Newport Beach Guide And Information

Take a trip to Newport Beach in Orange County, California, and your senses will be assaulted by sandy beaches, stunning sunsets as well as a harbor that has hosted thousands of yachts.  This is a beach town that is at once relaxing yet ritzy.  The harbor features numerous small islands.  It also plays host to attractions such as the Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve, the Newport Pier, and a few museums.  Some of the popular pastimes at Newport Beach include playing volleyball, surfing, and romantic walks along the shoreline.

Newport Beach is found on the famous Pacific Coast Highway of California.  It's long been a popular playground for the wealthy.  One of the noted structures in the area is the Victorian-styled Balboa Pavilion.  Built in 1904, the Balboa Pavilion hosted many big band dances back in the 1940s.  It's now a site that boards many cruise boats; the fun has been kept alive at Balboa Pavilion, though, through its numerous arcade games and amusement rides.

At Newport Beach's pleasure craft harbor, you can find harbor cruises which depart daily, several times a day, from the Fun Zone.  And as long as you're near the harbor, be sure to visit the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum.  It has scores of displays that pertain to the sport of boating.  There is also the Newport Harbor Art Museum nearby, with a large collection of post-war art created by California artists after World War II.

In fact, there are lots of sites of historical significance at Newport Beach.  in addition to Balboa Pavilion and the Newport Harbor Art Museum, there's also McFadden's Wharf, located at Newport Pier.  This wharf was finished in 1889 and launched a decade in which Newport served as a shipping port.  McFadden's Wharf was built by Robert and James McFadden.  The pair shipped lumber to the port from Northern California.

Another historically significant location is Old Landing (located at Dover Drive and Highway 101).  The first steamer came into Newport Bay in 1870, and unloaded its cargo near this site that would eventually come to be called Old Landing.  At the time, it was named a new port -- or "Newport"--and is hence where the city gets its name.  A highway and bridge sit on a portion of the site now.  All the rest of it is vacant.

And one other historical site you might want to see is the Rendezvous Ballroom.  It's located between Palm and Washington on the ocean front and was originally a small dance hall which was in competition with Balboa Pavilion.  A new facility was built in 1928 for the ballroom, and it then started hosting famous bands such as Benny Goodman's.  Sitting on the site now, due to a fire that burned down the hall in 1966, are condominiums.

Rich history, opportunities for fun and food, and the scenic beauty--These are two reasons that people who love to explore their world keep coming back to Newport Beach.