Heading South from the Santa Monica Bay there’s of course Redondo Beach, Long Beach, Huntington Beach, each with their own advantages but the city of Newport Beach in Orange County offers one of the most interesting harbors in the area. There are lots of different aspects to it, making it a good destination for a family because there seems to be something for everyone.
It’s roughly 40 nautical miles from Marina Del Rey and takes as long as it takes to reach the resort of Avalon on Catalina: about a 7-hour sail. There are plenty of mooring buoys you cant rent for $5 a night throughout the harbor. In order to reserve one, you must visit the Orange County Sheriff’s Harbor Patrol offices, located right next to the Balboa Yacht Club in Corona Del Mar about a 1 mile past the entrance to the harbor on the right side. The Harbor Patrol monitors VHF Channel 16. Since you’re moored offshore, you will need to have a dinghy with you. It’s also good to know that there are numerous public access piers on the Balboa Peninsula on which you can land your dinghy.
Among local points of interests, you may want to use the Washington Street landing pier which is in the heart of the historic Fun Zone (a place reminiscent of the larger Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk with arcades, game rooms, a carousel and a Ferris Wheel that offers glorious sea views) and also home to the always worthwhile Newport Harbor Nautical Museum. The 15th street pier, next to the American Legion Yacht Club, is the location of a new pumpout dock. On the other side of the peninsula, you’ll find the eponymous Newport Beach which is well-known for many reasons, not least of which that it’s consistently one of the cleanest beaches in the coastal United States. You’ll find 10 miles of beaches ideal for families, surfing, body boarding or just sunbathing. Or else to satisfy your shopping needs visit Balboa Island, a sun-washed paradise that is protected from the pounding Pacific surf and surrounded by beaches and a tranquil, secluded bay.
