Garden Grove, California, a booming city of 170,000 is perhaps best known for its Crystal Cathedral, a large glass structure from which Robert H. Schuller broadcasts the Hour of Power, a weekly service which has been televised from the cathedral since 1970. Garden Grove is a major producer of fruit such as oranges and strawberries, which do well in the warm, mild climate. The Garden Grove Strawberry Festival held annually in May is one of the United States’ largest festivals, drawing over 250,000 people into the city.

Ontario, California is named after Ontario, Canada, the original home of the Chaffey brothers who established it as a model colony in 1882. Since its founding, the city has shifted its focus many times. It was first known as a health resort and later for its agricultural production of oranges, lemons, and olives. Now the city’s economy is mostly concentrated in service industries and warehousing freight. Maglite Corporation, the well-known flashlight company, has its home there.

Port Saint Lucie, Florida, is a city of roughly 155,000 which was developed in the 1960s out of a formerly uninhabited area of land in western Florida. The city was rapidly developed but experienced tremendous setbacks due to the 2007 housing market crash which severely devastated the economy and left many unemployed. Economic recovery was boosted, however, when the Florida Center of Innovation moved into the area in 2008 and established two research institutes and two cutting-edge biotechnical companies, providing more than 30,000 jobs to Port Saint Lucie residents.

Nestled among the beautiful Appalachian Mountains, Chattanooga, Tennessee was ranked as #8 out of the top 100 metro regions with the greatest ‘Bang for your Buck’. A thriving city of over 167,000, Chattanooga is the fourth largest city in Tennessee and the seat of Hamilton County. Its history dates back to the original settlers of the area, the Cherokee Indians, who established a large settlement in the area known as Chickamauga. Surprisingly, Chattanooga is not a Cherokee name at all, but an alternate name for Lookout Mountain.

Fort Lauderdale serves as the county seat of Broward County. Fort Lauderdale is a very popular tourist destination and the area serves more than 10 million visitors each year. The area is popular for yachting enthusiasts and is home to a number of fine dining establishments and night clubs. The tropical climate that the area offers makes it a very popular destination for snow birds who want to get away from the harsher climates of other states during the winter season.

Rancho Cucamonga is a suburban city of 165,000 which never developed like a typical urban area. Before it became the focus of housing developments and outgrowth from nearby cities, it was more agricultural. In fact, the city created an artificial ‘downtown’ area known as Victoria Gardens to recreate the feel of a traditional city.

Oceanside, California, like many costal California cities, has the climate and beautiful ocean beaches to attract scores of tourists as well as year-round residents. Oceanside has a population of 183,000 and is part of the Tri-city area including Vista and Carlsbad as well as the 3rd largest city in San Diego County. Originally comprised of mostly residential settlements, the city has evolved into a thriving and diverse economy, and is the home of many large corporations, such as Genica Corporation (geeks.com). It is also directly south of the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendelton.