Newport Beach was a longtime party destination for me in college. We drove here all the time from Arizona to chill on the beach and hit the night scene back in the day. Those were some good times. It can get really crowded here in Newport Beach. Especially during the summer and during spring break. But I still love visiting here to walk on the pier and chill at the beach. The sunsets are amazing and there are many great restaurants and bars all around. Getting a parking spot will always be a pain, but I love it here at Newport Beach. Newport Beach is located between L.A. and San Diego and is known for its sandy beaches. It is one of the most expensive places to live in both California and in the United States. Its commercial fishing days are a thing of the past as it is known mostly for recreation. There are some spots around here that still pay homage to its past. A lot of celebrities own homes in the area. I mostly drive to the Balboa Peninsula to hang out at the beach and to take in the fresh ocean air and watch the sunset. My late-night party days are in my past. I grew up eating at the Crab Cooker and still make a stop there from time to time. Some of my favorite areas in Newport Beach that I like to visit are Crystal Cove State Park and Balboa Island. read more

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Beach Day! Oh yes please... This is truly my favorite place to be. I absolutely love the beach. Newport Beach is quite a clean beach and it's large. We like to park near the pier because the bathrooms and showers are conveniently located here. Also, there's really no bad parking in this area and it's not a crazy walk from the car to the water. Parking here is horrible depending on what time you come, you could be circling for a while. Today we got here around 10am and there was still a lot of parking. There are also little shops and places to eat near the pier. Another thing I like about Newport is the waves aren't crazy big and there's usually no bad tides. Sometimes the seaweed can be a little heavy. read more

Newport Beach - Newport Beach - Beaches Near Me

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Lovely beach in Orange County - we had a mini college reunion here this Valentine's Day weekend. Our rental unit was right on the beach, and the pier was less than a mile away. Watching the locals play volleyball, do beach yoga, walk their dogs and cats, bike, run, parasail and surf was a lot of fun. We even spotted a couple of dolphins frolicking just off shore. Happy to return. read more

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Oh my grandchildren came out to visit me from Victorville the high Desert and we spent the day at Newport Beach playing volleyball, and my grandson was running routes for football me and my granddaughter played volleyball. It was such a beautiful day. My grandson went swimming with his friend. It's just beautiful there. read more

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Had a great time at the beach. Wonderful weather. Lots of security. Clean bathrooms. Ocean view was gorgeous! Plenty of food & shopping in the surrounding area easily accessible by foot. Parking is limited. Still, we'd love to come again. read more

Newport Beach - Beach - Beaches Near Me

Cool beach with a 24 hour donut shop. What more can you ask for? Come early for easy parking. read more

Newport Beach - A Guide To Eating Fish - Beaches Near Me

What a great city. Just like most beach towns, it can get VERY crowded. So be wary of parking. There are lots of things to do here. There's lots of shops and restaurants around the city. There's also options for boat rides which is pretty cool. It's usually pretty busking here so quiet time can be limited. Great view for sunsets. Can get pretty chilly in the evenings as well. read more

Took my kids here to do a beach clean up with the Surfrider foundation and it's actually been the cleanest beach we've done in the North OC area! Our group collected over 400 pounds of trash! There's so many shells at this beach, it's a really beautiful beach! Definitely worth visiting! read more

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Newport is always my go to and favorite beach! It's always clean, and has decent food in the surrounding areas read more

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Always a great city to visit, especially on a hot summer day. You'll find everything that a beach town has to offer all along Newport Blvd where the 55 freeway end at. From a small movie theater at the Lido area, to lots of shops, restaurants and bars. If you're headed to the beach and you keep going down Newport Blvd, the street will curve to the left and turn into Balboa Blvd. After that you'll come across lots of free residential parking on the right, and then fee parking along the left that you pay online. There used to be meters, but they've all been removed. We are always able to find a free spot though, and the sand is right there. I've enjoyed so many perfect beach days here, and today was one of them. read more

Newport Beach - The beach - Beaches Near Me

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Very surf-friendly beach with strong waves. We were lucky to have found free street parking a block away from the beach, but there's plenty of paid parking options available. Bring your suit, a snack, some sunscreen and you're all set! read more

Newport Beach - Beaches Near Me

The best place for people watching/sea watching/walking Let's sit down at a nice beach cafe and have a cocktail or a draft beer to blow away the day's fatigue. read more

Newport Beach - Beaches Near Me

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Their security is trash. On 3/24/26 I paid for all day parking pass and then when I came back to check on my car. They tried to give me almost $100 parking ticket but it clearly says that I paid all day. Then it took me over a month to get this resolved. And they have the audacity to tell me that this is my "one time warning" when this shouldn't have happened in the first place. They need better patrol with better eyes. read more

THE BEST BEACH FOR KIDS AND BABIESSSS!! We've been to a bunch of beaches in SoCal and this is the best! Be sure to get there early for parking! read more

Newport Beach - Overcast day - Beaches Near Me

I stayed in one of the homes on the oceanfront steps from the beach and it was just amazing. The views of the ocean were amazing and it was nice people watching as they walked, ran, biked, scootered, and skated through the oceanfront walkway. The sand is beautiful and is perfect for a beach day! The Newport Beach and Balboa piers have restaurants, bars, and other shops and you'll see locals and tourists alike walking around and hanging out in the area. Parking is tough since it's so busy but it's worth spending some time to do so because it's beautiful here. This is Southern California at its finest! read more

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wild taco... the best marg and mexican food!!! guac, salsa, chips, thx! got the small baja salad and a street chicken taco... very fresh and just wonderful with the beat marg I had in newport read more

What can I say about Newport Beach? Despite being beautiful, warm and friendly... It is not overcrowded. You can walk along the sidewalk, or the sand next to it, for an hour, each way... which, I'm sure, some residents do every day. There are lots of bikers, rollerbladers, and joggers along the path as well. The beach never seems to be overcrowded, because it runs for miles. The sand is very soft and white... And, somehow, never seems to get too hot for your feet. Folks are friendly. The vibe is good. THE DEAL: Newport Beach is a terrific town to visit... or live and raise a family If you can afford it! read more

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What a clean town. Best Town best people. Lots to do. Best Beach (and city) in California

WOw, i only live 10 minutes or less from this beach. Newport is the best beach in Orange County in my opinion. Although i have huge love for my favorite Huntington Beach. Which is also next door from Fountain Valley. I come here maybe once or twice a year now. Good surfing and more good restaurants you will find in Newport. We have vollyboll courts to play volleyball now. Newport beach has more to offer now. read more

Had a friend's birthday weekend here and we had an Airbnb steps from the beach. The surrounding area was touristy but it has a ton of delicious (yet expensive) restaurants and yummy dessert places. Highly recommend Crab Cookery, Milk and Cookies, Handel's Ice Cream, and Jane's Corn Dog. Although we mostly stayed in our Airbnb radius, there's a ton to explore in the area- wharfs with Ferris wheels, boat cruises, shopping, biking. The beach can get crowded so go early and bring some chairs, umbrella/tent, food/drinks, towels- don't forget sunblock! You can also rent beach stuff from one of the shops along the beach. Sand is soft, water is cool but definitely warmer than the bay area, and the weather is slightly cooler than inland. read more

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My least favorite of the public beaches in Orange County. It is very difficult to find free parking within 1.5 miles of the beach. Despite the beautiful scenery and close proximity to Crystal Cove State Park, the city of Costa Mesa, and a plethora of things to do along the pier, there is a lot of beach tar that washes ashore and sticks to your feet. It is also arguably one of the best beaches for people-watching if you are into these things. I just cannot get past the minor inconveniences when Laguna Beach is so close by. read more

This was my fourth visit to Newport Beach (my third, with my family). We were all ready to hang out at the beach. It was overcast and a bit windy. We didn't go in the water- it was too cold for us. I didn't even want to put my feet onto the wet sand! But we just set up our tent, our chairs, our boy was making sand castles. We took a walk on the beach, and collected seashells (we got a lot!!! a far cry from last year's visit to Huntington Beach). We ended up staying there for hours. Everything we brought really came in handy, from the tent to the chairs, to the food and the water (and, later, a change of clothes). It was really relaxing to see the birds- the pelicans, the seagulls, the black birds, the pigeons, and the little ones that run on the beach as the tide comes in. To see the waves come in and go, too, was also very relaxing. We had our pre-packed lunch (sandwiches with Boar's Head deli meat and cheese) on the beach, too. We had a good spot. We were at the less crowded side of the beach, this was to the left of the pier, when you're looking out at the water. The crowded side is to the right of the pier. We didn't visit the pier this time. We had a lot of stuff to bring back to the car (we got lucky with a spot near the residential area). And there were more visitors later on in the day, too. There was a single woman cleaning up the beach (that was really nice of her) and she got one bag filled up. There was also the single metal detector man too, making his rounds. There are open outside showers near a grassy park-like area with concrete picnic tables. The clean bathrooms are nearby, however, there isn't a door to the entrance (to the womens, anyway) and there are no paper towels to wipe your clean hands on, but there is soap in the dispensers, yay. No mirror. And there is TP, which is locked, BTW. Paid parking is also nearby. read more

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Beautiful weather with amazing sunsets. Also a bunch of great places to eat along the beach. read more

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I don't have a favorite place. I love exploring and living new adventures and sharing them with you, and being able to travel and continue getting to know and discover customs of other countries, foods with different languages, and being able to continue meeting wonderful people. Newport Beach I love this perfect place to kayak read more

Newport Beach - Beaches Near Me

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Absolutely love Newport Beach! I've been coming here for almost 13 years now. The beach is beautiful, the water is chilly, and I've always found parking. On a 6 day stretch here enjoying all that Newport has to offer. And boy does it have a lot to offer. Fashion island, balboa fun zone, crab cooker. Sushi, Malarkey's and of course my all time favorite, Mutt Lynch's bar. Go grab a schooner if you're down here, you won't regret it. My only complaint would be there is a too much trash on the beach. Plastic seems to be everywhere in some way shape or form. People, this isn't a trash can, it's a beautiful beach. Please, clean up after yourselves. Keep the beach and the oceans clean, so future generations can enjoy it just as we do. There is a lot to do here, and if you've never been, then you're missing out. Give it a try, you won't regret it. Better yet, being a boogie board and a wet suit and go have some real ocean fun. read more

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This beach is just average, in my opinion. They don't have parking like Huntington Beach. The restrooms are disgusting. There are no stall doors for privacy. I do like Seaside Doughnuts as a pit stop on my walks to Huntington. You also can't go wrong with Charlie's Chili. Other than that, for beach fun, I'll go to Huntington read more

Such a great area in Orange County. A lot of families I nanny for live in this area or are on vacation this area. Of course there is the beach. Lots of great places to shop, eat or just hang out. Plenty to do for all ages. If your looking for good schools, look no further. My favorite thing to do is cruise up the coast from Newport Beach to Seal Beach and take the back streets home. Newport beach is perfect all year long. Don't forget that jacket. Anything under 70 and I'm cold. read more

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As a local, one of my favorite beaches! Awesome city, clean, and beautiful here! Newport is a go-to spot for anyone in OC!!! Love Sea-side Bakery too. Greatest spot of all time! Yeah Newport!!! read more

Newport Beach - Beaches Near Me

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Boy, how do you review Newport Beach? I have to tell you--I have spent a lot of time in Newport Beach over the years. I know it extremely well. I drive from LA to hang out in Newport (and Irvine) as much as possible. It's my #1 place to go to for recreation--cycling, hiking, boating, restaurants. If I could afford it and it was practical for my work, it would be a dream to live here. If anyone reading this has a place in Newport and wants to take me in, you will have incredible karma for the rest of your life. In my opinion, it's the best of life and one of the best places in the USA to live. But it's also very expensive. And you have to be okay with it's Republican/Conservative bent if you reside here. Every weekend when I am cycling by the Marina on the the way to the Back Bay path, there is a Trump boat parade going on or ending. This is very much Trump country--boats and homes flying Trump flags--not everyone--but Newport has always been conservative. And of course if you are a woman, you have to be blonde to live in Newport--it's the law...Just kidding but it seems so. Hey, if I had more hair on my head I would become blonde too. If you have not been here before--definitely pay it a visit. Park on the street near Back Bay and walk the back bay path or cycle if you have bikes. The ride over to the the Balboa Peninsula park and walk along the beach path--goes on forever. Then check out Balboa Island--walk around the perimeter especially at sundown. Head over to Fashion Island for shopping or restaurants. Take a walk up PCH into Corona Del Mar and then over to the cliffs to watch a sunset. Take a sunset cruise only $25.00, rent an electric Duffy boat, take a whale watching cruise. Rent a beach cruiser and ride along the beach path--you can go all the way to Huntington Beach on the path. Hang out at the Newport Lighthouse (has a restaurant.) After a day here you may feel like me and get depressed that you have to return to LA. read more

Newport Beach - Beaches Near Me

A California beach... Okay... Newport Beach makes me appreciate Hawaiian beaches even more. First of all, the directions on Google maps brought me to a shopping area and a boat harbor near the Elks Lodge. It can't be correct because I've seen photos of a beach with sand and sunsets! I searched for Newport Municipal Beach and moved the pin on the map so others can find it. I also added the address as Glenn suggested. The sand here is very fine and almost powdery... not like sand found on Hawaiian beaches. Also, the parking is NOT free, the water is icy cold, and the breeze is chilly! Maybe because this is February? Anyway, I might return for a sunset... However, Newport Municipal Beach is rather out of the way... it's south of Anaheim and Irvine! read more

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What are you looking for in a beach in Southern California? Newport Beach, on the Balboa Peninsula, may or may not have it. There's a good chance, though, that it will. I think it does have a busy beach scene, closer to the center of town. That is not where we went. But if you keep driving down Balboa Blvd, the parking on the side streets is free and unrestricted, the crowds are thin, and the beach is just as huge as elsewhere. The Hunny and I have been in this area twice now, once with the girl, and it's a relaxing spot. "Not that many people there, that's why I liked it!" If you have a couple million dollars, you can live here, step out of your front door, and be faced with the beach. Like Venice without the mad mad mad mad world. Oh yeah, and we saw seals and dolphins in the ocean too. We were here in the fall the first time, winter the second time, so I can only imagine how busy the parking scene is in the summer. The peninsula is only a few blocks wide, so parking spots are likely to all be taken up by 12:00 on weekends. Because of this limitation, and how far the ocean is from the houses, I doubt the beach ever gets too full. All the better for a picnic, football game, romantic date, or taking a nap. Newport Beach is THE place to be during a sunset. As you can tell, this and other reviews here are for the beach, not the town. Ocean level is for the rich. While driving on the PCH, I saw car dealerships for used Porsches, Ferraris, and Maseratis right next to each other. One shopping center on the mesa has Saks, Nordstrom, and Bloomingdale's. We changed our clothes at the park on Balboa Blvd,, and while waiting to pay for parking, the girls paying in front of me were, um, showing off their assets that were likely augmented by plastic surgery. Sure, I'd like to have that kind of money, but that show of wealth does not interest nor impress me. I've never been to Crystal Cove, but what I've read about that area makes me happier. I also read about the Rendezvous Ballroom on the Balboa Peninsula, which held famous dances (the Balboa was invented here), but it's long gone. Sigh. Basically, if you come to Newport Beach, go straight to the beach and that's it. read more

Newport Beach - Is this stereotypical Southern California, or what? - Beaches Near Me

Just visited this beach last week for the first time and i'm loving it! the area we went to was really quiet and awesome. every other beach we have gone to has millions of stairs to reach the water but where we parked, it was just a reeeeally steep ramp which is far better than stairs. we also love that this is a dog friendly beach as long as they're leashed! our dogs LOVE the beach but they're not the friendliest to other dogs. people yes, not dogs. especially my little dachshund mix. he's old and doesn't like to be messed with. will definitely be coming back to this beach with them! seemed very clean and spacious, not a lot of people and not too rowdy, just how we like it. read more

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Newport Beach has changed over the years. And not for the better. Okay, I get it. Nothing ever remains unspoiled. Last time I was here, nearly 25 years ago, Newport Beach was a laid-back town with a decidedly beachy fun vibe, it was clean, there were friendly, decent people, but now? The locals here seem to be trying too hard. Trying to be as good as La Jolla. Trying to be like Santa Barbara, Los Olivos, Malibu, Hollywood ...none of which they'll ever be. Now all I see is the snoot-meister factor, and it's everywhere. I've never been one to be impressed with stars. It's distasteful to me; after all, they are just people, only they have much more money than the norm. When I owned a home in Las Vegas, my boyfriend and I spent a lot of time on The Strip. We did everything 'Las Vegas' and then some. Along the way, we ran into Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee, together, at a casino. I couldn't believe how everyone was running up to them, wanting to touch them. Can you imagine that being you? I can't. I mean, That has to get annoying if you can't even walk around in a casino. I noticed Newport Beach has a plethora of snooty women who can't crack a smile because they've tried too hard with the fillers, lifts and Botox. Maybe they CAN'T smile? Ah, that's got to be it. But the fact there are so many women who look the same ...same. Stick with fast food here, because hey, they derive pleasure from feeling 'above' everyone else at snooty restaurants. The beach water is dirty as hell and there is trash everywhere, which the ocean washes up on the beach. It's warm though. Maybe the water is warm because everyone pees in the water ... because OMG! The public bathrooms are disgusting as Hell. And don't try to go in one of the shops' bathrooms because they won't let you use them unless you're buying. Stay away from Balboa Island. What a cluster f of one-way, narrow alleyways (that are called 'streets' lmao), stop and go traffic that doesn't move both in and out, no where to park ...oooh, but lots of shops you can see in passing, as there is no where to park to patronize them. You'll need to park remotely in an expensive garage or pay lot and walk a mile (or more) to get to the mostly 'trinket' shops, I mean, if you have the time, go for it. On the flip side, they've got beautiful sunsets but hey, they set in the same spot as all those other aforementioned towns, so you can get the same you get in Newport Beach. No thanks. read more

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Iconic Newport beach. If you want to get to the beach you'll have to hunt around for parking on the streets, this may take a long while especially during the summer. The pier has a lot of food options including burgers, tacos, donuts, sandwiches, etc. Big surfing culture here since Blackies is right at the pier, and surf is pretty much up for a huge stretch. The sand is as white as California gets and the current usually is mild-moderate compared to surrounding waters. Fishing on the piers available, so come for mackerel in the summers or shore fishing for perch is worthwhile too. Watch out for stingrays! read more

Newport Beach - Beaches Near Me

I revisited this beautiful beach and am glad to report that nothing has changed. I spent few days here riding a bike from Balboa pier to Newport pier back and forth. The bike path was busy with lots of people walking, bike riding, and jogging. I didn't mind the traffic one bit because the ride is scenic and I would walkout to the ends of the piers for a different view. The views from the piers were also just as beautiful. The homes that line the pathway are equally impressive with people lounging around out in front of many of them. One of the days I spent on the beach 3 dolphins showed up to feed along the shoreline. read more

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The people here are so friendly! I grew up in OC and boy do I miss it. We met a lifeguard, originally from the Netherlands, a local guy playing with his 6 month old puppy on the beach and a few surfers. Everyone was so friendly and it was such a nice day. The tide was great and a lot of guys were out surfing. Definitely visiting Newport Beach again. Very friendly, and clean area. read more

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Love coming here. It's clean, the ppl r friendly. There's ppl hanging out all night long. The restrooms stay open all night. Pretty chill during day or night. My go to beach! read more

Such a fun spot to visit! It was my first time going to a beach in OC and the beach didn't disappoint. It was really well kept and the they have a lot of bathroom access at the beach (that are pretty clean too). The pier was fun to walk on and we loved how wide the beach was so it wasn't too over crowded. Can't wait to come back! read more

I love beaches in Southern California and Newport Beach is one of my favorites! Whether you want to be where all the action is at by the Pier or somewhere more peaceful and quiet like the Balboa Peninsula, there's always good spots to chill at in Newport. Gotta get that Vitamin Sea (haha). It's close by so many bomb restaurants too. It's lit! read more

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Who doesn't like water, sand and surf? This beach stretches for miles. It's very clean and peaceful and has a wonderful paved walk for biking and walking. My only down comment would be the sand is very porous and difficult to walk in. That's really the only down side. Other than that, What's not to love! read more

Newport Beach - Beaches Near Me

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