This pristine town by the sea is the ideal weekend getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city! Nearly perfect weather, endless eateries, shops galore, and not to mention, Newport Harbor: the largest recreational boat harbor on the west coast. Unique to other seaside cities, (aside from fishing, kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing, etc.); Newport is home to daily commercial maritime operations, including Catalina Flyer Ferry and whale watching charters. In addition, families can utilize Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort. This RV park and marina consists of a mile-long beach front property with access to the water park, pool, inflatable water obstacle course, etc.
With so many attractions at your fingertips, Newport is surely a destination for everyone! This town is close to my heart as I’ve had literally made some of the best memories here. There is simply a special vitality to this town. One that can only be experienced for itself.
For me, the main attraction is Davey’s Locker Whale Watching. On their website you can purchase a ticket for $36. But, I found a sweet deal on Groupon for only $10!
This charter provides first-class views to marine life! I’ve gone home with tons of footage of these ocean giants each and every time (this was my third time aboard)! Davey’s Locker provides year round tours: view the gray whale migration during the winter and the blue and finback whales during the spring! The staff is very knowledgeable annddd there’s a food and drink bar on the boat.
Once the charter docks back into shore, you’d be in the heart of Balboa Village. Balboa Village is quaint and charming. This area is so beautifully maintained! There is a plethora of dining options, dive bars, and boutiques to check out including the Fun Zone!
For lunch, we walked (literally feet away) to Balboa Lily’s. Enjoy the zest of flavors all while relaxing over the view of historic main street Balboa.
There is a real hipster vibe to this eatery!
Our post-meal walk consisted of wandering along the water front homes and taking the pup out to the Balboa Pier. You can also rent beach cruisers for you and the family or enjoy a stroll down the boardwalk.
Btw, these waters are spectacular to photograph!
To catch the sunset, we headed a few minutes down to Newport Pier. You can also walk the short ~3 mile distance on the ocean front sidewalk.
Here was a little more crowded than Balboa, but still nothing in comparison to more concentrated areas likes Santa Monica or Venice Beach.
For dinner we sat down at the Urban Cup Restaurant. This beach front eatery had some of the best Vietnamese cuisine I have ever had (and that says a lot as I eat an unhealthy amount of Vietnamese on the weekly)!!
Soon after, we literally walked along the sidewalk for hours, just admiring the massive homes.
We stayed the night at the Newport Channel Inn. We were extremely pleased with the size of our standard room plus the short three minute drive from the pier, didn’t hurt :)!
For breakfast we headed back to Balboa Pier and ate at the Orange Blossom Cafe.
LITERALLY THE PERFECT BEACHSIDE CAFE. Everything was made to order and extremely yummy… (the view was pretty grand too)!
Long story long, Newport should be on your top, “must visit destinations” this year! Whether you’re looking for a quick day-trip or relaxing weekend getaway, there is something for just about everyone here! Xoxo
Oh, and @troytheshihtzu agrees too 🙂
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