The events of 2020 would have been inconceivable if we hadn’t just lived through them. The gates of Disneyland locked tight for an entire year. The Angels playing to an empty ballpark. The Orange County Fair and virtually all of the other events that define a typical year in our community canceled.
This year is very different. While we have not left the pandemic completely behind us, Orange County is open again. Restaurants are welcoming diners, indoors and out. Kids are back in school. We can again take in a movie or attend a concert with family and friends.
Consider Best of Orange County to be your re-introduction to the place you live. In its 28th year, this indispensable guide to getting the most out of our county recognizes the best places to go, businesses to patronize and restaurant meals to eat. And all of the recommendations are coming from your neighbors.
Readers responded to Best of Orange County in a big way this year, casting more than 50,000 ballots — an increase of nearly 27% from last year and a more than 55% jump from 2019. Over a month of balloting earlier this year, Register readers chose their favorite beach, bank, dental practice, waterfront dining spot, craft brewery and city to live in, among a total of 74 categories. As in past years, categories are sorted by chapters — Places to Go+Do, Shopping & Services, Luxury Lifestyle, Food & Drink and Home & Garden.
Voters had new categories in which to express their preferences. With Orange County’s red hot real estate market, they voted for the best home loan provider. After the scorching weather of this past summer, we asked readers their favorite air conditioning and heating company. And while we can go out to eat again, sometimes you just want to order in — and so we queried voters on their favorite meal delivery service. Perennially popular categories, such as best downtown, grocery store, day spa, burger spot and city to live in, continued to rack up large numbers of votes.
We hope you enjoy Best of Orange County 2021 and will keep it to use as a resource to find a new spot to eat or a new place to spend a nice day with your family. Our county is filled with incredible things to experience — and this year we’re better able to go out and enjoy them.
Ron Hasse
Publisher, The Orange County Register
