Lago Santa Margarita

The serene Lago Santa Margarita and surrounding parks are the focal point for this planned community.

Cafes, greenbelts and a bike path stretch around the 1.1-mile lake shore, attracting South County residents in search of a scenic jog or a place to relax.

Residents who belong to the association that oversees the community also can rent boats during the summer for a voyage across the 12.3-acre lake.

In the afternoons, fishermen can often be found sitting along the shore, waiting for a bite.

May Ellis, a local resident and owner of a lakefront store, said she enjoys working in a place where residents can interact and find a central setting for community celebrations. A constant stream of lake visitors keeps her business, Aim Mail Center, booming, she said.

“It’s just a nice environment,” said Ellis, who regularly walks around the lake in the evenings. “It offers a really good feeling of community.”

In honoring the area as one of Orange County’s best public places, the judges described it as “a magnet for the neighborhoods of this South County planned community.”