Location
Newport Beach is located on the coast in the heart of Orange County and is just a few minutes from Orange County airport. The city is bordered by Huntington Beach on the west, Costa Mesa, Irvine and the airport to the north, Laguna Beach or Crystal Cove State Park to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the south. Newport Beach is most easily accessible where the 55-freeway dead-ends heading south, via the 73 Toll Road or Pacific Coast Highway. The community can also be accessed by taking Jamboree or MacArthur Blvd off the 405 Freeway south towards the coast. Newport Beach is just a few minutes’ drive from Orange County Airport, 40 minutes from Los Angeles and an hour and a half from San Diego.
Overview
Newport Beach is known for its tourism, beaches, surfing, Newport Harbor, Balboa Island, resorts, golfing, bicycling, and nightlife. Areas within Newport Beach often thought of on their own include Corona Del Mar, Balboa Island, Balboa Peninsula, and Newport Coast. The community has a population of over 85,000 people and over 44,000 housing units. The community is a popular vacation spot and draws many locals throughout the year to the beaches, harbor, nightlife, and more.
Neighborhoods
Newport Beach real estate offers a variety of options to fit varying budgets and lifestyles. Newport Beach homes and condos range from older to newer developments, specifically Newport Coast. There are beach front homes and homes with their own private dock on Balboa Peninsula, large custom estates in Newport Coast with stunning ocean views, homes with golf course views, small beach cottages, gated communities, duplexes, and a variety of condos and townhome options. Many homes are second homes or vacation rentals, in particular on the peninsula.
Newport Beach is divided into 10 different areas with some niche neighborhoods within each and has over 230 builder tracts or subdivisions. Well known neighborhoods or areas include Corona Del Mar, Crystal Cove, Balboa Peninsula, West Bay, West Newport, and Newport Coast. Corona Del Mar and Balboa Peninsula areas are within walking distance to local shops, restaurants, retail and nightlife. Crystal Cove, Corona Del Mar and Balboa Peninsula all have direct access to the beaches. Newport Coast offers some of the most beautiful views of the ocean and Catalina Island high up on the hillsides.
Amenities
Newport beach attractions include beaches and surfing, the harbor and boating, Balboa Island Ferry and Fund Zone, bicycling along the ocean front boardwalk, golf, hiking, nightlife, and farmers’ markets.
There is a wide variety of shopping centers throughout Newport Beach, including Fashion Island that features an outdoor mall, movie theaters, restaurants, and more. Corona Del Mar features a lot of local retail, shopping, and restaurants along Pacific Coast Highway and Balboa Peninsula features great restaurants and nightlife.
Nature and outdoor activities include Upper Newport Bay or also known as Back Bay, which has a network of trails and paths for bicycling, hiking and more. Camping is available at Crystal Cove State Park along with other hiking and biking trails. Fishing is popular in Newport Bay and there are a variety of chartered options out of Newport Harbor.
Popular beaches include Corona Del Mar State Beach, Newport Pier, balboa Pier, the Wedge. The Wedge features one of the most popular surf spots and is well known amongst the surfing world for its huge breaks.
There are numerous golf courses throughout the community with Pelican Hill Golf Club ranked in Golf Digests top 100 Public Golf Courses. There is also Newport Beach Golf Course on the south end of Orange County Airport and the Back Bay Golf Course adjoining to the Hyatt Regency, Big Canyon Golf Course located up in the hillsides and Newport Beach Country Club.
Newport Beach features two farmers markets, one on Saturday mornings in Corona Del Mar and the other on Sunday mornings in Lido Village.
Newport Beach is served by Newport-Mesa Unified School District. There are two high schools within the city, Corona Del Mar High (grades 7-12) and Newport Harbor High as well as two private school options, Sage Hill and German School. Middle school in addition to Corona Del Mar High is Horace Ensign Intermediate. Elementary schools include: Roy O. Andersen, Newport, Eastbluff, Newport Coast, Mariners, and Newport Heights. There are also various other private school options within the community.