NEWPORT BEACH: TRAVEL HIGHLIGHT
A SoCal classic! A little backstory - our dad lived in Socal for around 50 years (from the mid 1950s-early 2000s) originally moving with his family from Chicago and living all around Socal, settling down in Newport (Corona del Mar/Balboa specifically mostly). My mom moved to the area to be with my dad in the mid 1980s and we were both born down on the peninsula! We moved out of California early on in life but we are still lucky enough to visit often to see family & friends! Having just traveled there for Thanksgiving, we thought it’d be the perfect time to share our favorite dining spots and things to do! When we visit we usually stay at our family’s house down on the peninsula, so most of our recommendations are balboa/balboa island focused!
For coffee/breakfast:
Alta Coffee Roasters - we always order and takeaway but they have really cute bistro tables outside & a classic diner feel inside. Absolutely MUST get the chai if that’s your vibe & there food is good too - coffee is priority here but they’re avo toast/breakfast burritos are quality too. Our order: dirty chai w whole milk. choice between vanilla, spiced, or mixed chai (they’re all good just depends on our mood)
Hearst Coffee - very vibey/californian feel - minimalist, chic, intentionally sourced coffee & unique pastries. This is our fav in Lido village (Blue Bottle is right next door but their coffee has let us down the past couple times and the vibes at Hearst are much better). Would be very idyllic to grab a coffee & pastry and stroll the shops at Lido. Our order: Charlotte loves an extra shot vanilla whole milk latte half sweet; Lilly loves a whole milk cappuchino w vanilla or another homemade syrup.
Balboa Lilys - location right by the FunZone on Balboa so great if you’re walking the peninsula. They have a full sit down breakfast area with seating as well as an quick counter just for coffees so note the two locations are right next to each other (different buildings). Our order: specialty latte - the lavendar latte & mocha are super good but definitely more of a treat/tasty coffee rather than caffeine focused.
Balboa Island Baking Co - the go-to spot for cinnamon rolls or as our dad calls them ~sticky buns~. Very much worth the trip to the island. When we got them on this last trip our parents told us they used to take the ferry over to the island every Sunday and get cinnamon rolls with us when we were little - such a sweet memory to picture!
Our favorite lunch/dinner:
Bonzai bowls - BEST açaí. This place is an original classic (like even back before acai was cool/easily accessible) and mimics its north shore oahu roots. Lots of options/customizable and the bowls are massive.
Lombardys - !!! - this is the spot for deli sandwiches. This rivals (maybe even beats) Buccan Sandwich Shop in south florida. Our favorites are the turkey club & caprese, but the meatball sub is widely loved and is next on our to be tried list.
Ho Sum Bistro - beloved california coastal-inspired Asian restaurant with the BEST chopped chicken salad you’ll ever eat. It’s got crisp, crunchy lettuce, some shredded veg, shredded chicken, wontons and a red ginger dressing that is addicting. We’ve tried to recreate this salad at home so many times and it’s never the same.
Saigon house - go to spot for pho/Vietnamese food. Really high quality and convenient location right peninsula. Most of their items are pretty spicy (even if not really advertised) but it’s a good spice that’s flavorful and makes you feel warm.
Zinque - our top dinner spot in Lido Village. Le Bowl (chicken & rice salad w avo, tomatoes, arugula, comté, parm, sriracha mayo) and the steak frites our classic and always good. Very vibey/trendy in there and their cocktails are fresh too!
Drinks
Mayor’s Table - located in the Lido House Autograph Collection Hotel. We hosted a big birthday party here for our dad a couple years ago and the food, drinks and service were great! They serve seafood & American fare with an upscale farmhouse interior and a cozy outdoor area with string lights and plenty of seating.
Dive Bars - Balboa Saloon & Class of 42. This is your spot if you’re looking for afters with dim lighting, darts, simple drinks etc. Definitely not for our phase of life right now but still classics!
Top things to do:
Obviously go to the beach if that’s your vibe! Surf is consistently good to (so I hear lol) but definitely chilly so be prepared so a cool dip!
Rent a duffy down at the funzone and take it for a cruise along the peninsula/inlets for a couple hours. We usually go around sunset into evening and it’s a great time. Perfect group activity if you’re visiting with family or a group of friends. Bring snacks/bevs. If you go during the holidays, a lot of the houses have their lights up and the displays are super pretty.
Boardwalk walks (or bike!) - there’s a long stretch of boardwalk that’s a few miles long on the west side of the peninsula with pretty houses along the Pacific and small beach accesses.
Ferry to Balboa Island - from the Funzone you can also catch the Balboa Island ferry (pedestrians, bikes, and cars permitted). It costs a couple dollars and they only take cash but it’s a really scenic, casual trip across the inlet and takes >5 minutes to get across. Once on Balboa Island, there’s another boardwalk that runs along the water all the way down to Marine Ave where there’s lots of boutiques/shops and a couple places to grab some food!
Ferry to Catalina Island - you can catch the Catalina Flier from the Balboa Pavillion (near the funzone) and head to Catalina Island! It’s less than 90 minutes to cross and Catalina is such a fun daytrip or long weekend. Lots of natural beauty, hiking, wildlife, fun restaurants and bars, walkable mini city. It’s been my family’s tradition to go for my dad’s decade birthdays and my parents have been visiting for 30+ years.
Crystal cove - great hiking spot only ~20 minutes from Newport. $15 to enter since it’s a state park but the views are well worth it. There’s some paved paths through native bush plus a wooden track path to a lookout of the cove/surrounding hills as well as beach access if you’re wanting to get down to the water or surf. Stunning views at sunset & usually really peaceful vibes
If you’re visiting during the holidays, Fashion Island has really beautiful holiday displays/that classic christmasy mall vibe (all outdoor and usually great weather) plus Santa for the kids! (Fashion Island has a bunch of great shopping if you’re not visiting during the holidays but are in a shopping mood). Rogers Gardens is a nearby garden center with TONS of plants and a bunch of christmas tree displays & unique ornaments and gifts for the holidays.
