Minh Sorci would likely lead a healthy life wherever she lived. The Northwood Village mother of three and former investment banker watches her diet, takes long walks with her kids and teaches Zumba twice a week.
But living in Irvine makes it easy to keep fit, Sorci says.
“It’s amazing that we can walk right out from our house to be connected to trails, where we can hike or bike,” she says.
Acclaimed for health
Irvine ranks as one of the top 10 fittest cities in the American Fitness Index by the American College of Sports Medicine as well as in the top 10 among 182 U.S. cities in WalletHub’s “Healthiest Cities in America.”
“Where people live can have a big influence on how successful they are at staying in good health,” notes WalletHub spokesperson Cassandra Happe.
WalletHub analysts gave Irvine the strongest marks for residents’ high levels of fitness, the availability of high-quality health care and the easy access to parks. Earlier this year, Trust for Public Land ranked Irvine fourth in the nation and first in California for its parks, reporting that 9 out of 10 Irvine residents live within a 10-minute walk of one.
Planned that way
The city’s Master Plan design has resulted in one-third of its area being preserved for open space to ensure that residents would live near parks and trails.
Sorci says her family enjoys exploring Turtle Rock, the Jeffrey Open Space Trail, Hicks Canyon, Peters Canyon, Quail Hill and Bommer Canyon, with many more parks and trails still to discover.
Lynda Randall didn’t have any second thoughts about where to base the Silver Spokes Women’s Cycling group she founded earlier this year. “Irvine has beautiful, wide bike lanes, so we feel safer on the road and much less likely to get injured,” Randall says.
The group has about 60 members and meets twice a week for leisurely rides between 10 and 20 miles. Randall appreciates the active community in Irvine.
“Just look around and you see people walking, running, biking,” she says. “You have these robust youth teams like in softball and soccer and karate. We love to go out and explore, so Irvine offers the perfect setting.”
