Neighborhood Spotlight: Garden Grove, CA

Known as the “City of Youth and Ambition”, Garden Grove, California, is a culturally diverse community in Orange County. Home to large Vietnamese-American and Korean-American populations, Garden Grove forms the northern edge of Orange County’s Little Saigon.

Garden Grove at a glance

Garden Grove is located 34 miles southeast of Los Angeles and has a population of approximately 170,000. It’s famous for being the host of the Garden Grove Strawberry Festival, one of the largest festivals in the western half of the United States. The city is bisected by the Garden Grove Freeway (State Route 22), which runs in an east-west direction. The western portion of the community is referred to as West Garden Grove.

Garden Grove real estate and neighborhoods

Garden Grove is a quaint city with several appealing neighborhoods. Some of the most popular communities include:

• Koreatown — The cultural center of Garden Grove’s Korean-American community, Koreatown is home to well-established markets, restaurants, doctors, and churches. 
• Eastgate — The community was established in 1959 and offers single-family homes in a wide variety of designs and layouts. It also features a local park and a sizable array of restaurants and stores.
• Garden Park — Those looking for higher-value midsize homes will find them in this neighborhood.

Garden Grove has an urban/suburban feeling that is common in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The median home price is approximately $600,000.

Garden Grove history

Garden Grove traces its modern beginnings back to 1874 when Alonzo Cook founded the community. It was a small rural crossroads until 1905 when the railroad arrived. This lead to the local cultivation of agricultural products such as strawberries, chili peppers, oranges, and walnuts. In 1933 the Long Beach earthquake destroyed much of the city’s business district, but a boom after World War II led to a quick growth in development. Garden Grove was incorporated as a city in 1956. 

Garden Grove amenities

Perhaps the most recognizable landmark in Garden Grove is Robert H. Schuller’s Cyrstal Cathedral, now known as Christ Cathedral. The stunning architecture served as a backdrop to Schuller’s TV show “Hour of Power” and was one of the nation’s first megachurches.

The annual Strawberry Festival is the highlight of the year. It started in 1958 to celebrate the community’s early farming efforts. The festival includes carnival rides, a parade, vendors, and cutting the world’s largest strawberry shortcake.

The performing arts have become an important part of the community’s character. The city is home to two theaters — the Gem Theater and Garden Amp — where you can enjoy live performances including plays and musical acts.

Of course, one of the perks of living in Garden Grove is being close to some of California’s most famous attractions. The city is close to everything that Anaheim has to offer including Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park. It’s also a mere nine miles from Huntington Beach, which was named The Best California Beach in 2018 by USA Today.

Garden Grove schools

Students in Garden Grove are primarily served by the highly-rated Garden Grove Unified School District. Many of the schools in this district have received A ratings on Niche. Other districts that serve portions of Garden Grove include Orange Unified School District, Anaheim Union High School District, Anaheim Elementary School District, Huntington Beach Union High School District, and Westminster School District.

Explore Garden Grove today

If you’re ready to enjoy everything that Southern California has to offer, then view available properties in Garden Grove and schedule your private showing today!