About Discover OC

The idea for Discover OC started when I was 16 years old.
At the time, I imagined creating a website where anyone could easily find information about Orange County. Whether someone lived here or was visiting for the first time, I wanted there to be one place where they could explore what the county had to offer.
Over the years, that idea stayed with me.
As I gained experience in photography, filmmaking, web design, and digital marketing, my vision for the project began to change. I realized I didn't just want to build another website filled with information about places.
I wanted to actually go out, experience those places myself, document them, and create something that felt authentic to Orange County.
What started as a simple idea at 16 gradually evolved into the Discover OC you see today.

One of the things that matters most to me about Discover OC is that the work behind it is my own.
I designed and developed the website, built its content structure, and created the experience that allows visitors to explore cities, discover locations, and save places they're interested in.
The photography and video are also a major part of that work.
I personally travel to the places featured on Discover OC to explore them, photograph them, capture video, and better understand what makes each location worth experiencing.
From planning a shoot and spending time on location to editing the visuals, researching information, writing content, and publishing the finished pages, I'm involved in the entire process.
I want the photography to show people what these places actually look and feel like, while the information helps them decide where to explore next.
It's a time-consuming approach, but it's what makes this project meaningful to me.

I never wanted Discover OC to be just another tourism website focused on the same popular attractions.
Orange County is home to incredible beaches and destinations, but it's also made up of neighborhoods, parks, historic places, local traditions, and communities that deserve attention.
I want Discover OC to be just as useful to someone who has lived here their entire life as it is to someone visiting for the first time.
Sometimes discovering Orange County means visiting a place you've never heard of. Other times, it means experiencing somewhere familiar from an entirely new perspective.

Discover OC is still growing, and I see it as a long-term project rather than a website that will ever truly be finished.
I'm starting by documenting Orange County's cities, landmarks, and experiences through photography, video, and firsthand exploration.
Over time, I want to expand into more personal storytelling through the Discover OC Journal.
That means documenting the people behind local businesses, the history of familiar places, community traditions, architecture, craftsmanship, food, and the stories that help define Orange County.
I want Discover OC to become more than a place to find somewhere to visit. I want it to become a growing collection of the places and stories that make this county special.

My name is Juan Lugarda, and I'm an Orange County-based photographer, filmmaker, web designer, and the creator of Discover OC.
I'm also the person behind Lugarda Marketing, where I work with businesses on visual storytelling, websites, and digital marketing.
Discover OC brings together many of the skills I've spent years developing, but it's also something deeply personal to me.
It's an opportunity to explore the county I grew up in, improve my craft, meet people in the community, and create something that others can genuinely benefit from.
I built Discover OC because I wanted a resource like this to exist.
And now that it does, I'm excited to see where it goes.
‍Thank you for being here and taking the time to Discover Orange County.
‍— Juan Lugarda