Residents Guide on Newport Beach, CA

Welcome to my home Newport Beach, CA! Newport Beach is the go-to spot in Orange County because of the pristine coastline, multi-million dollar houses, and the lively atmosphere. To give some reference, most of my friends in Orange County all live in the heart of Newport by the bars and the beach. If you only have one weekend in Orange County I would make this your destination!


Why Visit Newport Beach, CA:

1. The Homes – Believe it or not the houses along the beach and in the harbor are multi-million dollar homes owned by wealthy residents. The median price of homes currently listed in Newport Beach on Zillow is $2,358,000! It’s fun to take a self-guided walk to check out how the people in Newport Beach live. It can make for fun day-dreaming of the places you could afford if you won the lottery or became uber successful! Not to mention you will be right along the water.
2. People Watching – The people in Newport Beach are fascinating because of the diverse residents. It is fun to find a great spot to hang out and watch the waves crash and people walk by. You will see dozens of die-hard easygoing surfers in the water catching a wave, animated twenty-somethings who are in Newport to have a good time, people who apparently don’t have work on a Tuesday mid-day driving a Bentley, and tourists like yourselves checking out what Southern California vibes are all about!
3. The Beach – An obvious one, but I would advise to spend most of your time at the beach! The weather in Newport is always sunny and 75. There is plenty of stretches of beach with two piers, the Newport Pier and Balboa Pier. At the end of the Balboa Peninsula, you can even see people brave body surfing 30ft waves called the ‘Wedge’. The beaches are large with room to bring chairs, towels, a football, or volleyball to make for a full day at the beach. If you do your vacation right you will come back with a nice looking tan to show of to your co-workers.
4. Duffy Boat – A duffy boat is a small electric boat perfect for cruising the Newport harbor. You get another great view of all the homes and boats that occupy the harbor. You can pack a cooler with beer and unwind. Most of the restaurants along the harbor even have docks for you to pull up and grab some food while you are on the duffy.
5. Bike Ride – The beach is lined with a large boardwalk for people to walk and ride bikes along. I would highly recommend getting in a ride along the beach. Not only will you get in some exercise, you will get to enjoy another activity along the water.
6. Balboa Pier – Bring out your inner kid-at-heart by spending an afternoon on the harbor side of the Balboa Peninsula in the fun-zone. There are cute shops, arcade games, and some small rides. The Balboa Pier also has harbor cruises, fishing charters, and whale-watching. I have done a tiki harbor cruise with a cheap cash bar on board as well as a whale watching expedition. If you come in the winter months, there are must-do harbor light cruises. All the boats and houses are decked out in Christmas lights and there are fireworks over the harbor.
7. Nightlife – One of the biggest draws of Newport is the bar scene. Newport is where people from neighboring cities flock to for some cocktails and fun! The vibes at the bars are California easy-going but with a more lively twist than neighboring towns. Show up early on popular weekends because the bars can get crowded. If you want to see Newport at the height of partying, come during 4th of July Weekend.
8. The Wildlife – More of an added bonus of visiting Newport is the chance to see some sea-life. Be sure to scan the ocean for dolphins swimming by. The dolphins are a pretty frequent visitor whenever I go to the beach! One time when I took my parents to the Newport Pier there was a sea lion hanging out by the pier with the fisherman. He kept stealing their fish right off the line! Amusing and adorable for us – frustrating for the fisherman.

One weekend in Newport Beach will have you feeling rejuvenated from pursing sea-activities, you will bring home some hazy memories from the crazy nightlife, and you will have some newfound inspiration to kill-it at your job so you can plan your next trip back! Or if you are like me you will work your butt of so you can live in this one of a kind place. If I have inspired you to plan a trip to Newport and you need help planning, check out my next post here on the logistics of planning a weekend in Newport Beach.