How to Plan a Trip to Newport Beach, CA

Now that you have been inspired to visit Newport Beach, CA after reading Resident’s Guide to Newport Beach, CA you want to know what next!


Best time to go

March-October. The weather is typically a breezy 75 and sunny year round, with the summers slightly warmer and the winters slightly cooler. While we have the occasional 80+ day at the beach in the winter you’d have to get rather lucky on the weekend you come. (As i write this it was 85 and sunny today, January 28th!) If your coming from close by that may be fine, otherwise I would avoid this time. If you do come for the holidays be sure to do a harbor light cruise. The spring experiences ‘May Grey’ and ‘June Gloom’ which is the marine level that overcasts the beach in the mornings of these months. People will come often surprised by the marine layer, expecting sunny clear skies. June through August can be very crowded with tourists. July 4th is a blast as people flock to Newport to celebrate the holiday. If you want to come for a huge event this is definitely the weekend! (My dog Maverick and I are pictured above getting ready for a wild 4th in Newport). If you want nice weather without the crowds though, I’d plan a trip for September.

How to get there

If you are coming from out of state, fly into John Wayne airport in Santa Ana. This is 20-25 minutes from Newport Beach. This will be the closest and most convenient airport. If John Wayne doesn’t have the flights you want, first check Long Beach (30-40 minutes away) or LAX (1 hour+). LAX will be further and more of a hassle with traffic. It’s a common misconception that Orange County is really close to LA but include traffic and you have a bit of a commute. I would only pick this airport if it’s the only direct flight, significantly cheaper, etc.

How to get around

The trusty Uber app! No need to rent a car. You can walk or Uber everywhere in Newport.

Where to stay

Newport Beach Hotel – this is an adorable quaint hotel right on the beach by the Newport Pier. It is walkable distance to the beach, bars, restaurants, and biking paths. The hotel has beach chairs, bikes, and everything you need for a beach holiday without the hassle of renting or buying your own! The views are stunning – you can hang out with a glass of wine on the second floor overlooking the sand and surfers out in the water.

As a back up, I would always check what you can get with Airbnb or Homeaway. You never know what’s available in your price range!

Where to eat

The Bluewater Grill is absolutely amazing! They have delicious, freshly caught seafood and the best key lime pie. I’d go for the key lime pie alone! If you are on a budget this place is reasonable, but pricier compared to your average restaurant.

Dorys Deli is a block away from the Newport Beach Hotel and has great lunch food. They have bar seating by the open air windows so you can see the ocean and the people passing by. I would recommend a sandwich from here.

Where to go out at night

American Junkie is a fun place to go with big ‘piston cup’ drinks (I call them that because they look like the piston cup from cars). The upstairs is the most fun and has a DJ booth as well as tables outside that overlook the harbor. I like this place for the loud music and fun atmosphere. It’s about as close to a club as Newport Beach gets. Side note they have an Arizona State flag hanging outside which in my books is a huge bonus!

Woodys Wharf is right next to American Junkie and is a crowded and lively place to go. Woodys has a huge outdoor patio and a dance floor inside. This place gets packed with people on the weekends and you always know you will have a good time here. Best part is the drinks are cheaper!

Stag Bar is arguably one of my favorite if not my favorite bar in Newport. It has a more relaxed vibe with pool tables and an interesting cabin feel. It has more space than the other bars so you have some breathing room. It’s a place where you can hang out for a couple hours and enjoy yourself.

Sharkeez has tropical drinks and big fishbowls! I highly recommend checking out this bar for the beachy atmosphere. It doesn’t have a great layout for going out at night so if it’s a crowded weekend expect to get pushed around a bit. I would recommend this as a spot to get happy hour or check out during the day.

Malarky’s Irish Pub is a fun, more casual, cheap bar. I went here on New Years Eve to avoid the cover charge some of the other bars would be asking for that night and to get cheap drinks all night. Definitely does not disappoint!

What to wear

Assuming you come in the warm months bring swimsuits, shorts, and tank tops! Bars are fairly casual but still look presentable. A romper, dress, or shorts and a cute tank top paired with sandals is my go-to. For guys khakis and a polo or short-sleeve tee works. Fair warning, even in the summer months it can cool down at night! I had to buy a jacket on the 4th because I was so cold and didn’t think of bringing a jacket once the sun went down. It is fine inside but if you want to watch the sunset or spend time outside a jacket is recommended. There is a breeze that really cools you down at night! If you come in the winter months jeans and a light or medium jacket are fine. It is rare more than this is needed but I would certainly check the weather report beforehand in case of rain or especially cold weather (below 65!).

Geography

I think the geography should be noted for this destination. To give you more background on Newport, check out the map below:

I will highlight the main landscape points:

• Balboa Peninsula: due to Newport’s funky landscape, there is a chunk of land that extends for a few miles off the mainland.
• Newport Pier: the Pier is located at the beginning of the peninsula and is contains the Newport Beach Hotel and the main bars and restaurants.
• Balboa Pier: toward the end of the peninsula is the Balboa Pier which contains a fun-zone, boat launchings, and a few restaurants.
• Balboa Island: the island created because of the landscape. It is a quaint community with homes and restaurants.
• Newport Harbor: enclosed by the peninsula on one side and the mainland on the other. You can actually take a car ferry across the harbor!

How much to budget for a weekend trip

$400 – hotel for two nights

$40 – uber to/from the airport and Balboa Pier

$150 – food and drinks

$570

This suggested budget is of course completely up to your lifestyle! You can look to find a cheaper hotel or Airbnb. Hopefully you are splitting that hotel fee with friends or a significant other! Food and drinks out are going to be highly discretional. A typical drink is $8-10 at the bars in Newport so plan accordingly. Food options range from Taco Bell to fancy dining. Uber is fairly cheap. Most likely $15 or so to get to the hotel and just a couple bucks to get to Balboa Pier as it is so close. This is another fee you could split with friends to make it cheaper. There are a ton of activities along the lines of Duffy boat or whale watching charters that would add on to this total if you so choose.

Like what you see but need help creating an itinerary? Check out my next blog post on a weekend in Newport Beach, CA itinerary (Coming Soon).