The Village of Stonegate is admired for its wide range of architectural styles and convenient walking-distance access to pools, parks and other community amenities. The village is served by three schools in the outstanding Irvine Unified School District: Stonegate Elementary School, Jeffrey Trail Middle School, and Northwood High School. Easy access to nearby toll roads, the Laguna (133) Freeway and arterials makes it easy for residents to travel to and from their homes.

At Shady Canyon, planners envisioned the prestigious look and rural feel of the community. Imagining a marriage of native Orange County environs, luxury residences and custom homesites are tucked into the hills, and native Southern California vegetation is preserved. The result is a residential and golf preserve whose design and amenities achieve the highest level of quality and harmony with their surroundings.

As in most rural communities, the curbs are rolled and the outdoor lighting is subdued. All elements of the built environment reflect the work of highly skilled wood and metal craftsmen, masons, and tile setters.

The private Shady Canyon Golf Club® includes a quietly luxurious 43,000 sq. ft. Golf Clubhouse, 6,300 sq. ft. Fitness and Swim Club, both designed by Robert Altevers and an 18-hole golf course designed by Tom Fazio.

Within the two gated entries to Shady Canyon are extensive trails, many lined by stone walls modeled after those found in Provence, France. Perched on a rise near a group of rock outcroppings, the Tennis and Swim Center, which will also serve as the temporary custom homesites sales office, includes a junior Olympic swimming pool and spa.

Located near Culver Drive and the San Diego (405) Freeway, the Village of Rancho San Joaquin is one of the smaller Villages of The Irvine Ranch®. Built from the early to late 1970s, most of Rancho San Joaquin’s planning was centered on an 18-hole golf course, providing abundant views of the course.

The inspiration for Quail Hill came, in part, from the 600 acres of permanently protected open space that surrounds it. Located near the southern boundary of the City of Irvine, this hillside village is linked to even more open space by a ridgeline trail that connects to Bommer Canyon and Laguna Coastal Wilderness Park.

The open space around the village of Quail Hill-which also is known as Quail Hill-creates a clear identity for the village and is the landmark open space of rolling hills on the south side of the San Diego Freeway between Jeffrey Road and Sand Canyon Avenue. It was identified for permanent preservation as part of the City of Irvine’s historic Open Space Agreement, approved by the voters in 1988.

Quail Hill’s landforms such as knolls, ridgelines and open space have been incorporated into the structure of the community, giving each neighborhood distinct characteristics that define them. A central community space that includes a public park, a proposed elementary school, and public trails is at the heart of the design and is intended to connect the residential neighborhoods to the core of the village and to one another.

Portola Springs is a refreshing assortment of different places, each defined by the character of the land. Some hilly, some flat. Some more closely knit, others more open and roomy. What frames them is the strong presence of Lomas Ridge and the surrounding open space. This is a village with a more relaxed feel, set off by a buffer zone of native habitat and agricultural lands on all sides – it’s close to, but removed from, the beaten path.

The design for Portola Springs includes five enclaves – each with its own unique flavor – surrounding a rambling community park and charming village retail center where residents can gather for alfresco dining, shopping and socializing. A proposed pedestrian bridge and a series of footpaths and trails will link the retail center to open spaces and the community park. Residential architectural styles reflect the village’s rustic character and include Monterey, Spanish Colonial, Santa Barbara, Tuscan, Northern Italian and Provencal.

Despite its off-the-beaten path atmosphere, Portola Springs is hardly remote. Portola Parkway and the CA-133 and 241 toll roads make everything in Irvine and nearby communities minutes away.

For more information on Portola Springs, please visit VillagesofIrvine.com.

Nestled in Irvine’s northern foothills, the Village of Orchard Hills is Irvine’s newest village and one of its most picturesque. Many of its houses, which include single-family detached, attached and apartment homes, are adjacent to historic, still-operating avocado orchards. The Village of Orchard Hills seamlessly blends Irvine’s acclaimed residential lifestyle with its proud agrarian roots.

The historic oak trees that line a portion of Sand Canyon Avenue are reminders of the timelessness of the village of Oak Creek. This community features a broad array of homes located in the center of Irvine, between the village of Woodbridge and Irvine Spectrum.

The Jeffrey Open Space Trail, which spans the village’s western border, provides residents with a shady, picturesque place to walk, jog, push a stroller or ride a bike. Eucalyptus trees planted more than half a century ago line the Jeffrey Trail, which will eventually connect one end of the city with the other as it travels along the east side of Jeffrey Road.

Many residents of the village are within walking distance of the wide array of stores and restaurants at Oak Creek Village Center at Alton Parkway and Jeffrey Road. In addition to Oak Creek’s natural landmarks, stone entryways help define the village’s distinct character.

The village of Northwood is home to the enduring character of Irvine. An established reflection of mature landscaping and trail systems, Northwood conveys a sense of gracious residential ease. Many neighborhoods are individually gated, while others create intimate enclaves. Recent new home offerings demonstrate the detail and innovation that today’s buyers demand. Nearby Hicks Canyon Trail is one of many natural open space areas, marked by stately eucalyptus windrows.

Northwood centers around Meadowood Community Park where play areas, a nearby private school and church evoke a sense of permanence. Set apart by its serene location, yet easily accessible to business and shopping, the village blends beautifully with its natural surroundings.

Located in the heart of North Irvine, Northpark Square is a thoughtfully planned village that features a graceful backdrop of rolling foothills. The village pays homage to the architectural heritage of cities such as Pasadena and Santa Barbara and the admired European regions of Tuscany and Provence. Northpark Square’s design takes full advantage of Irvine’s abundant natural resources. The village is bounded by Irvine Boulevard, Culver Drive, Bryan Avenue and the 261 Toll Road.

Built between 1999 and 2003, Northpark was designed to blend in with the area’s natural features. Historic, 55-year-old eucalyptus windrows line the main arterial parkways, Irvine and Bryan avenues, while Hicks Canyon Wash influenced the locations of parks.

The Village entrance of Northpark is marked by Pavilions, which also link the city and village landscape as well as the area’s circulation system.

Designed as a grid of discontinuous and cul-de-sac streets, unlike most cul-de-sac streets, Northpark’s are “uncapped,” meaning they do not have homes built at the ends of them. Instead, each cul-de-sac is linked via a pathway to adjacent streets and neighborhood parks, encouraging more community interaction and pedestrian traffic. These streets and neighborhood parks are connected to a large community park at Northpark’s center by long paseos.

Built between 1999 and 2003, Northpark was designed to blend in with the area’s natural features. Historic, 55-year-old eucalyptus windrows line the main arterial parkways, Irvine and Bryan avenues, while Hicks Canyon Wash influenced the locations of parks.