In recent years, Harbor Boulevard in Garden Grove has become a booming entertainment and tourism area, served by nine high-rise hotels. In Garden Grove you can also find well known residents which include actor Steve Martin, adventurer Steve Fossett and baseball star Lenny Dysktra. Garden Grove also lends its name to a song by the famous Southern California band Sublime, on their eponymous album. Other notable residents and natives include Robert K. Dornan a former U.S. Congressman, Michaela Gallo a child actress,

Wally George a former talk-show host, Darryl Kile a former Major League Baseball pitcher, Troy Polamalu a National Football League player, Dexter Holland the lead singer of The Offspring, Monique Powell the lead singer of the group Save Ferris,Tibor Rubin a Medal of Honor recipient, Alan Trammell a former player and manager of the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball and Scott Klopfenstein a back-up singer, keyboardist, trumpeter and guitarist for the ska-punk band Reel Big Fish. Also found in Garden Grove is the headquarters of the Government of Free Vietnam (in exile). Garden Grove is home to four annual cultural festivals that celebrate the Vietnamese, Korean, Arabic, and American heritage. Garden Grove's Strawberry Festival, now more than 45 years old, is the largest community-based Memorial Day event in the western United States. Garden Grove is home to the highest number of churches and places of worship per capita in California, including the world-famous Crystal Cathedral. Schools in the Garden Grove Unified School District have been rated as some of the best and safest in the County. The community has a proud reputation for its outstanding commitment to volunteerism.