Newport Beach, incorporated in 1906, is a city in Orange County, California, 10 miles (16 km) south of downtown Santa Ana. The population is at 87,000. Newport Beach is also home to Newport Harbor. The city’s median family income and property values consistently place high in national rankings. The Daily Pilot, a newspaper published in the neighboring city of Costa Mesa but which serves the greater Newport-Mesa community, reported in 2010 that more than a quarter of households have an income greater than $200,000, and the median value for homes exceeds $1 million. The city is bordered on the west by Huntington Beach; on the north by Costa Mesa, John Wayne Airport, the City of Irvine and UC Irvine; and on the east by Crystal Cove State Park. Areas of Newport Beach include Corona del Mar, Balboa Island, Balboa Peninsula (also known as Balboa), Lido Peninsula, Newport Coast, San Joaquin Hills, and Santa Ana Heights, and West Newport. Newport Harbor is a semi-artificial harbor that was formed by dredging Newport Bay estuary during the early 1900s. Several artificial islands were built, which are now covered with private homes: Newport Island, Balboa Island, Little Balboa Island, Collins Island, Bay Island, Harbor Island, Lido Isle and Linda Isle. Newport Harbor once supported maritime industries such as boatbuilding, shipbuilding, and commercial fishing, but today it is used mostly for recreation. Its shores are occupied mostly by private homes and private docks. With approximately 9,000 boats, Newport Harbor is one of the largest recreational boat harbors on the U.S. west coast. It’s a popular destination for all boating activities, including sailing, fishing, rowing, canoeing, kayaking, and paddleboarding.
Commercial maritime operations today include the Catalina Flyer ferry to Santa Catalina Island, harbor tours, sport fishing and whale watching day trips and charters, and a few small commercial fishing boats. Newport Bay is divided by the Pacific Coast Highway bridge, which is too low for most sailboats and very large boats to pass under. North of the bridge is referred to as Upper Newport Bay, or the Back Bay. South of the bridge is commonly called Lower Newport Bay, or Newport Harbor. However the Back Bay also has harbor facilities, especially the marina and launch ramp at The Dunes. The north end of the Newport Harbor channels around Lido Island have a number of small business centers and were at one time used by the fishing fleets as their home. On the North East side of the channel, the Lido Marina Village now provides the local port to many “Newport Party Boats” as well as small merchants and local restaurants. It also hosts the area boat show each year as well as an organic “Farmers Market” Sundays, in addition to being the port for the local Gondola Company. In 1927 a home was built at the mouth of the entrance of Newport Harbor that came to be known as the China House of China Cove. The home was built using the traditional Chinese architecture. It was a landmark in the Newport Beach Harbor until it was demolished in the 1980s. Some of the original roof can been seen on a home located in the China Cove. Upper Newport Bay is an estuary that was formed by a prehistoric flow of the Santa Ana River. Today it is fed by a small stream from San Diego Creek. Much of Upper Newport Bay is a protected natural area known as the Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve, established in 1975.
Beachgoers have flocked to Newport Beach since the Pacific Electric Railway started bringing them in 1905. Attractions include the city beaches from the Santa Ana River to the tip of the Balboa Peninsula, Corona del Mar State Beach, and the beaches at Crystal Cove State Park. Newport Beach is renowned for good surfing, especially between Newport Pier and the Santa Ana River. At the tip of the Balboa Peninsula, The Wedge offers world-class bodyboarding and bodysurfing. Newport Pier and Balboa Pier draw fishermen and sightseers. A boardwalk (actually a concrete path) runs 2.9 miles (4.7 km) from 36th Street in West Newport, past Newport Pier and Balboa Pier, to between E and F Streets on the Balboa Peninsula. Newport Harbor is the largest recreational boat harbor on the U.S. west coast, and a popular destination for all boating activities, including sailing, fishing, rowing, kayaking,and paddleboarding. The annual Christmas Boat Parade dates back to 1908. The New York Times has called it, “One of the top ten holiday happenings in the nation”. Competitive sailing, rowing, and paddling events occur almost every weekend, and weekdays during summer. The annual Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race is the largest sailboat race in the world. Boating activities are organized by five private yacht clubs, along with Orange Coast College, UC Irvine, and the Sea Scouts, all of which have sailing, rowing, and water activity bases on the harbor. The Newport Aquatic Center allows open public participation in competitive rowing, canoeing, kayaking, and outrigger canoe racing. The Orange Coast College School of Sailing and Seamanship offers recreational and professional sailing and mariners’ courses and certifications, including United States Coast Guard licensing. Weekly races take place during the summer that are organized by the local yacht clubs, inside the harbor, inclubing the Beer Can Races, from the Balboa Yacht Club. Hand-carried boats may be launched from Newport Harbor’s public beaches. A launching ramp at The Dunes RV Resort and Marina provides access for trailered boats. Harbor boat tours feature celebrity homes and other waterfront points of interest. Large charter vessels cater to weddings and other special events. Rental and charter boats of all sizes and types are available from several operators.
The Pelican Hill area has two golf courses, both of which reopened in November 2007 after design enhancements were completed, as well as the construction of a new resort and clubhouse. Both courses rank among the Golf Digest America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses. Fashion Island at Newport Center is a popular regional shopping and entertainment destination. Also at Newport Center, the Orange County Museum of Art exhibits modern and contemporary art, with emphasis on the work of Californian artists. The bars and restaurants within a few blocks of Newport Pier are a regional nightlife destination. Newport Beach also features numerous clubs. Many college students and young adults flock to Newport Beach on the weekends for the nightlife entertainment. Also, many musical groups come and play at these clubs and venues. After a night at the bars, many locals know to go to the late night eateries; Laventina’s for a quick and delicious pizza or Seaside Bakery for savory croissants and donuts.
