Last week I talked about Balboa Island, one of the iconic spots in Newport Beach but the fun doesn’t stop there (literally). Across the water, a short 10 min ferry ride away, is an old fashioned fun zone…yes like the ones you see in movies!
I will be honest, a big portion of the fun zone is geared towards the younger kids. However, even for adults, this old-fashioned boardwalk carnival is worth the visit. I can only imagine what it was like 80 or so years ago or even a little more recently, where the most life changing, technological advances happening were upgrades to Pac Man. But even now, there are so many things to do outside of the obvious rides and games.
Of course, there are old-style rides – the most iconic being the Ferris Wheel (which gives you a pretty nice view of the Harbor from the top). You can also get some thrills on the Coconut Tree Climb, Ocean Motion Bungee Jump, Happy Swing, and Tower Drop (no, none of the rides rival Disneyland, but the good thing is, the Fun Zone isn’t trying to be Disneyland…lets be honest, no fun zone or amusement park can truly rival any of the Disney parks but the Fun Zone has its own, unique feel to it).
Remember those little, weird metal saucers that have dead Presidents head’s on them? They’re called quarters, nickels, and dimes and they used to be worth way more than they are today? Anyway, if you happen to have some of those laying around, you can take them to the old school arcade games ranging from $0.25 to $1.00 per game (so worth it). You can even have your fortune read by the classic Zoltar (remember Tom Hanks in the movie, Big?)
Kids will especially enjoy (and gain an educational lesson) at the Discovery Cube’s Ocean Quest, a fun ocean science museum with hands-on exhibits. An incredible deal offered here is the Whale Watching and Museum package (exactly what the title implies) for only $15 per person! Go to the www.oceanquestoc.org/whale-watching/ for more information.
Naturally, classic boardwalk foods like barbque beef brisket, corndogs, and pizza can be found at the Fun Zone. But there are also cafes and restaurants in the area for more substantial meals. In fact, the iconic Harborside Pavilion has a restaurant inside. The pavilion was built in 1906 and is now a California Historical Landmark, which is interesting in itself, but you can also eat here if you want to enjoy a casual waterfront meal.
You can also forego the rides and games and head right to the rental booths (also located on the boardwalk) where you can book watersport rentals, deep sea fishing excursions, and bike rentals. You can even book a trip on the Catalina Flyer boat headed to Catalina Island (only a one-hour boat ride away and it’s often visible from various locations in Newport Beach).
There are plenty of gift and souvenir shops in Balboa Village to browse as well, which only adds to that nostalgic feel.
Like many areas in Newport Beach, due to the nice weather year-round, the Balboa Fun Zone is open every day excluding Thanksgiving and Christmas. So, you don’t need to wait for next summer to get a taste of that old-fashioned boardwalk feel! You can even head over today if you feel like it and go back in time to a simpler era when seat belts didn’t exist and a quarter was actually worth something.
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