Your TL;DR Travel Guide to Balboa Island, Newport Beach
TL;DR: Balboa Island is great coastal vacation destination filled with shopping, dining, and sight-seeing. Whether you are looking to rent a beach house for a few days or are planning to stop by for a few hours, it is a great place to vacation. There are also plenty of free things to do in addition to the many shops, so the Island can accommodate various budgets, with a little bit of planning. However, as a dense community that attracts a large volume of visitors, it can also be a bit crowded and traffic-congested which can impact your experience (so plan accordingly!).
- Getting to the Island
- Learn Something New at the Balboa Island Museum
- Go For a Stroll around the Balboa Island Seawall
- Do a Little Boutique Shopping
- Grab a Meal
- Explore More in the Area
Located in between the main part of Newport Beach and Balboa Peninsula, Balboa Island is a charming beach community. Once upon a time, this area of California was once mud flats, silt, and sand. After a little bit of community development and a booming fishing business, Balboa Island emerged in the early 1900s. Since then, it has continued to grow into an up-scale neighborhood that attracts tourists, from both near and far, every year. It has even been home to various celebrities, including Shirley Temple.
Read on to see how you can enjoy this amazing place too!
Getting to the Island
Balboa Island can be accessed from two main ways: 1) from Balboa Peninsula via the Ferry and 2) from Newport Beach via car, bike, or pedestrian travel.
Option 1: The Ferry
If you are in the Balboa Peninsula area, you can catch the ferry from the Fun Zone and take the very short ride across the waters. It just cost a few dollars to ride and is an easy way to add onto your trip to the Fun Zone (read more about the Peninsula here).
Option 2: The Bridge
From PCH, you can make your way to a small bridge (which accommodates both pedestrian and vehicle traffic) that will connect you to Balboa Island’s Marine Avenue. Marine Avenue is Balboa Island’s Main Street – home to most of the shops, eateries, and one of the main ways to enter the Island. As such, it can be the most congested part of the Island (both for pedestrian and vehicle traffic).
Tips on Dealing with Parking & Traffic on Balboa Island
If you are driving, it’s important to know that aside from a few larger roads many of the streets and alley ways accommodate one way traffic only. I suggest including a little extra time if you plan to park on the Island so you aren’t in a rush.
Of course, if you would prefer to avoid traffic altogether, you can also park off-Island along Bayside Drive. There is usually plenty of free street parking along this road and I find the walk pleasant. Many people also like to bike into the Island, so that can be a great option if you are in the area.
Now – onto ways to enjoy your time on the Island!
Learn Something New at the Balboa Island Museum
Address: 210 Marine Ave, Newport Beach, CA 92662
201 Marine Avenue, in many ways, represents the growth of Balboa Island. This building, first built in 1927, has housed various occupants including: a yacht and marine supply business, the fire station, a surf store, and a hardware store. And in 2018, it became home to the Balboa Island Museum.
Located in the heart of Marine Avenue, the Balboa Island Museum stands as a testament to the area’s culture and history. Open daily from 10am-5pm (Monday through Thursday) and 10am-6pm (Friday through Sunday), this free attraction is a great way to learn a little bit about the area’s past. It’s a pretty small museum that won’t take too much of your time to see, but offers you a great sneak peek into the various communities and stories that make up Balboa Island, Newport Beach, and Orange County. If you want to learn more about the Museum, be sure to visit their website here.
Go For a Stroll around the Balboa Island Seawall
I’ve mentioned this (often) in past tl;dr travel guides, but I love a good walk. And Balboa Island delivers every single time. With a well-maintained seawall path circling the entire island, Balboa Island is regularly visited by people looking for some fresh air and nice sight-seeing.
Not only will you get great views of the harbor and the various boats docked along the beach, but Balboa Island is home (no pun intended) to beautiful houses. In fact, according to Redfin, the median home price on the Island was a little over $4M USD in 2023.
The Balboa Island community also gets very into celebrating festivities, so it’s fun to see the various ways people decorate their homes. Many people enjoy a good jog or walk with their dogs as well, so it can be a great place to bring your pets if they are also comfortable around crowds. Also, all beaches in California are considered public beaches (most docks are private, however!), so many people love to stop and dip their toes in the sand.
One thing to keep in mind, however, is that Balboa Island has a lot of visitors – even more so around major holidays. To avoid crowds, try visiting earlier in the day or during the week.
Do a Little Boutique Shopping
Along the bustling Marine Avenue, you will find a plethora of small boutiques – perfect for doing a bit of shopping. With a variety of stores, you can find plenty of businesses to help you embrace SoCal’s leisure and beach-infused style. Or, you can go shopping for unique souvenirs and gifts (how does specialty beef jerky sound?).
You can also venture over to Agate Avenue, where the ferry stops, to find a few other shops like Balboa Island Berries.
Grab a Meal
Not only does Balboa Island have great sight-seeing and fun shopping, you’ll also find unique places to stop and grab a bite. There are a lot of fun options to check out, so I’ll just list a few you should consider looking into on your trip. Let me know what other places you would add to this list!
Huskins Coffee (Marine Avenue)
Huskins Coffee is a comfortable and cute coffee shop that serves great bites and great drinks. If you’re looking for something unique, check out their specialty Hometown Latte.
Sugar ‘n Spice & Dad’s Donut Shop (Marine Avenue)
Situated right next to each other, you’ll find two ice cream shops saying they are home to the original Balboa Bar. Who is right? Honestly, I’m not too sure, but I do love ice cream and it’s a fun way to participate in an interesting part of the Island’s culture (which you can learn more about here!). Just be warned – the lines can get very long.
Update: Sugar ‘n Spice is officially listed for sale. It seems like the business is still up and running, but you should visit now before it’s sold!
Crocker’s The Well Dressed Frank (Marine Avenue)
Fun, casual, delicious – all words people use to describe Crocker’s. While lines (inevitably) can get long at the different eateries on Marine Avenue, Crocker’s tends to move a bit quicker.
Todos Santos (Park Avenue)
Located near the Ferry, Todos Santos is a somewhat hidden Mexican food restaurant with patio and indoor seating. Escape the hustle and bustle of Marine Avenue and venture over to this fantastic (and beloved) Balboa Island institution.
Balboa Island can entertain you for hours. Offering a rich history, a lovely seawall walk, an array of shops, and a selection of dining options, you can easily spend a full day (or more) checking out the area. Let me know if you’ve had a chance to visit and what you did on your trip!
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