This 99 Ranch was especially delightful to this community as a much closer alternative than the cluster of Asian diaspora in Irvine. Before this 99 opened in March, 2025, the closest Asian markets were up the 5 in Irvine.

It comes as part of a growing cluster of Asian businesses in this section, next to the Aliso Town Center. Marugame Udon (a Japanese udon eatery) now occupies the new space beside the 99 Ranch, with an Omomo boba shop in the process of being built next to that.

Personally, as an Asian person living next to Aliso Viejo, having a 99 Ranch so close to home is a gamechanger. It exponentially increases the availability of authentic Asian products, and a much cheaper alternative for certain produce.

Opening weekend included a celebration of Asian culture and fun gathering opportunities for the community.

The Center provides free and fast wifi, seating, rentable meeting space, and contains the nearby playgrounds and fields of Fossil Reef Park as well as a roller hockey rink and skate park. Athletes from around the community can find almost any sport accessible here (including the more niche ones!*) as well as baseball diamonds and tennis courts as part of Laguna Hills High School's campus just up the hill. These are often open to the public, when school is not in session.

The Community Center offers year round and diverse classes including sports, music, hiking, and more, ranging from children's theater camps to Wudang Tai Chi.

*of particular note to me and my family is the hockey rink! In my experience, it's rather rare to find a hockey rink, but my dad and brother are big hockey fans and hockey players. Our high school had a hockey team (which, for some unknown reason, didn't count as PE credit for him...) and they practiced at the community center rink. Having access to a rink like that so close to home really empowered his ability to invest in the sport. He went on to play for UCSB's roller hockey team.

Luckily, this site in Laguna Hills was designated as a County prehistoric site by the Orange County Historical Commission. Today, you can still see (and climb on!) the preserved fossils that were found near here.

Other fossils that were excavated at this site are displayed in the nearby Laguna Hills Community Center.

Sandwiched between the Community Center and Laguna Hills High School, Fossil Reef Park provides a central area for LH kids and families. A playground, large fields, and tables for seating contribute to a versatile space. Community events such as the 4th of July fireworks also take place here.

The Aliso Viejo Ranch Project included updates to the farming space on the ranch, and restoration of some buildings. This video outlines the goals of this space to give back to and build up the community.

The museum also houses historical artifacts from the ranchers' days, as well as space to showcase art and history exhibits. Take a look at the current and past exhibits here. The exhibits currently being shown are Canyon Colors: The Botanical Art of Clara Mason Fox, and 1874: Into the West.

Take a virtual tour of the ranch here!

Originally part of a Mexican rancho grant, the park region was named after "Niguil" (sometimes 'Yuiguilli'), which was the indigenous name for the area. This comes from the Spanish rendition of the indigenous "Nawil". The tribe that lived here was the Juaneño, or Acjachemen people.

Laguna Niguel's fireworks are held here each year, and regular 'sunset screenings' are avilable to the public with family movie nights.

This park is special to me as a meeting site for my church, where we spend every Memorial Day with a church-wide picnic here. We are able to enjoy the natural spaces of the park, as well as sports like volleyball and tennis, and the occasional fishing competition in the lake. The park allows for large-scale gatherings as well as nightly pickleball pick-up games. To many people in the community, it is a valuable third space.