Laguna Niguel is known throughout Orange County for its extensive park and trail system. Over one-third of Laguna Niguel is public open space and is divided between 31 city parks and 4 county parks. Laguna Niguel's major roads are designated as "scenic highways" within landscape corridors, which includes parks, decorative medians, and grade-separated recreational paths. There are about 80 miles of hiking, biking and horseback riding trails. Major hiking trails include the Aliso Summit trail and the Colinas Bluff Trail on the eastern border, overlooking San Juan Capistrano. The Laguna Ridge Trail passes through Badlands County Park and approaches the summit of Niguel Hill, the highest point in the city. The paved Salt Creek Trail, a popular Class I bikeway, follows Salt Creek and Niguel Road from Dana Point to Laguna Niguel Regional Park. The Aliso Creek Trail is also known as the "Forest to the Sea Trail", as it is planned to connect the Santa Ana Mountains in the Cleveland National Forest to the Pacific Ocean at Laguna Beach.

Newport Beach is known for great surfing and sandy beaches, especially between Newport Pier and the Santa Ana River. Attractions include the city beaches from the Santa Ana River to the tip of the Balboa Peninsula, Corona del Mar State Beach, and the beaches at Crystal Cove State Park. Competitive sailing, rowing, and paddling events are common. The annual Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race is the largest sailboat race in the world. Upper Newport Bay, or the Back Bay, is ringed by Back Bay Drive and a network of trails and paths that attract bicyclists, rollerbladers, joggers, and walkers. Bird watchers and nature lovers are drawn to the Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve and Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center.

Mission Viejo has numerous recreational areas such as the Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center there are about two parks per square mile. The city has three golf courses, The Mission Viejo Country Club, Casta del Sol Golf Course, and the Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club. At the center of the city is a man-made lake, Lake Mission Viejo, a private association for Mission Viejo residents with custom waterfront homes, condominiums, boat and paddle board rentals, fishing, and swim beaches. Lake Mission Viejo also holds events such as music concerts and movie screenings, usually complimentary for members and typically during the summer season.

Palm Desert is a city in Riverside County, in the Coachella Valley. The total number of golf clubs (more than 30 located within 10 miles (16 km) from the city) have made Palm Desert known as the "World's Golf Capital." There are a number of golf club communities in Palm Desert. Palm Desert has 14 city parks, festivals including Desert ARC Italian Festival, Greek Festiva, Armenian Festival, CanadaFest, and Scottish Festival. Other attractions are Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, McCallum Theatre, Children's Discovery Museum of the Desert in Rancho Mirage, and Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells.

Rancho Mirage has thirteen golf courses, also known as country clubs or golf resorts. The city's first resort was the Thunderbird Guest Ranch, opened in 1946 for entertainers and business clientele. Other golf resorts are The S at Rancho Mirage, Tamarisk, Mission Hills, Thunderbird, The Springs, Sunrise, Omni Resorts Rancho Las Palmas hotel (opened in 1979 to replace the Desert Air golf and private airport from 1954–1978), Morningside, Mission Hills North Course, Westin Hotels Mission Hills resort, and Tuscania by Sunrise Company opened in 2006.