Newport Beach California is one of the most overlooked vacation destinations in California. Extending north on the Balboa peninsula Newport beach is actually an island in a chain of seven islands that include miles of beautiful beaches and a great place for boating. Nestled between the Pacific on one side and an inland waterway on the other it is a boater’s paradise. There are many sailing and yacht clubs and if you don’t happen to have a boat there you can spend some time walking around the inland harbor and admiring the hundreds of different boats there.
Over on the Pacific side of the island there is a beautiful beach that stretches for several miles offering all the wonderful activities you would hope to find at a beach. Among the many things to do are swimming, surfing, beach volleyball and soccer, or just lying on the beach and catching some rays.
One of the unique features of Newport Beach is the wide variety of architecture displayed by the hundreds of houses that line the Beach. The Beach is quite wide and the houses sit on narrow but deep lots. Most of them are two or more stories tall, many with roof top decks with fabulous views of the ocean. Many of these houses are available for vacation rental. It’s amazing to see so many house for as far as you can see down the beach and they are all different! What an ideal place to vacation. The houses have a wide sidewalk in front of them running the length of the beach. I don’t know how far it goes but if you travel south on it you will find yourself at Balboa and it keeps going from there.
The sidewalk is busy with walkers, roller bladers and bicycles. There are shops that rent bicycles and that’s what we did. We had a great time riding down the beach and all around the area. If you like bicycling, it’s the way to go. See the sights and get some good exercise at the same time.
If golf is your thing, you’re in luck. There are several golf courses in the area and you’re sure to find an exciting and challenging course. There’s one course on the island and several more just a short drive away.
Be sure to catch a beautiful sunset on the beach looking out towards Catalina Island. After dark there is plenty to do with lots of good restaurants and nightclubs for evening entertainment.
If you’re looking for a great Southern California getaway be sure to consider Newport Beach. You can’t go wrong.