Newport Beach, CA Road Trips

True to its name, any visit to Newport Beach is incomplete without a trip to the beach. The city is nestled on the Pacific Ocean and is a favorite among surfers. The Wedge, at the end of the Balboa Peninsula, is famed for its challenging surf, but Newport's miles of wide beaches offer plenty of room for everyone, except on the busiest summer weekends. There is a concrete boardwalk running along the beach from the east of the Balboa pier to west of the Newport pier. 1 Muth Wetlands Interpretive Center, 2301 University Dr, ☏ +1 949-923-2290. Tu-Su 10AM-4PM, closed Monday. Located on Irvine Avenue, and facing out onto coastal wetlands, this is an excellent introduction to the flora and fauna of Pacific Coast wetlands. There is an excellent film presentation, and many exhibits of interest to young and old. (updated Apr 2026) 2 Newport Harbor Nautical Museum, 600 E. Bay Ave (in the Balboa Fun Zone), ☏ +1 949-673-3377, [email protected]. W-M 10AM-6PM. This museum gives an introduction to the extensive maritime history of this area. Adults $5, children under 12 free. 3 Balboa Island. It is a quaint throwback to simpler times, with a strip of stores and restaurants (Marine Avenue) and a pedestrian walkway which incicles the island. It's accessible from the Balboa peninsula via a short car/passenger ferry, or you can drive there over a bridge from near the Pacific Coast Highway.

1 Balboa Fun Zone, 600 E. Bay Ave, [email protected]. Su-Th 11AM-6PM; F Sa 11AM-10PM. Located near the Balboa Pavilion, the Fun Zone has a Ferris wheel, merry-go-round, rock wall, arcade, and bungee jump. $1.50 per ticket or 20 tickets for $25 (number of tickets required vary with attraction. Newport Landing Whale Watching, 309 Palm St. Suite A., ☏ +1 949-675-0550. During the summer months, view Blue Whales (more than 90 feet in length), Minke Whales, Humpback Whales and several types of dolphin and other marine life. During the winter months you can view Grey Whales, the occasional Orca, and many dolphins and sea lions. The trip has a 96% viewing success rate of marine life on each cruise. The company's primary whale watching ship is 65 feet in length with a large upstairs sun-deck, wrap around outside seating, snack bar with food and beverage and indoor seating with large windows. 2½ hours. Newport Beach Film Festival, ☏ +1 949-253-2880, [email protected]. The 10-day festival features over 300 short and feature length films. April Starting at $10. (updated Jul 2017) Balboa Island Art Walk. Along South Bayfront Drive on Balboa Island. Over 100 artists showing and selling their work, ranging from paintings to sculptures to jewelry. Free. May Newport Beach Summer Jazz Series, ☏ +1 949-729-6400. Summer-long Jazz music festival on two stages. Held at the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach. May–October. $40-175. 2 Newport Dunes 4th of July Celebration, 1131 Back Bay Dr (at Newport Dunes Resort).

1 Ho Sum Bistro, 3112 Newport Blvd, ☏ +1 949-675-0896. The Combo Salad will fill you up and is very well priced for how much you get ($4-6). A nice option if you are stuck on the peninsula. 2 Memphis Cafe, 2920 Bristol St., Costa Mesa (take Macarthur Blvd North to 73 fwy north; exit Birch; continue north on Bristol (don't get back on the fwy); about 1-2 miles; restaurant is on the right), ☏ +1 714-432-7685. Su Tu-Th 8AM-9PM, F Sa 8AM-10PM, closed Monday. Tasty and fairly authentic gourmet southern fare in a casual roadhouse-style diner with fantastic ambience. Service is excellent, but informal. For lunch, try the 1/2 pulled pork sandwich and bowl of gumbo. Parking is sometimes a problem between non and 1PM on weekdays. (updated Apr 2026) 3 Wilma's Patio, 203 Marine Ave (Balboa Island). Family restaurant popular among locals for breakfast on Balboa Island (not the peninsula!), although they also serve lunch and dinner. The wait can be as long as an hour on summer weekend mornings. breakfast $10. 4 Sol Grill, 2400 West Coast Hwy, ☏ +1 949-287-6797, [email protected]. Tu-Su 5-10PM, closed Mondays. Good pasta and seafood restaurant with live music. As the restaurant is small, reservations are essentiell for weekends. (updated Apr 2026) 5 Rusty Pelican, 2735 West Coast Highway, ☏ +1 949-642-3431. Fine dining seafood restaurant with view of marina. Has a full bar on the second floor. 6 Woody's Wharf, 2318 Newport Blvd, ☏ +1 949-675-0474. M-W 10AM-11PM, Th F 10AM-1:30AM, Su 9AM-10PM.

1 Baja Sharkeez, 114 Mc Fadden Pl, ☏ +1 949 673-0292. M-F 11AM-1:30AM, Sa Su 9AM-1:30AM. Fun, has music. They check IDs. Before this, there were loads of underage people. Minor chain with other locations around SoCal. (updated Apr 2026) 2 Balboa Saloon, 700 E Bay Ave, ☏ +1 949-673-9783. M-Th 11AM-midnight, F 11AM-2AM, Sa Su 10AM-2AM. Younger crowd, but never really seems busy. (updated Apr 2026) 3 A Restaurant, 3334 West Coast Hwy, ☏ +1 949-650-6505. Best happy hour in Newport. Rat pack vibe. 4 Mutt Lynch's, 2300 W Oceanfront, ☏ +1 949-675-1556. Su-Th 8AM-midnight, F Sa 8AM-2AM. A true locals haunt. "A little slice of a California beach community." (updated Apr 2025) 5 Classic Q, 4251 Macarthur Blvd (near John Wayne Airport). Sports bar with pool tables. Reasonable food. (updated Aug 2015) 6 Malarky's Irish Pub, 3011 Newport Blvd, ☏ +1 949-675-2340. 7:30AM - 2AM. Irish pub that also serves food, like hamburgers. They also have live music and Irish coffees. It's inside The Landing. (updated Apr 2025) 7 Cassidy's Bar & Grill, 2603 Newport Blvd, ☏ +1 949-675-8949. M-Sa 11AM-2AM, Su 11AM-midnight. Rough around the edges bar and grill right off of Newport Boulevard. They don't usually answer the phone. They also serve food as the name would suggest. There is also a billiards (pool) table. (updated Jan 2026) 8 Stag Bar + Kitchen (Stag Bar), 121 Mc Fadden Pl, ☏ +1 949-673-4470. M-F 11AM-2AM, Sa Su 9AM-2AM. Bar with a notably long list of drinks like cocktails and whiskey. Also serves food. Come for the happy hour.

1 The Balboa Bay Club & Resort, 1221 Coast Highway (on Mariners Mile), ☏ +1 949-645-5000, toll-free: +1-888-445-7153, [email protected]. Special features on site: barber/beauty shop, bar/lounge, restaurant, shops, hot tub, sauna, fitness center on site, bayfront property, full service spa. $245-475, suites $800-3000. 2 Balboa Inn, 105 Main St, ☏ +1 949-675-3412, toll-free: +1-877-BAL-BOA9 (225-2629), fax: +1 949 673-4587, [email protected]. On the peninsula. $139-269, suites $299-599. 3 Bay Shores Inn, 1800 W Balboa Blvd, ☏ +1 949-675-3463, toll-free: +1-800-222-6675, fax: +1 949 675-4977. Near the Newport Pier on the peninsula. $199-269, suites $219-499. 4 Holiday Inn Express, 2300 West Coast Hwy, toll-free: +1-800-308-5401, fax: +1 949-631-5659. Reasonable sized rooms, small refrigerator and microwave, but interior a little musty.and in need of renovation. Basic breakfast. Free parking a plus for the area. (updated Sep 2015) 5 The Island Hotel Newport Beach, 690 Newport Center Dr, ☏ +1 949-759-0808, fax: +1 949 759-0568. Across from the Fashion Island shopping center and within walking distance of the Orange County Museum of Art. $259-495, suites $475-495. 6 Little Inn By The Bay on the Balboa Peninsula, 2627 Newport Blvd, ☏ +1 949-673-8800, toll-free: +1-800-438-4466, fax: +1 949-673-4943. Located on Balboa Peninsula by Newport Beach Pier offers free Wi-Fi and parking is Big Plus coming to Newport Beach.

John Wayne Airport (SNA IATA) is located on the border of Newport Beach, Irvine, and Santa Ana. If you are arriving at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX IATA) or Long Beach (LGB IATA), take the I-405 freeway south to the 73 freeway south. Metrolink and Amtrak serve Santa Ana, Tustin (Metrolink only), and Irvine. A taxi would probably be the most convenient option. Local OCTA bus routes service Amtrak/Metrolink stations at certain times. Consult the OCTA website for more information. Take CA Highway 1 or the I-405 freeway to the 55 or 73 freeway south. The former will take you to West Newport and the latter to the east side of the Newport Bay.

The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) serves the Newport Beach area. The OCTA Newport Transportation Center is just east of Fashion Island in Newport Beach; here OCTA Routes 1, 55, 57, 75, 76 and 79 converge for a transfer point. Routes 1, 47 and 71 serve the beaches (over a mile away from here) and the Balboa Peninsula; Route 76 serve the John Wayne Airport SNA (about 6 miles from here).