The Beach of Newport Beach

Growing up in Orange County, Newport has always been my beach of choice. From when I was 10 years old bodyboarding and spending summer days with my mom, to when I was 15 getting dropped off for a few hours with my friends to go surfing, and when I was 16 and driving myself to go surfing, to when I turned 21 and could start going to the heaps of bars in the area, and still to this day for a nice relaxing day of people watching, body surfing, and sun bathing.

There's a lot to do in Newport Beach, great food, nice sandy beaches, good waves, good nightlife. You can go whale watching, rent a boat and cruise the harbor, or spend your day at the Balboa Fun Center playing games. It's a great place for people of all ages. The best time of the year for peak crowds is July to September (Labor Day), however if you want to enjoy the beach with fewer people, spring and fall are generally still great times to visit. Just last week in the middle of October we had clear skies and temperatures in the 80's in Newport. Spring Break generally finds good weather as well, then it tends to get a bit cloudy for a while before summer is in full swing.

For great sunsets visit in the fall. 4th of July is the biggest day of the year in Newport Beach, the streets are shut down and most of the beach houses throw parties to celebrate. Don't try to drive in late on July 3rd or on the 4th, you won't find a parking spot. In general parking can be quite difficult on a nice day in Newport Beach.

From the Newport Beach website:
The City of Newport Beach is located in the coastal center of Orange County, with Los Angeles County to the north and San Diego County to the south. It has an estimated permanent population of 86,738 but during the summer months, the population grows to more than 100,000 with 20,000 to 100,000 tourists daily.

Newport Beach is known for its fine residential areas, modern shopping facilities, strong business community and quality school system. It surrounds Newport Bay where more than 9,000 boats of all types are docked within the 21-square-mile harbor area. The bay area and the City’s eight miles of ocean beach offer outstanding fishing, swimming, surfing, and aquatic sports activities.

The City of Newport Beach was incorporated September 1, 1906 and the current City Charter was adopted in 1954. The City operates under a Council-Manager form of government. Its seven City Council Members are elected by district, but are voted on by the population as a whole. They serve four-year terms. The Council consists of the Mayor and six other members and is responsible for policy-making, passing local ordinances, adopting the budget, appointing committees and hiring the City Manager, City Attorney, and City Clerk. The City Manager is responsible for carrying out the policies and ordinances of the City Council, for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the City, and for appointing heads of departments.

Newport Beach Travel Video