In my last blog post I talked about hitting the top beaches in Newport Beach. So, after a busy day or two doing that, you may want to change things up a bit and head over to Balboa Island to experience a different flavor of Newport.
Balboa Island is actually a man-made island…well technically it’s comprised of three islands – Balboa, Little Balboa, and Collins Island but don’t sweat over technical details. It originally started as a vacation spot for wealthy Los Angeles residents in the early 1900s but now is a year-round spot for residents and visitors alike. It officially became part of Newport Beach in 1916. Somehow this little village has been able to retain its small-town charm even after 100 years of growth and change.
Balboa Island is surrounded by a paved boardwalk which makes it very easy to walk. Some of the most expensive homes in North America are housed here, which is sometimes hard to believe because most are on very small plots of land. But, don’t be overwhelmed by this area of wealth as it is overshadowed with a sense of community and small-town feel. It’s a great mixture of quaint little cottages to huge magnificent bayfront homes with private piers. The permanent residents all seem to know one another and are courteous to tourists. While walking around amongst the splendid homes, you will see things like “little libraries” and buckets with free herbs fresh from a private garden. It really does have a unique and friendly small town feel which is a nice change of pace to say the least.
If you want a little more history on the island, you can make a quick stop in the Balboa Island Museum located right on the “main street” of Marine Avenue in a vintage cottage built in 1947. I love looking at the original photographs and items depicting how life was back then when it was Hollywood’s summer playground. As a bonus, many treasures inside explain the history of Newport as well. You can get through in a half an hour or spend more time if you like and visit the gift shop. Stars like John Wayne, Greta Garbo, Humphrey Bogart, Shirley Temple, and others vacationed here or made it their home, which is pretty cool.
Marine Avenue (the main drag) is a short four blocks long but is packed with fun and unique shops, beach décor, fashion, art, jewelry, cafes and restaurants. Surprisingly, there is very reasonably priced beach wear right on this main street. Marine Ave is the heart of the island where you will find all the shopping and dining you need.
You could literally walk around the island in a couple of hours (or less). But don’t! Take your time and soak in the feeling of the island and experience all it has to offer. Beautiful benches are situated throughout the island where you can park yourself and admire the harbor from different viewpoints. The inlets are usually filled with paddleboarders – some even with a dog in tow – or people cruising on Duffy boats and yachts.
If you don’t like the bench idea and want to feel like a kid again, there are pockets of sand to relax and watch the boats, and, as I mentioned in my last post, there are even places to rent a boat or a paddleboard yourself. The island is surrounded by the calm water of Newport Harbor so it’s a perfect place to stretch your limits and do something crazy!
Fans of the sitcom “Arrested Development” will know that the Bluth family owned a frozen banana stand on Balboa (which is the one they actually used in the show). There is actually more to that story though because there are two “original” frozen banana stands literally right next to one another – Dad’s Donut and Bakery, and Sugar and Spice. A friendly “feud” has existed between the two since the 60s as to which started the Balboa Bar. The feud continues to this day, so you can sample both to see which has the best (but don’t let the other one know).
After all of that, you can walk a few blocks and take the ferry for a short 10-minute ride over to the peninsula for some old fashion fun at the Balboa Fun Zone. Stay tuned next week to hear all about the good ol’ days when nickels and dimes actually had a purpose.
Really cool article, Great read!