El Toro Marine Corps Air Station for nearly six decades, it will be the only museum in America solely dedicated to Marine Corps aviation.
In addition to housing more than 50 restored aircraft, the aviation museum will feature a number of artifacts and interactive displays.
In 1971, Irvine officially became a city. Three years later, Irvine’s first residents passed a major park bond issue to begin building community parks, a crucial step in establishing the Irvine Master Plan.
This foundational bond supported the development of the City’s park system, which now includes 22 community parks and more than 40 neighborhood parks.
In its latest Park Score Index, the Trust for Public Land ranked Irvine’s park system as the best in California and the second best park system in the entire nation.
An impressive 28% of Irvine’s land is dedicated to parks and green spaces — nearly double the national average. And 96% of Irvine residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park.
Since taking office, Mayor Agran has made it a point to publicly thank and spotlight Irvine-based non-profits, community programs, and the City’s churches, synagogues, and mosques for the work they do to promote kindness in our community.
He has also thanked the Irvine business community for encouraging employees to volunteer for local community service projects.
The Mayor recently connected volunteerism to kindness: “One of the things I value most about Irvine is our shared commitment to helping our neighbors and our community through volunteerism — whether it’s making deliveries for the Meals on Wheels program, leading hikes in the Irvine Open Space Preserve, caring for pets at the Irvine Animal Care Center, or joining the City’s Community Emergency Response Team.”
More than a year before New York City made news for a plan to no longer charge residents for riding the bus, Irvine established its own program that provides residents with free transportation to parks, schools, hospitals, and shopping centers through the Irvine CONNECT shuttle bus service.
The Irvine CONNECT program has proven to be especially helpful for students traveling to and from school and for residents who want to leave their cars at home while running errands around town.
The City is now launching a new transportation program for Irvine seniors 60 years of age and older with its WeRide program, which is a same-day, on-demand transportation service powered by volunteer drivers.
Susan Hopkins has lived in Northwood for 32 years. She’s always enjoyed a very active...
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Arbor Day is a celebration of trees and the vital role they play in our world. Held on the last Friday in April, it stands apart from most holidays — rooted in hope for the future rather than remembrance of the past.
The simple act of planting a tree represents a belief that the tree will grow to provide us with clean air, cooling shade, habitat for wildlife, healthier communities, and endless natural beauty — all for a better tomorrow.
In recognition of Arbor Day, the City of Irvine has introduced two initiatives aimed at engaging the community in expanding and enhancing Irvine’s urban forest.
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The City of Irvine has announced that the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team has selected the Great...
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