Top of the World

What it’s like

Top of the World is the ridge-top neighborhood above downtown. Alta Laguna Boulevard, Top of the World Drive and Treetop Lane run along it, and Park Avenue climbs to it from the Village. Federal elevation data puts points on those three streets between about 940 and 1,010 feet above sea level. Temple Hill, a mapped peak, rises in the neighborhood beside Alta Laguna Boulevard.

Alta Laguna Park sits at the north end of the neighborhood. OC Parks’ trail map marks a public access gate into Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park at Top of the World, where Park Avenue meets Alta Laguna Boulevard and the West Ridge Trail begins, and lists the spot among the park’s best views. OC Parks describes the wilderness park as about 4,500 acres with more than 30 miles of official trails. Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, at 7,000 acres, is part of the same South Coast Wilderness, which totals almost 20,000 acres. The Laguna Beach County Water District’s Top of the World Reservoir has a dedication plaque that gives its floor elevation as 1,002.5 feet above mean sea level, in line with the ridge-top elevations above.

realatrends.com lists single-family homes and lots under Top of the World, in styles from contemporary to traditional. Street names in its listings include Bern Drive, Zell Drive, Tyrol Drive, Nestall Road and Ridge Drive. OpenStreetMap’s address data also tags Hillview Drive and the upper ends of Park Avenue and Temple Hills Drive with the Top of the World name, so maps built on it show the label on streets below the ridge.

Top of the World Elementary is at 21601 Treetop Lane, according to the Laguna Beach Unified School District. The park and the school sit about 0.75 mile apart in a straight line. For the streets on the slopes below, see Park Avenue Estates, Temple Hills and Mystic Hills.

Getting around

By road, Treetop Lane is about 2.7 miles from Main Beach and Alta Laguna Park is about 2.3 miles. The drive from Treetop Lane to Main Beach drops about 1,000 feet. Irvine Spectrum is about 12.2 miles from Treetop Lane by road and John Wayne Airport about 17.4 miles. Only two highways connect the city to the rest of Orange County, Coast Highway and State Route 133. The city’s Coastal Route trolley runs on Coast Highway. The city also runs Laguna Local, a free on-demand shared ride service between residential neighborhoods and major activity centers; ask the city whether it covers your street. The getting around guide explains both.

The hillside neighborhoods are steep, so expect steep driveways and tight turns. Test the drive down to downtown at the hour you will make it.

Things to know before you buy or rent

The city has 22 evacuation management zones, and its list includes one named Top of the World, zone LAB19, and another named Old Top of the World, zone LAB15. Each zone has its own map, and the city recommends that you download, print and learn your routes. Look up the zone for any address before you make an offer.

The city sends major remodels and any improvement taller than 15 feet to a public design review hearing. In 2026 it adopted an urgency ordinance to streamline design review and extended it in August. Ask Community Development which path your plan takes today.

The Laguna Beach County Water District serves central Laguna Beach, so confirm your address with the district. See the cost of living guide for other recurring costs.

See the homes for sale in Top of the World on realatrends.com.