Pastoral scene at Irvine RanchTASTE News Service, August 27, 2015 - Irvine boasts the most open space in all of Orange County with 16,000 acres offering 54 miles of off-street bikeways, along with hiking trails.

Irvine boasts the most open space in all of Orange County with 16,000 acres offering 54 miles of off-street bikeways, along with hiking and horseback riding trails.

Much of Irvine's open space is part of the Irvine Ranch which encompasses 50,000 acres and has been named a Natural Landmark by both the U.S. Department of the Interior and State of California. The area, deemed by scientists as one of the world's biodiversity "hot spots," features hundreds of different species of plants and animals, including eagles, badgers, mountain lions, Tecate cypress trees, and many rare species of birds, reptiles and amphibians.

The Mountains to Sea Trail takes you on 22-mile journey starting in rugged, oak-filled Weir Canyon. The trail then takes you south toward the coast through five different cities and a portion of unincorporated Orange County – virtually guaranteeing that the only constant on this trek is an exhilarating change of scenery and topography.

Editor’s note:  It’s nice to find open spaces in otherwise populous Southern California. Unless you’re planning on camping out with the wild animals when you visit Orange County, you may want to consult Taste California Travel’s Resource Directory before leaving. In it are links to websites of hundreds of Lodging and Dining options, as well as links to Wineries and sellers of Craft Beer.