A Weekend in Newport Beach
Newport Beach is a charming beach town that is a perfect weekend getaway for any occasion. It’s only 20 minutes from Disneyland, which makes it a great alternative to staying in Anaheim especially since you’ll be surrounded by the coastal atmosphere! I’ve compiled my favorite things to do in Newport Beach for you to have an amazing vacation and not miss a thing!
Newport and Balboa Pier
This is the perfect spot to take a walk or dip in the ocean and it isn’t overcrowded. There’s also local shops, restaurants, and a small amusement park for the kids. We opted to stroll along the beach for sunset and came across a nice park where we acted like kids and got on the swings.
When looking at places to eat, be aware that some of the restaurants may advertise what looks like a good deal, but it isn’t. Our eyes caught a sign saying 2 for 1 drinks at the Cabo Cantina and we immediately went inside. However, we found ourselves in a $60 happy hour that got us 3 drinks and an appetizer so it was not a bang for our buck. Here, 2 for 1 means you get a 12 oz drink instead of a 9 oz one and it added up quickly. This big guy below wasn’t a part of happy hour, but we calculated it was cheaper to purchase this than another round for the both of us.
BUT we did stumble upon Malarky’s Irish Pub which turned our night around with great food and drinks for a good price!
Balboa Island
This island was my favorite as it is full of picture perfect beach houses and family owned shops. It’s fairly small so it is easy to walk the whole island while admiring the view. We started our morning off here and had a delicious brunch at the Village Inn then walked down the streets and into some of the shops.
Be sure to stop at Dad’s Donut and Bakery Shop before you leave to try a Balboa Bar or frozen banana!
I’ll definitely be visiting again and am going to look into the whale watching tours as we saw advertisements for these everywhere and their number of sightings for the week were insanely high!
Have I left anything out? Be sure to let me know what you’re favorite things to do here are and what your favorite beach city in California is!
