Mission Viejo, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mission Viejo, California
City
Clockwise from top: Lake Mission Viejo, Olympiad Rd, Mission Viejo Library, Oso Creek, Mission Viejo City Hall
Flag Seal
Motto(s):  "Make Living Your Mission"
Location of Mission Viejo within Orange County, California.
Mission Viejo, California Location in the Los Angeles metropolitan area Show map of the Los Angeles metropolitan area Mission Viejo, California Location in California Show map of California Mission Viejo, California Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	California
County	Orange
Incorporated	March 31, 1988
Government
• Type	Council-Manager
Area
• City	18.03 sq mi (46.70 km2)
• Land	17.66 sq mi (45.74 km2)
• Water	0.37 sq mi (0.96 km2)  2.12%
Elevation	410 ft (125 m)
Population  (2020)
• City	93,653
• Rank	90th in California
• Density	5,344.64/sq mi (2,047.51/km2)
• Urban	646,843 (US: 65th)
• Urban density	3,953.0/sq mi (1,526.3/km2)
Time zone	UTC-8 (PST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP codes	92691–92692, 92694
Area code(s)	949
FIPS code	06-48256
GNIS feature IDs	1661045, 2411123

Mission Viejo is a city in Orange County, California. It is known as a "commuter city" because many people who live there travel to nearby cities for work. Mission Viejo is one of the biggest master-planned communities ever built in the United States. This means it was carefully designed and built as one big project.

The city has a suburban feel with many homes, offices, and businesses. It is famous for its tree-lined streets. The name "Mission Viejo" comes from a large Spanish land grant called Rancho Mission Viejo.

History of Mission Viejo

Don Juan Forster bought the land that became Mission Viejo in 1845.

The land that is now Mission Viejo was once part of a large ranch called Rancho Mission Viejo. In 1845, a man named Juan Forster bought this ranch. He was an English-born Mexican rancher. During the Mexican–American War, Forster helped the United States military by giving them fresh horses. These horses were used when the military marched from San Diego to Los Angeles.

For a long time, Mission Viejo was mostly hilly land. It was used for grazing cattle and sheep. Farmers did not find it very useful. Because of its complex geology, it was one of the last areas in Orange County to be developed. In 1960, early builders thought most of the land was "undevelopable."

A city planner named Donald Bren created a new plan. He decided to put roads in the valleys and build houses on the hills. This plan worked well with the natural shape of the land. By 1980, much of Mission Viejo was finished. In the late 1970s and 1980s, houses in Mission Viejo were so popular that they often sold out before they were even built.

Most of the homes and shopping centers in Mission Viejo have a Spanish mission style. They feature stucco walls that look like adobe and roofs with curved tiles. Donald Bren's company also developed areas in Irvine and Newport Beach.

The city's official seal was designed by Carl Glassford. He was an artist who used to live in Mission Viejo.

Geography and Climate

Mission Viejo covers about 18 square miles. Most of this area is land, but about 0.4 square miles is water. A big part of this water is in Lake Mission Viejo. This is a man-made lake that stretches for about one mile.

Mission Viejo is located about 49 miles southeast of Los Angeles. It is also about 73 miles northwest of San Diego. The city shares borders with several other cities. These include Lake Forest, Rancho Santa Margarita, and Laguna Niguel.

What is the Climate Like in Mission Viejo?

Mission Viejo has a mild climate with lots of sunshine all year. It is a mix of a semi-arid and Mediterranean climate. This means it has warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters. Most of the rain falls from November to March. Summers are very dry with almost no rain.

Because the city is close to the ocean, clouds are common in the mornings. This is especially true in May and June. People sometimes call this "June Gloom" or "May Gray."

The city can also experience dry Santa Ana winds. These winds bring hot air from inland areas. They can cause temperatures to rise quickly. For example, temperatures can reach 90°F or higher even in autumn.

Population and People

Mission Viejo became a city in 1988. The population has grown a lot since 1970.

In 2020, the city had a population of 93,653 people. About 20% of the people were under 18 years old. About 21% were over 65 years old. Slightly more than half of the residents were female.

Most people in Mission Viejo are White. There are also significant Asian and Hispanic or Latino communities. The city is part of a larger urban area that includes Lake Forest and Laguna Niguel. This urban area had over 646,000 people in 2020.

Economy and Jobs

Aerial view of Lake Mission Viejo and surrounding developments, 2014.

Mission Viejo has many businesses that provide jobs for its residents. Here are some of the top employers in the city:

The company Marie Callender's, known for its pies and restaurants, has its main office in Mission Viejo.

Arts and Culture

Mission Viejo has two main places for shopping, dining, and entertainment. These are The Shops at Mission Viejo and the Kaleidoscope Center. Both places offer family-friendly activities and services.

The city also hosts many athletic events. These include 5K runs and triathlons. Mission Viejo celebrates holidays with annual events. For example, there is a street fair and fireworks for Independence Day. During the winter holidays, the city has public decorations and activities for children.

Sports and Recreation

Florence Joyner Olympiad Park

Mission Viejo is a great place for sports. It has a large youth athletic park called Mission Viejo Youth Athletic Park. This park has eight baseball fields and five soccer fields. Many youth sports leagues use these fields.

The Mission Viejo Nadadores Swimming and Diving Team is very famous. In the 1970s and 1980s, they won many national championships. Several Olympians and world record holders came from this team. Some famous athletes include Shirley Babashoff, Brian Goodell, and Greg Louganis.

Mission Viejo hosted the Road Cycling Events during the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. A road called O'Neill Road was renamed Olympiad Road to honor these events. In 2004, a special start/finish line and historical markers were placed on Olympiad Road. This was to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Olympic cycling race.

The city also has a soccer facility. The United States men's national soccer team used it for training before the 1994 FIFA World Cup.

Mission Viejo is the hometown of several professional athletes. These include NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez and MLB pitcher Phil Hughes.

Parks and Fun Activities

Mission Viejo has many parks and fun places. The Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center is one example. The city has about two parks for every square mile. It also has three golf courses.

At the center of the city is Lake Mission Viejo. This is a man-made lake. It is open to residents who are members of a private association. You can rent boats and paddleboards, go fishing, and swim at the beaches. The lake also hosts events like music concerts and movie nights, especially in the summer.

Discover Mission Viejo GeoTour

A GeoTour geocache at the Potocki Center for the Arts

Geocaching is a popular outdoor game where people use GPS to find hidden containers called geocaches. Mission Viejo started Southern California's first GeoTour on June 10, 2023. This tour has 27 unique geocaches hidden around the city. Many are along the Oso Creek Trail.

The GeoTour aims to attract tourists to Mission Viejo. People can use a "passport" to find the geocaches. If you find at least 24 out of 27 geocaches, you can get a special collectible geocoin. You can pick it up at the Norman P. Murray Center.

Education in Mission Viejo

Mission Viejo Library

Mission Viejo has schools from two different school districts. These are the Capistrano Unified School District and the Saddleback Valley Unified School District.

Most students in the eastern and southern parts of the city go to Capistrano Unified schools. Students in western Mission Viejo attend Mission Viejo High School, which is part of Saddleback Valley Unified. Some students in the far northern part of the city go to Trabuco Hills High School.

There are also schools for older students who need a different learning environment. These include Silverado High School and Mira Monte High School.

Saddleback College is a large community college located near The Shops at Mission Viejo. Many universities are also nearby in other cities. These include the University of California, Irvine and Chapman University.

Some elementary schools in Mission Viejo have closed due to budget cuts. These include La Tierra Elementary and O'Neill Elementary, which closed in 2009.

Transportation

Buses and Trains

The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) runs several bus routes in Mission Viejo. There is also a local MV Shuttle bus route. These bus lines connect to the Metrolink train station.

The Metrolink train station serves the Orange County Line and Inland Empire–Orange County Line. These trains can take you to cities in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego Counties. Amtrak trains also stop at nearby stations in Irvine and San Juan Capistrano.

Highways and Roads

Interstate 5 runs through Mission Viejo. It has several exits within the city, like Avery Parkway and Crown Valley Parkway.

California State Route 241 also passes through Mission Viejo. It has one exit at Los Alisos Boulevard.

A small part of California State Route 73 is in Mission Viejo. There are no exits or entrances to SR 73 directly within the city.

County Route S18, also known as El Toro Road, travels through the northern part of Mission Viejo.

The original route for U.S. Highway 101 used to run through Mission Viejo. This historic road connected San Diego to Los Angeles and San Francisco. A historical marker in nearby Laguna Niguel shows where it was. This old highway was replaced by Interstate 5 in the 1950s.

Famous People from Mission Viejo

See also

In Spanish: Mission Viejo (California) para niños