Balboa Ferry
After you turn in your captain’s hat, take to the water again, but this time leave the driving to someone else. The Balboa Ferry has connected visitors and residents of the Balboa Peninsula to Balboa Island for nearly a century. Today, this four-minute quintessential Newport Beach experience costs riders on foot 60 cents and vehicles $1.20, but the memory is priceless.

Balboa Island
Balboa Island is a man made island that was dredged and filled right before World War I began. Balboa Island is part of Newport Beach. Streets are named after precious stones; Agate, Emerald, Ruby and Sapphire. More precious than rare stones is the pavement for parking your car on the little island, especially on weekends and holidays. Hundreds of people drive to the Newport Peninsula and park, then walk to the ferry boat, climbing aboard for a 5 minute ride across the bay. Manicured lawns with colorful flowers, private boat docks, tiny sections of sand beach and stunning views of the Newport Bay await those who take the ferry and walk to downtown Balboa Island shopping district along Bay front. Arriving at Marine Avenue, guests can browse through gift and clothing shops, dine on gourmet meals or snacks and enjoy meeting friendly people who love their island paradise.

Dory Boats
Newport Beach's pleasure craft harbor explodes with activity at 9am as the Dory Fishing Fleet returns with their catch of the day and local chefs congregate to pick the freshest seafood for their establishments. These small boats are launched through the surf early in the morning and return to be trailered to storage areas during the day.

Upper Newport Bay and Lido Peninsula
Looking for some peace and quiet before returning to the hustle and bustle of everyday life? Set out for the Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve for a day of bird watching and exploration. As Southern California’s largest estuary, this saltwater marsh is more than three-and-a-half miles long and a half mile wide, and is home to thousands of different bird species. See if you can spot a brown pelican, a Belding savannah sparrow or a peregrine falcon.

Once you’re feeling a bit more “grounded,” it’s just a short drive to Bluewater Grill on Lido Peninsula. According to Zagat, Bluewater Grill offers "the quintessential casual Newport Beach repast," with 20 different varieties of fresh fish available daily. While you wait for your meal, take a tour around the main dining area, where historic black-and-white fishing photographs put you in the mood for seafood.

Catalina Island
Paradise is only 26 miles away when you board the Catalina Flyer for your Catalina Island day trip. You’ll set sail in the morning from the Balboa Pavilion and reluctantly return at sundown after a blissful day of fun on California’s only island resort destination. Away from the frenzied pace of mainland life, Catalina Island is like the place that time forgot – open-front restaurants line the beach boardwalk, fishermen rise early to cast their nets, and residents use golf carts to get around. In addition to the friendly locals, you’ll find an abundance of island activities to easily fill an afternoon. Unleash your inner-cowboy with a horseback ride on the beach, tour the iconic Catalina Casino, or slip on some fins and snorkel with a school of vibrantly colored fish.