In Saddleback Valley is the city of Mission Viejo, home to about 100,000 residents. A master-planned community, it was designed with all the needs of its residents in mind to make it a great place to live. Most of the city’s 18 square miles are residential, but there are still natural spaces, recreational areas, and shopping destinations to visit in the city as well.

The city began as Rancho Mission Viejo, a grazing space for cattle that was considered too difficult to develop because of its hilly landscape. It stayed that way for many years, until the 1970’s when urban planner Donald Bren of the Irvine Company utilized the landscape to design the city’s infrastructure and layout, making it soon into a highly sought after community known for its scenery and location.

Marty Russo Youth Athletic Park Perfect for young aspiring athletes, the Marty Russo Youth Athletic Park is the place to go for activity space or sports games. The 41 acre park contains a whopping eight baseball fields, five soccer or football fields, four batting cages, plenty of picnic space, and two barbecue areas. Some of the sports fields are lit for night time games, as the park is open until 11 p.m. daily. Special events are also held at this park including movie nights and a fireworks show for the Fourth of July.

The Shops at Mission Viejo This shopping destination in Mission Viejo has all the basics any locals or visitors might need for a day out in search of gifts for yourself or others. Mainstays including Apple, Bath and Body Works, Dick’s Sporting Goods, J. Crew, Gap, Macy’s, Nordstrom, and more are in this indoor Simon Mall. Other notable stores are Lush, Build-A-Bear, Lego, Swarovski, Williams-Sonoma, and Tesla. Dining locations inside the mall include Cheesecake Factory, Chipotle, P.F. Chang’s, and Ruby’s Diner. This spacious center with a sizable dining pavilion is a great place to beat the heat in the summer or catch up on shopping during the holidays.

DEFY Orange County Kids and adults alike can enjoy this massive trampoline park featuring plenty of fun activities. Aside from the trampolines, there are battle beams, foam pits, an extreme dodgeball area, a ninja obstacle course, and a zipline. For the more experienced jumpers there are “super tramps” that give you the boost for more advanced tricks. For the youngest guests, parents can accompany their children on the trampolines for free on weekdays until noon. Tickets can be bought for one time visits ranging from $13.99- $33.99 depending on age and number of hours booked. Trampoline enthusiasts can also get a membership for $22 per month, providing daily access to all the activities that DEFY has to offer.

Oso Creek Trail Running through Oso Creek Valley is the Oso Creek Trail, totaling 5.5 miles and lined with greenery. It is a peaceful, low-difficulty path that makes for a relaxing nature stroll or scenic workout location. Aside from views of the creek, one can also see the art installed along the pathway including mosaic history walls, butterfly paintings, community murals, and the Peace Obelisk sculpture honoring the victims of 9/11. Volunteers from neighboring communities have planted thousands of plants along the trail, creating a butterfly garden and plant maze that visitors can appreciate for years to come.