There is no question about it.  Brea is a great place to live and grow.  In Brea we enjoy a vibrant community spirit that is rare to find.  Its a place where you want to get involved, where you enjoy a rich and unique way of life.  Nestled in the foothills of north Orange County, this beautiful city is home to more than 36,000 people.  When the city began its motto was "Oil, Oranges and Opportunity" and those three words pretty much summed it up.  A true oil town, Brea, which means tar in Spanish, was little more than oil pumps and citrus groves.  Now however, it is opportunity that comes to mind most when you think of Brea, its a word that I think of everyday.  Half the people who come to Brea are "doers," willing to work hard even as key local industries have diversified over time. The other half are people who are "dreamers," willing to get involved with community building.  Great things happen in Brea because its the place where those doers and dreamers meet.  Brea prides itself on volunteerism and community spirit.  In Brea we are proud of our town.

Brea is perfectly situated 30 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles and 20 miles northwest of John Wayne Airport. It is surrounded by gentle, rolling hills and extends into picturesque Carbon Canyon, linking it with Chino Hills to the east, and close to the finest beaches in all of southern California.  It is the heart of southern California and it is possible to enjoy the best of all that surrounds.  We are near to Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, Movieland Wax Museum, Anaheim Stadium where the Angels baseball team play and the Performing Arts Center of Orange County, not to mention great museums and performing arts venues in Los Angeles, as well as the Lakers and the Clippers basketball teams.  But not to be outdone, Brea is also a top competitor in the regions shopping and entertainment markets.  And, if you love shopping, you have come to the right place.  Youll want to visit Brea Mall; this upscale center houses some of the best shopping venues in the city.  The Brea Marketplace, Brea Gateway Shopping Center, and the East Imperial Center are other great shopping destinations.  The Brea community takes pride in its image as a "City of Art."  Brea is host to a performing arts theatre, an Arts in Public Places outdoor sculpture collection and a nationally-recognized art gallery.  By including art throughout the city, Brea has earned its reputation as one of North Orange Countys premiere cultural venues.  For great theatre get tickets for a production at the Curtis Theater.  The Curtis brings quality performing arts to North Orange County in a space that's both modern and yet quite intimate.  The Brea Gallery changes exhibits approximately once a month.  Past exhibits include: "The Final Frontier: America in Space," and a circus exhibit complete with banners from circuses throughout the world.  Every exhibit includes a series of artwork from a local grammar school on the exhibit theme, and special craft workshops where children can develop small projects based on the theme.  Its also great to check out The Art in Public Places program, which offers over 100 pieces of sculpture on display throughout the city.

Brea prides itself on volunteerism and community spirit.  Much of that spirit revolves around Brea-Olinda High School, widely regarded as one of the nicest public-school campuses in the county.  Several of the schools athletic teams have established themselves as powerful forces. The schools Ladycats basketball squad has captured the Orange League title for the past decade and has twice won the state championship. Brea public schools consistently score above the 90th percentile in state and national achievement tests. Several Brea schools have been recognized as "Blue Ribbon" and "Distinguished" schools. The Brea Olinda Unified School District operates six elementary schools, one junior high school, a high school, and a continuation high school. The Brea Olinda High School campus opened in 1990 and boasts state of the art computer technology, (including a link-up to the "Knowledge Network"), a professional performing arts center, and complete athletic facilities, including a synthetic track.  Brea also has several pre-schools, two Christian schools, and a Catholic school serving grades K-8.  Higher education is right in the neighborhood as well.  The Southern California College of Business and Law, the Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, and a number of technical and vocational schools call Brea home, while California State University,  Fullerton College, Pacific Christian College, an optometry school and another law school are located minutes away in Fullerton.

Brea is a great place to do business and there is nothing like doing big business in a small town.  The city maintains a clearcut economic development strategy, which is designed to ensure a well-balanced community.  In addition to being a major retail center with one of the county's most popular regional shopping centers being the Brea Mall, Brea is home to many large corporations, such as UNOCAL, American Suzuki, Lucas-Western Aerospace, Beckman Instruments, and Bank of America.  During the past two years, several new companies have moved to Brea, including NT Falcon Lock, Delphi Automotive (a General Motors subsidiary), ITT Hartford, Merrill Lynch, Dean Witter, and 20th Century Plastics.  Krystal Koach Limousine recently built a new facility in the city, which will house all of its operations.  Brea has a very strong entrepreneurial spirit as well, with about 70% of the city's business license holders comprised of smaller, family-owned businesses.  Brea truly provides an outstanding, accessible location for any type of business.

In Brea we are proud of our great community sensibility.   And where you find great community, great community events always abound.  The County Fair is an excellent place to start.  Every Fourth of July come for some good old-fashioned fun complete with a carnival, live music, games and food, and sack races.  Kids Day Brea is held in conjunction with National Kids Day and is a day to celebrate and honor children through the gift of meaningful time.  Kids can enjoy music, crafts, pony rides, swing rides, Indy car rides, huge slide of fun, face painting, plus a variety of food and beverages.  It directly benefits the Brea Boys and Girls Club.  Bring your appetite for the Brea Fest, as the aroma of exotic spices fill the Civic Center plaza with more than two dozen local chefs cooking up their favorite dishes alongside live entertainment, with the proceeds going toward Brea cultural arts programs.  Help raise money for academics and boys and girls cross-country teams at Brea-Olinda High School by taking part in the Brea 8K Classic, where youll enjoy a day without traffic, as the streets around the Brea Mall are only opened to the runners.  Youll want to make sure you stay in town for the holidays with the City Hall Tree Lighting.  The tree is lit up with holiday decorations during a tree-lighting ceremony that includes live music and carolers and a visit from Santa Claus.  If youre looking for that unusual holiday ornament that you couldnt find at the mall, check out the Nutcracker Crafts Boutique which offers unique items from dozens of local crafters.

Brea is committed to maintaining a high standard of living.  Through its great community support and public works program it is easier to take care of our families and our neighborhoods.  Brea became one of the first cities in Orange County to implement recycling in 1989, and the citys environmental consciousness is also reflected in the many drought-resistant landscape plantings on city properties, and the use of recycled and recyclable goods in city operations.  Public safety is second to none.  Several service clubs and organizations provide strong support for community activities, including Kiwanis,  Soroptimist International, Rotary International, Brea Lions Club, Meals on Wheels,  Habitat for Humanity, and Active Christians Today, among others.  There are also many active youth service, academic, and athletic booster clubs in Brea schools.  A strong commercial and industrial sector offers employment opportunities and a strong tax base which allows Brea citizens to enjoy a high level of public services rarely found in a community of 36,000 people. The median income for Brea families is $52,000 per year, one of the highest in Orange County.

In addition to everything community, Brea boasts a great selection of recreational opportunities for all age groups and interests through its Community Services Department. We enjoy three public golf courses in Brea, as well as Soccer, Little League Baseball and Pop Warner Football leagues.  We are the home of one of the strongest Scouting programs in the county.  Other groups include the Boys and Girls Club and Youth Explorers.  There are many opportunities to enjoy the outdoors with adult and youth excursions, adult and youth sports leagues, summer aquatics, park and ball field reservations, recreation classes.  Brea Community Center offers everything from organized adult volleyball, basketball and softball leagues to a state-of-the-art fitness gym.  If pickup sports are your thing, you can jump in on volleyball and basketball almost everyday. For children, there are in-line hockey leagues, mini-soccer, baseball and basketball. There are also summer sports camps and sports leagues.  For a different sort of outdoor activity I recommend the Carbon Canyon Regional Park with its wild and rugged canyon terrain and full selection of recreational activities, including hiking and equestrian trails, this park seems miles away from civilization. Cyclists and spectators alike may want to give Tri-City Park a shot.  The park has some of the city's top mountain biking trails and has a pool to cool off in when youre finished.

If youre looking for a great community to call home, look no further.  Brea truly is a vibrant and wonderful city to enjoy life in.  Opportunity abounds in Brea.