The world-famous Newport Beach borders Costa Mesa. Newport Beach consists of more than 8 miles of beach bordering Newport Bay and extending from the Santa Ana River jetty to Crystal Cove State Park.
Crystal Cove State Park in Newport Beach is best known for its rustic wilderness setting that stands in contrast to pristine new homes and the immaculate greens of the Pelican Hills Golf Club. The 3 beach areas below the park’s ocean bluffs are Reef Point, Pelican Point and Los Trancos, which offers access to an historic district of 1930’s style houses. Just offshore is a 1,140-acre underwater park for snorkelers and scuba divers. On the southern edge of the park is El Moro, a 2,200-acre chaparral canyon with 18 miles of hiking, biking and horse trails.
Corona del Mar is part of Newport Beach and it contains beautiful sandy beaches with coves. Corona del Mar State Beach has a reputation for being a family beach and it’s a popular place for swimmers. Also known as Big Corona Beach, this half-mile long sandy beach is framed by cliffs and a rock jetty that forms the east entrance to Newport Harbor. The beach is also popular with surfers, divers, volleyball players and sunbathers.
There are two piers in Newport Beach. The Newport pier offers stunning views to the north toward Huntington Beach and south toward the Balboa Pier. Swimmers and sunbathers flock to this 5-mile stretch of beach in summer and winter, finishing off their day in the sun with a night of casual or fine dining.
Balboa Island is a man-made island and is part of Newport Beach. Joined to the mainland by a short 2-lane bridge on the northeast side, Balboa Island's beaches are small, consisting primarily of narrow sand shelves that gently slope into the bay. Balboa Beach is located at the ends of the streets west of Balboa Boulevard and south of Island Avenue. The Wedge is a world-famous surfing and bodysurfing spot located at the extreme east end of the Balboa Peninsula. During a south swell of the right size and direction, the Wedge can produce huge waves up to 30 ft. high.
