When the first copies of Best of Orange County rolled off the presses in 1994, pickleball was a niche sport played mainly by older folks. In the pages of the Orange County Register, the first mention of pickleball appeared a few months later, in a story about Irvine's Lakeview Senior Center.

Three decades later, pickleball is far and away America's fastest-growing participation sport, as 13.6 million people played the game in 2023, a 52% jump from the year before, with millennials and Gen Z folks making up a lot of the increase. And this year, for the first time, the Best of Orange County survey asked readers to choose the best pickleball courts in Orange County. The results are in the magazine you're holding.

Like the area it serves, the Best of Orange County is constantly evolving. Orange County has grown, creating new communities such as Las Flores and Newport Coast. Best of Orange County has adapted alongside it, expanding to cover the changing nature of life here. As people's interests have evolved, Best of Orange County has reflected those changes.

Wine production in Southern California has increased substantially over the past 20 years. Temecula Valley Wine Country in Riverside County has grown into a major viticultural region with nearly 50 wineries, while San Juan Capistrano also has a growing wine scene. This year, Best of Orange County adds the category of best Southern California winery -- and readers chose wineries in both Temecula and O.C.

While not quite as hot a fad as pickleball, dog ownership has grown steadily -- remember the "pandemic pets" craze? -- in recent years. The percentage of households with dogs increased by more than 6% from 2016 to 2022, according to Forbes. People want to bring their "fur-babies" with them when they go out to eat, so this year the Best of Orange County added another new voting category: Best dog-friendly restaurant.

Community college enrollment in California last fall topped 2 million students for the first time since the pandemic. In addition to pursuing associate's degrees or preparing to transfer to four-year universities, community college students are increasingly enrolling in short-term certificate programs such as accounting and cybersecurity. And so, for this year, Best of Orange County adds best community college as a new voting category, joining existing higher-education categories for four-year colleges, nursing schools and trade schools.

Two new health-related categories -- best assisted living and best urgent care -- also make their debuts this year.

With these new additions, Best of Orange County now boasts 81 voting categories, including old favorites such as best beach, best burger and best city to live in. We hope that you will keep this magazine to use as a reference throughout the year to find new places to eat, new places to go to and new businesses to support.

While none of us knows the future, it's a safe bet that Orange County will continue to grow and change. And, it's also a safe bet that Best of Orange County will continue to evolve right along with it.