Newport Beach

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).

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.

• Muth Wetlands Interpretive Center. 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. 
• 🌍 Newport Harbor Nautical Museum, 600 E. Bay Ave (in the Balboa Fun Zone), ☏ +1 949 673-3377, nhnm@nhnm.org. W-M 10AM-6PM. This museum gives an introduction to the extensive maritime history of this area. Adults $5, children under 12 free. 
• 🌍 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. 

• 🌍 Balboa Fun Zone, 600 E. Bay Ave, Bfunzone@sbcglobal.net. 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. 

• 🌍 Fashion Island. The premiere shopping center in Newport Beach, this is a beautiful outdoor mall with great landscaping, and fountains of every description. Stores include Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's, Anthropologie, Barnes and Noble, Nike for Women. Restaurants include Cafe R & D (crowded, but good) and the Neiman Marcus Restaurant (with a beautiful view towards the ocean). 
• Westcliff Plaza. This is the real Newport, as few tourists make it over here. Located near the corner of Westcliff and Irvine Avenue, this is a small, luxury mall, with ultra upscale clothes, furnishings, and services. Restaurants include Haute Cakes (breakfast and lunch only) and Pizza Bakery. You will also see the colorful spectrum of local teen lifestyles. 
• 🌍 Crystal Cove. This is on Pacific Coast highway in the southern reaches of Newport, called Newport Coast. Stop here on your way to Laguna Beach and find both chain and private retailers. This mall is breathtaking as it overlooks the ocean. Stop for a bite to eat. 

• Gelato Paradiso, Fashion Island Atrium Ct. Many flavors of very good quality Italian-style gelato and sorbetto. Try the bacio (chocolate and hazelnut). 
• 🌍 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. 
• 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. 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. lunch $10, dinner $20. 
• 🌍 Sugar 'N Spice, 310 Marine Ave, ☏ +1 949-673-8907. For an inexpensive and tasty treat, order a frozen, chocolate covered banana. 
• Wild Fish, Macarthur and Bison. Perfectly prepared fish and shellfish. A bit noisy. Open for dinner only. $30-40. 
• 🌍 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. 
• Sol Grill, 2400 West Coast Hwy, ☏ +1 949-287-6797. Tu-Su 5-10PM, closed Mondays. Good pasta and seafood restaurant with live music. As the restaurant is small, reservations are essentiell for weekends. 
• 🌍 Rusty Pelican, 2735 West Coast Highway, ☏ +1 949 642-3431. Very good seafood restaurant with view of marina. 

• Sharkeez Baja Cantina. Fun, has music, but closes at 1AM. 
• Cabo Cantina. Good Happy Hour (10PM to midnight) nightly with 2-for-1 drinks. 
• Balboa Saloon. Younger crowd, but never really seems busy. 
• 🌍 A Restaurant, 3334 West Coast Hwy, ☏ +1 949 650-6505. Best happy hour in Newport. Rat pack vibe. 
• 🌍 Mutt Lynch's, 2300 W Oceanfront, ☏ +1 949 675-1556. A true locals haunt. "A little slice of a California beach community." 
• 🌍 Classic Q, 4251 Macarthur Blvd (near John Wayne Airport). Sports bar with pool tables. Reasonable food. (updated Aug 2015)

• 🌍 The Balboa Bay Club & Resort, 1221 Coast Highway (on Mariners Mile), ☏ +1 949 645-5000, toll-free: +1-888-445-7153, reservations@balboabayclub.com. 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. 
• 🌍 Balboa Inn, 105 Main St, ☏ +1 949 675-3412, toll-free: +1-877-BAL-BOA9 (225-2629), fax: +1 949 673-4587, info@balboainn.com. On the peninsula. $139-269, suites $299-599. 
• 🌍 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. 
• 🌍 Sonder Solarena, 6208 W Coast Highway, ☏ +1 617-300-0956, fax: +1 949 642-2538. Across Coast Highway from the beach. $119-259. 
• 🌍 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)
• 🌍 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. 
• 🌍 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. Walking distance to the Beach, Board Walk, Lido Village and Famous restaurants like Carb Cooker & Woody's Wharf and Famous BAR like Mutts and Malarky’s Irish Pub. $79-299. 
• 🌍 Newport Beach Marriott Bayview, 500 Bayview Circle, ☏ +1 949 854-4500, fax: +1 949-854-3937. Bedroom suites each with a step out balcony, living room, and marble bathroom. French doors separate the bedroom from the living room with fold out sofa and second television. 
• 🌍 Newport Channel Inn, 6030 W. Coast Highway (on Pacific Coast Highway in the north-east part of Newport Beach near the border with Huntington Beach), ☏ +1 949 642-3030, toll-free: +1-800-255-8614, fax: +1 949650-2666, innkeeper@newportchannelinn.com. $59-199. 
• 🌍 Hyatt Regency John Wayne Airport, Newport Beach, 4545 MacArthur Blvd, ☏ +1 949-975-1234. 1/2 mile from the John Wayne Airport, near the business districts of Irvine, Santa Ana, Costa Mesa and Huntington Beach. $99-189, suites $350. 

The area code for all of Newport Beach is 949.

• Catalina Island - For most of the year, there is daily boat service to Catalina on the Catalina Flyer, located on the Balboa Peninsula. Trip takes about an hour, and can frequently be rough. Remember to bring the Dramamine!
• While in Orange County, be sure to visit Disneyland in Anaheim or Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park.
• Don't have a car? Don't have a cow. You can reach Los Angeles or San Diego by train from Irvine or Santa Ana.