Newport Beach California
Newport Beach is a beautiful city with a lot to offer locals and visitors alike. Newport Beach contains some of the most expensive real estate in Southern California. Homes costing $2 million and up. Like to people watch? This is the place.
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Newport Beach has what used to be the best airport in the LA area, John Wayne Airport (actually it is in Santa Ana but on the Newport side of the 405 Freeway).
John Wayne airport is easy to get in and out of, they have one terminal and 20 or so gates. Not a lot of frills here but all of the necessities like Starbucks and McDonald’s. You can get off your plane and to your rental car in about 5 minutes if you didn’t check a bag.
The airport has a short runway and because it is located so close to the homes the planes have to rev up their engines while holding the brakes on, then make a quick, steep take off and quickly cut back on the engines for noise control. Kind of a thrill when leaving Newport Beach.
If shopping is on your schedule then there isn’t a better place then Fashion Island. Fashion Island is located right on Pacific Coast Highway with breath taking views of the ocean. The decorations during the Christmas season are terrific. Each year they erect the largest lighted Christmas tree in the United States; an amazing sight with nightly carolers.
There are some great restaurants in Newport Beach, in Fashion Island and along Pacific Coast Highway. Try El Torito at Fashion Island, the food is great and they serve warm hand-made tortillas and cinnamon butter instead of bread at the tables. It makes my mouth water just thinking about them. Of course at Fashion Island there are many other restaurant choices like PF Chang and others too.
Another treat in the food court of Fashion Island is La Salsa, a Mexican fast food restaurant. Don’t let the fast food designator stop you it is a great meal at a good price. There are several La Salsa restaurants in Southern California but this one is my favorite because of its location.
Some of the best hotels are the Marriott Newport Beach Hotel and Tennis Club and the five diamond Four Seasons Hotel. There is a Hyatt Newporter close to Fashion Island but it needs some modernizing for my taste.
Across the harbor is the Balboa Peninsula. On the weekends cars line up to take the auto ferry which lands at the Balboa Fun Zone, an amusement park. Of course you can avoid the long wait for the ferry and drive to the peninsula off the 55 Freeway and Pacific coast Highway.
It’s fun to walk along Balboa and look at the homes, beautiful beaches and sunshine. Kind of makes you want to live there.
For a nice quiet sunset you can’t go wrong with the Newport Beach pier.
You probably won’t find it on any of the tourist brochures but Newport beach California is well worth seeing and doing on a weekend day.
