6 Reasons to Visit Balboa Island and Newport Beach, California

Here are 6 reasons you should visit this amazing beach area, and tips on how to enjoy Balboa Island, Pier & Peninsula.

Balboa Island is located in Newport Beach, CA.

This is a beautiful and unique place to visit.  To access Balboa Island, you can drive across the bridge at Marine Avenue, drive or walk onto the Ferry, or dock a boat. Remember people live on the island so please respect their guidelines and privacy. Public restrooms are located by the ferry or go to a local restaurant/café.

1.      Balboa Boardwalk:  Reason 1 to visit Balboa Island is how walkable it is. There is a pedestrian walkway boardwalk that surrounds the area.  The island is small so parking is sometimes hard to find but well worth the effort.  If its sunny or overcast, a walk through the island is an amazing thing to do and you experience such a great part of California beach culture.

2.      Balboa Ferry:  The ferry is so much fun!  How often do you get to drive onto a Ferry Boat to an island.  The other option is to walk onto the ferry and ride over to the island so you don’t have to worry about parking once you get there.

3.      Balboa Bar:  Get a Balboa Bar (a frozen ice cream dipped in chocolate and then covered with your favorite topping) or frozen banana, also dipped in chocolate and toppings!   Grab a coffee at one of the local shops, a donut at Dad’s Donuts, or ride the Ferris Wheel at the Balboa Fun Zone.  There is plenty of shopping to be had with all the quaint shops.

4.      Balboa Beach and Pier:  The Balboa Pier is worth a visit.  It is a nice walk to the end and there is a Ruby’s Diner.  There is a parking lot (you need to pay to park) next to the pier with lots of spots, however on a nice day or weekend, it can fill up fast.  Most days you will find people fishing on the pier and surfers catching waves. 

5.      Picnic on Balboa Beach: Balboa Beach is a great place to have a family picnic and enjoy the ocean. Walk the pier, which is within walking distance to the Balboa Ferry - chances are you will see a dog on a skateboard or surfboard. Also, there are so many shops and restaurants to enjoy in this area.  I use Google Maps to find recommendations.

6.      Biking:  Rent bikes from a local shop and go from Balboa Pier to Newport Pier.  We rented a tandem bike so we could ride together.  It was so much fun to see all the other people riding around and enjoying the beautiful weather.  Make sure to bring a hat, sunglasses and wear sunscreen!!!

Newport Beach

We stayed in a house rental for Spring Break one year, and we had a fantastic time.  Each morning, we walked to the beach and looked at the shells (there were tons!).  We rented bikes and would ride on the path between Balboa and Newport.  At night, it is a very lively place to be with all the bars and restaurants.  One day as we were walking around, we noticed the same dog was tied up at different bars. The dog had a noticeable collar and we first saw him at a local bar/restaurant at the beginning of the day.  Then in the afternoon as we were riding our bike’s we saw him again but at a different bar tied up out front.  And then two other times at two different bars as we walked by that evening and again as we made our way back to our house.  So, our family made a new saying “Same Dog Different Bar”, it is such a fun memory when someone brings that up!

Newport Pier

Next to the pier are cute restaurants and shops.  My personal favorite is Charlie’s Chili, on a cold day it is a must try and a great comfort meal.  Similar to Balboa Pier, there is a paid parking lot next to the pier.

Newport Beach Harbor is also located in this area.  With many waterfront restaurants you will be able to find a great scenic view and the seafood is abundant.  There are many water activities to choose from.

Newport Beach is home to the Grunion Run. The Grunion, small fish, leave the water and spawn on the beach at night.  This is a popular activity and time of the year, but keep in mind that the Grunion are protected so you can not disturb them.

Go to www.newportbeachca.gov for more information on the Grunion Run and the Newport Beach area.