Balboa Island Reviews

Balboa Island is so charming and fun to visit. It is much quieter than Newport Beach and has the most adorable cottages and pathways. It is a perfect place for a bike ride and a picnic.

Went with my family early evening in January. Bring a sweatshirt, enjoy a stroll among quaint shops and restaurants, beautiful boats and homes, and be prepared for the best chocolate-dipped ice cream bar you’ll ever have (the Balboa Bar!). If you are feeling adventurous, you can take the public ferry across to the peninsula (not very far).

While sightseeing around Newport Beach, we saw that Balboa Island was easily accessible from a main road near our resort. So we drove over to check it out. We parked on the main street and strolled by the many small shops and eateries. We were hungry for a quick snack and found a nice bakery that also served frozen yogurt. We then got back in the car and toured some the rest of the island that was primarily residential. We then found the Balboa Island Ferry which made it easy to connect to the peninsula where we were able to find bike riding along the coast line and plenty of beach space. Overall, we enjoyed the hour or so we spent on the island.

If you want to spend a day wandering the waterfront, admiring old houses and visiting the shops and restaurants then Balboa Island is the place for you. We spent all day there and then came back the next day to see if we missed anything. If you walk the Island in one direction try to walk it in the opposite direction and you will be amazed at what you missed the first time.

It was "shop small businesses day" and my daughter and I spent it on Balboa Island going from one cute shop to another.

Just one adorable shop after another! Each establishment had its own look and theme along with some very unique shopping experiences. I especially enjoyed the shops that featured handcrafted one-of-a-kind items -- there were several.

We had intended to also eat at one of the many restaurants on the island, but shopping took up all our time. There were just so many interesting shops, eating just didn't seem a priority. It was, however, nice to stroll past the eateries and watch the various meals being brought to patio tables.

Since it was the end of November, it was a bit too chilly for us to join the long lines at the frozen banana shops. Yet, not to worry, there were plenty of youngsters and their families enjoying the famous treats from the frozen banana establishments. I wouldn't be surprised if some families came to the island specifically to experience the frozen treats.

Parking is not easy to find, so if you can carpool or bike to the island, it is highly advised.

The place is getting old but still brought back family memories. Nice to see families at the arcade interacting with their childred and they still have the best frozen bananas

Okay, here are some nice things about Balboa Island ...
• the beach is very nice, although it is not really a swimming or surfing type of beach. The beach seemed to be well maintained and clean
• the little town center is nice, but it is mostly geared for tourist
• there are a few restaurants and sports bars.

Now comes the down side ... during a nice and sunny weekend the traffic to Balboa Island is bumper to bumper for at least five miles and then finding a place to park can be problematic. From what I can tell, there are no free public parking on the island. The sports bars on the weekend are very crowded and very noisy.

I’d say Balboa Island is a nice place to take a walk and enjoy the sun, but I’d say do it on days other than the weekend ...

Parking can be a problem in the area. But it is fun to walk around, do some shopping, view the homes and have a nice meal.

Well darn tje places we wanted to see were closed due to shutdown. We drove around an hour or so site seeing from the car. So tthat thete are some real nice places and interesting sites.

fun place to visit, lots of shops and restaurants and wide boardwalk. I have been visiting since a kid but now live in MT so it has been a while. Lovely succulents in gardens along the beach and things blooming year round.

Walked around Balboa every day. Enjoyed the beautiful decorations and then each night we would drive to see the lights or walk to see the beauty. What spirit and s tear for our family!

Balboa is one of the nicest places to visit, when others are not there!
The restaurants are varied but my favorite is the frozen bananas!
Very limited parking but well worth a visit.

i hanged out there for an hour with friends , i think there is a lot to do there .. i would like to visit again in my next trip .

Great restaurants
Fun variety of stores
Great balboa bar ice cream
Must have one
Fun to just walk down marine streetb

a cute city that deserves a visit! its not a posh location but should have some charming shops because the shops are very poor .

Although you cannot ride bikes on the main roads or the path next to the water, we still thoroughly enjoyed our bike ride around Balboa Island! We weaved our way up one residential street and down the next, ooh-ing and ahh-ing over one house after another. We then walked our bikes down the main street for lunch, frozen yogurt, and a little shopping. We rented our bikes at 20th Street Bike and Beach rentals, and took the ferry over to the island. The ferry is super easy, and costs $1.75 (cash only) per person. It's a great way to spend part of a day!

Balboa Island is the only island in Newport Beach with a sidewalk all the way around it. Unfortunately, it is temporarly closed do to social distancing considerations. The alleys are still open. They are 12 feet wide. People are staying to the right and social distancing. It's interesting to look at the rear of the houses.

The island has one upscale shopping street with an informative local museum and restaurants. There's plenty of parking on side streets nearby. If you like taffy, there's a candy store. There has been lots of replacement of older houses with new mansions on the same small lots.

I would highly recommend this place for families. The ferry ⛴ over is neat as well. All part of the experience. You will enjoy the feeling in this community of easy...

Balboa Island is an extremely charming spot with a few dozen small retail establishments and restaurants primarily along Marine Avenue. It is busy during the summer months and parking is hard to find during the summer and on weekends.

Marine Ave ends at the waterfront of Newport Bay, which provides a nice walk to (and from) the Ferry. It is all very charming.

However, this is not Disneyland. It is a residential neighborhood. There are people who live there need to get off the Island for work in the mornings and to get home in the evenings. Please be considerate of those needs when you visit.

Lovely area where you can walk for as long or as little as you like, and enjoy the quirky and quaint setup of this little island.

I have been coming here since the 60's and I never get tired of it. Parking is always a challenge, but worth it!

You still have to exercise during the Coronavirus ... and doing so by taking a walk around Balboa Island was essential for my wife's birthday.

It had been almost 3 years since we had done it. And the Bay Fronts never looked so beautiful. Balboa Island had imposed a "One Way" (clockwise) use of walking on the Bay Fronts. And while there were a number of people walking, it was seldom that we ever passed (or were passed) others. And a sand sculpture reinforced the need to have 6 feet between you and others.

Stay safe. But getting some exercise during the Coronavirus, as long as you obey safe distancing, is still a good thing to do. And not a better place than here.

Walked around the island looking at the awesome light displays and watching the Christmas boat parade. We had a frozen banana, ate ice cream and took in the scenery.

This time of year there are hardly any people, which is just wonderful because it’s so warm still! It’s a beautiful walk if you want to just wander.

Visit the stores then take the Gerri and go to the island for a ride on the longest ferries wheel while you take pictures. Then have dinner and try a frozen banana dipped in chocolate and toppings. Yummy. A nice place to stop.

Want to visit a place with beautiful yards and homes - makes a great stroll and is easily accessible with a regular ferry from Newport Beach. @Lovethestroll!

1st free parking if you come early. 2nd jog or walk the island, dogs welcome on a leach. 3rd morning coffee at Starbucks. you will be in good company. MeuterMedia

Balboa Island is an Oasis Since I have lived here all my life, I guess that I am a wee bit prejudiced , because I have shopped the many diverse shops and enjoyed the many restaurants. From Asian to Italian and American cuisine , beautiful beaches...although some appeared to be private, there is no such rule in California! Enjoy the open spaces at the end of many streets and please remember the quaint 3 car ferry that will take you, bikes, and passengers to the Balboa peninsula. You can cross the bay and avoid the traffic that would make your travel much, much more hectic in the summer months!

Balboa Island is great to visit all year long. This time of the year, there is not a cloud in the sky and the weather is beautiful. Safe & fun place to walk around...there are cute shops, cool places to eat, ice cream shops & places to buy sweets. If you’re visiting Newport Beach, you should spend some time walking around Balboa Island. Steve

Whilst in LA head to Newport and take the short (car, peddled & peops) ferry ride across to Balboa Island. It’s too cute. Grab a sundae or shake and take a leisurely stroll , checking out the quaint waterfront (holiday rental) homes. The small sandy beaches are ideal for water traffic watching or catch the rowers training. Make sure you head back over to the fun park at the wharf and ride the Ferris wheel at sunset. View from the top is a winner; off to the right is the ocean to the left to Balboa Is.
The waters took on a soft salmon colour, pink hues of the sun dropping and the telling of a bumper day coming tomorrow.
Enjoy!

We took the ferry over and walked from the ferry to Marine St. It was a stunning walk and I wish we had more time to walk further and explore more. We ate lunch and checked out some of the stores. Would love to go back and explore more.

Balboa island is packed with expensive houses, boats in your liquid back yard, fun, if not great restaurants, shopping, and very contented locals. Driving downtown is not difficult. Finding a place to park is very challenging. The town, most of the time, is busy by 10 AM. There are a few residential streets that have parking. However, that can mean a long walk to downtown. A shopping center, across from the main entrance to a Balboa Island has signs warning you about the possibility of your car disappearing. If able, consider using bicycles. There are a few parking spots outside Balboa Island and a few more located in the residential areas of the island. Have the right attitude, find a place to park, and likely, this will be a very nice experience for you. Expect mall style parking, exotic restaurants, and you will be disappointed.

We walked the entire street in 15 minutes including a quick stop in two stores. Allot of tourist stores with T-shirts, etc. There is one antique store on the street which made the entire experience worth while. I wouldn’t recommend this as a stop unless you have time to kill and want a T-shirt.

Beautiful homes and neighborhoods. Lots of boutiques. Multiple great places to eat. Parking is somewhat of a problem. Advice for parking. There is a medical building before the bridge. Parking in there and walk over the bridge.If you find a place on the island, time is limited to 2 hrs. Must see, Catholic chapel. It is about 300 years old. Beautiful!

Balboa Island is charming but has limited or no parking. Space at a premium. I usuaully go there only on my way to the ferry to take visitors to Balboa Penisula. Not much can be done as space is limited and parking would likely damage small village feel to Island.

It is a fun morning to visit the 2 block long shops on a hot day. It took us 40 minutes to find a parking space on a Sunday morning. Interesting shops, restaurants, snacks and stores to look through.
Rent a boat by the hour. Just a great place to visit for a few hours or a day.

We enjoyed walking on Balboa Island. It was very nice with shops and restaurants. Beautiful small homes with little yards. Very well kept. This is a beautiful place to visit. Loved it.

Worth a visit. Tons of little stores and eateries. Highlight was seeing the original “Banana Stand” from Arrested Development. Drive there. Don’t take ferry.

While parking on the Island can be challenging,if it's a weekend park by Union Bank across the street from the entrance to Balboa.Take a short walk down to Wilmmas Patio,put your name in or sit at the counter-first come etc.My favorite is the egg enchiladas,they are to die for.In truth,everything is good,great service and whatever you order,get a side of the chili-worlds best!I live nearby and this one of the best local spots you will visit.Cheers.

I live in the area now but as a visitor from back east many years ago would always come to Balboa Island. First you MUST take the ferry for the full experience. You can walk on,bike on or drive on!! Parking can be tough. Just be patient and try side streets. The shops are fun and different. Lots of restaurants, treats like the famous Balboa bar or frozen bananas and an awesome candy shop with vintage candy in the back. Art of the Soul is one of the most unique shops around so if you are looking for a one of a kind gift for someone or yourself this is the place. You know I love it because I bring everyone who visits here!! A fun way to spend a couple of hours depending on if you eat and you like to window shop!

Just strolling the streets of this quaint and gorgeous island is worth the visit. We went on an dolphin 🐬 & whale watching tour from here.
Had an amazing time. Highly recommended.

I live on Balboa Island and feel like I am on vacation. Always fun to walk around the Island with our Dog & talking with friends. Love local restaurants and shopping. Holidays is always fun and memories being made.

We have been to Newport Beach many times, and every time we take a walk around the periphery of Balboa Island. The waterfront views, the beautiful houses, and especially the flowers make for a magical walk. If you have the time, walk around Lido Island (right next door) also.

On the recommendation of a friend, we took the ferry across to Balboa island! ($1 per adult and 50 c per kid).Lots of neat little stores to visit on the Main Street and the houses are beautiful! So many different styles and so colourful!

What an adorable little town with cute restaurants and shops. We even attended Sunday mass at the small little chapel.

it is really beautiful island they got shops, restaurant and nice beach . luckily its off peak season when we went .

We visited here after Christmas and the lights were still up! We loved walking around the island at night and seeing all the home owners landscaping, lights, boats and artwork. We loved the bear house! Such a cute place!

I discovered this place about 8 years ago and love it, its a great place to visit for the day lots of fun shops, you can rent a boat or walk in Balboa Island or go to the beach, take the ferry or just hang out

I've been liking Balboa Island for my entire life, although I've never lived there. What I really like to do is walk through its residential areas at cocktail time, and watch people having a good time. They're very friendly.

I’ve never been here it was fun to walk around. Although it was chilly it is crisp and clear lots of sailboats and things going on out there. Very nice

There are lots of places to eat and explore on the island. The shops are fun to browse but tended to be a bit costly. It was a short drive from Newport Beach and allowed us to have a relaxing afternoon. The area is beautiful; we felt like we were stepping back in time.

The Island is a fun place to spend the day. Walking, riding bikes, shopping and eating are the activities most prevelant. Parking is always a problem and one way streets abound.

We were staying on the peninsula for our vacation and wandered on over to the Island for a day with our dog. It is a very walkable and pet friendly island. When you get to the Main Street, there are dog water bowls and treats in many locations. It’s a lovely day to stroll around this island and fun shops along the way.

The island has great walking with views of the bay. The Main Street has lots of interesting place to eat and explore. Also don’t forget the iconic Frozen Bananas. Finding a parking place can always be a little difficult, so don’t arrive in your motor home!

Yes, it may be cold, however it is very beautiful at this time of year! Paragraph the Christmas lights in the hustle and bustle make this an absolute mit’s for the entire family

We enjoyed our afternoon on the island. The homes are from island life back in the day and fun to drive past. Downtown is charming with lots of cute shops and restaurants owned by locals - not national chains. It is a step back in time we really enjoyed.

Balboa Island is a very friendly little island with comedy and cool restaurants.
It is worth seeing and using the ferry boat to get to the island.

We love islands like this , beautiful homes, liked driving around, did park walked up the
Board walk. Good place for kids they had little amusement rides. Nice shops

Nice hotel, great staff eager to help and accommodate the rooms are big clean most with views of the marina and boats with a big balcony

I really fun place to go if you are nearby. Very good restaurants on the island. Fun to just walk the beach and check out the awesome ocean front homes.

There is a nice downtown area with some cute shops where you can buy sweets, ice cream etc.The waterfront near the ferry is also nice. There are rest rooms near the ferry and boats offering whale watching etc. The ferry is also a great way to get to and from the island.

Really enjoyed our visit here. We walked through town and looked at all the beautiful beach houses. Enjoyed the little shops and friendly people. The beach around the island is covered in boats, didn’t look too great for swimming. But great afternoon spent strolling around!

It was nice walking on Marine Ave, we ate at Wilma’s, very good food. We also walked along the ocean. We love coming here. Other times we take the ferry.

We enjoyed a lovely time walking around this adorable town. No problem finding on-steet parking with some interesting shops and restaurants. And don't forget the frozen bananas! Take some time and stop by.

Walking along the shoreline in the bay is a treat for one that loves boats and sea-life. The number of boat rentals assures that you will be well taken care of.

After Our Boat Trip Of Whale Watching Mom Sis & Her Boyfriend & I Stopped To Relax At Balboa Island.
Very Fun Great Place To Shop Relax & This Place Is Famous For Those Balboa Bars.
Always A Great Time.
A Must See & Visit.

We enjoyed spending the day there. It was nice to stroll around the south bay front. we also enjoyed the cafe's and interesting shops.

Lot of lights and Christmas spirit. Lot of the nice big house have some amazing Christmas decorations.
Go enjoy hot coco or get some food at one of the many restaurants.

Fun tourist area. Nice beach as well. Cute shops. Jam packed with lots to do for kids and adults. Nice vacation visiting place

I walked the island with a friend. beautiful water views. The homes are gorgeous. People swimming and boating. We ended up on Marine Blvd. Darling shops. We are a delicious pear salad at the Village Inn. We walked further up and had a Balboa Bar. Wonderful outing. We parked on a side street. It was a little crowded but not terrible.

Looking for something to do for a few hours? Most of the action is on Marine drive but you can walk, drive or bike around the small man built island for some good people watching and looking at all the boats and houses. Clean and family friendly and who does not want a chocolate banana (supposedly the Arrested Development banana stand story was based on balboa island) Easy to get around. Younger kids might be more interested in the balboa fun zone across the ferry.

This is where the term "Beach House" came from. Although very pricey, the main street is fun to walk through, funky little touristy shops, bars. Parking is hard but use it as an excuse to tour the neighborhoods. It only takes an hour or so and after that, you will be ready to leave but a fun experience. I lived here when I was going to college, only rode a bike around. You will find the climate very low key and fun. Do just that!!

Balboa Island has cute and quaint shopping and dining experiences. It is also possible to walk around the island in about an hour and admire the homes. FYI the picture shone on Trip Advisor is actually on the Balboa Peninsula.

Toured Balboa Island while visiting Huntington Beach. This quaint Island has so many great shops, restaurants and the homes are beautiful. Even the locals that I spoke to were all friendly and welcoming. Our tour consisted of sampling food from 6 different restaurants. The only Thai and Mexican Restaurants on the Island, Dads for a chocolate covered frozen banana which
I had dipped in toasted coconut & walnuts, eggs Benedict with Crab, a Chicago Style hotdog and taste of a variety of jerky. All were delicious. We took the Ferry to the other side of Balboa Island which was nice as well. If ever in the area I believe it’s a must do.

Enjoyable getaway from big city life. We took a stroll on the pedestrian concrete walkway by the water. Nice fresh air off the water.

We love everything about the island. The quaint streets, adorable stores, yummy treats and friendly people are just awesome. Take the ferry across to the other side, it’s great too. We have been coming to Balboa forever...it’s truly a little slice of heaven.

Charming island to visit and stroll among the many little shops offering a myriad of items from clothing to beach memorabilia , to candy or delightful restaurants. Stroll down to the end and enjoy the walk around the island. Parking is often difficult but worth it. Enjoy

I just love visiting this little place whenever I'm in the US. I love the quaint houses and recommend walking all around the outer path on the main island and marveling at all the different architecture.

Balboa Island is a charming local spot that's been around for nearly 100 years. Historic homes, fun boutiques on the main street . (Marine Ave), and some excellent restaurants! Try Mr. G's for gfeat food, Wilma's Patio is THE place for breakfast. Parking is not easy, esepcially on weekends or during the summer, but it's worth the hassle.

A real great day out. We all loved it. Sunset amazing. Bilboa has a great street with restaurants on. It a very affluent area so standards are reflected.

We went over with a group of 26 people. The ferry was quick and easy. We walked about 20 minutes to get the famous frozen banana. It was great. We stopped into a couple of shops and then headed back to the ferry. I am glad we were not driving as the roads are narrow and busy. It was a fun little excursion. It was a beautiful sunny spring day so very busy.

We spent a delightful afternoon walking through neighborhoods and past cute shops. Be sure to have a Balboa bar (a chocolate dipped ice cream bar). Stop and rest on a park bench or have a drink at a family cafe. This is a beautiful, pedestrian friendly Beach town that caters well to vacationers.

A nice walk around the island (or scoot in the case of my 4 and 2 year olds). A chilled out meander looking at some of the beautiful houses and boats.

Great place to walk the dock and watch the sunset. We saw a pod of dolphins eating and a seal swimming towards the pier

I spent over 80 years visiting Balboa Island. During my younger years I camped at the end of Marine Ave on South Bayfront. During my teenage years I taught swimming off the pier. When I was married and had a family, we spent many years on Garnet St. We swam, fished sailed and used our power boat and paddle wheeler there. Since I love the Island so much, I go there frequently, even though it might only to buy a frozen banana on the Island’s main business street.

Cute little place in Newport beach. Good for walking and taking boat ride. It has a tiny downtown with some good resturants and cute shops.

The island is a great place for a family to visit. Definitely not a nightlife scene if that's what you're looking for, however if you have little ones, a day trip is great! If you're staying longer, there are hardly any better places you can go to have a relaxing stay than Balboa Island.

Such a nice place to stroll, look at charming house, cute shops, and interesting people, and get a bite to eat.

Great place to visit and a time away from the hustle and bustle of big city life. Weather cant be more perfect for the day we went. There's some small rides and attraction for the littles, a ferry well take you the Balboa landing, small beach area, paddle boarding, small boat rentals, great fast foods and dinning and all independent own. You wont see too much of the chain eateries. Very community related with art work and crafts. Shopping areas and gift shops by way of small businesses owners. Very safe place and is located away from all of the major roads. Great for walks, running, taking dogs out for walks. Also minutes away from Newport beach main area.
Downside is parking is not easy to find and some are metered parking and some are not. It just depends what you can find and the locations.

We went here based on our drivers recommendation. We are glad we did. Everything you would want to see is in walking distance. Beach, marina, bars, boardwalk, dolphins, many other things.

I love walking among the shops and restaurants. The community is full of boats and water loving people

Lots to see and do here and cute restaurants as well. A must is to get a frozen banana with chocolate and almonds!

A great place to wander around. Cute shops, tasty restaurants and great bars. Nice beachy feel. One of my favorite places.

Wonderful main street with some unique shops and restaurants by day and early evening but what i enjoyed seeing is some of the beautiful lights on the homes still going first week of January.

We can usually walk the perimeter of both Islands in about an hour. We are here for the several restaurants we favor, a long walk, a more modest one if time is a factor. Several times over the years when we have a remodel or washing machine problems, we come to use the laundromat on Agate, near the ferry. Shops on Marine offer many items, and at Christmas it is always a stop for Newport themed T-shirts for the last minute gift, someone you did not expect is coming, and while they may not have anything for us, we will have something for them. I have purchased several paintings from the few remaining art galleries on the Island. They adorn my walls and guests seem to enjoy their beauty. Balboa Bars always are a treat, do you favor one shop over the other? Is it just who has the shortest line, or is loyalty to one? With really no difference between the products, whom do you choose. I always like to watch the several letter carriers roaming about, I used to be one, and door slots and steps up, small mailboxes and turnover of residents, makes me admire them. I know what a difficult job they do. We have friends who used to live on Carnation, what a pleasure to have parking during the Boat Parade at Christmas. Or know the bartenders at The Village Inn. Continue to enjoy this always, parking is getting a rougher these days as others discover the island charm.

Great food and scenery. fantastic weather. Everyone must try a frozen banana dipped in chocolate. A great place to stay with the family or a group of freinds.

A California coastal classic, and looking like a postcard on most days. No longer a secret, the area is swarmed with visitors and parking can be tough.

Love this wonderful sweet island in Newport Beach. We took the Balboa ferry over to the island and drove to Marine Ave., which is all shops and little resturants what a fun filled day.

We enjoyed taking the ferry over for $1 and walking around. Very reasonable boat ride to show you around the harbor.

Fun to look at all the beautiful houses and admire the presentation. Shopping is nonexistent really only tourist stuff. Pay ahead street and lot parking everywhere.

Very Commercial but fun. The beach is pretty. We rented bikes and it was a pleasurable ride. The people are friendly and it's fun to watch the surfers.

Balboa Island has been a must see place for a long time. Although there has been much mansion-ization one can still see homes and businesses that reflect the mid 50's/60's which gave the island distinction

We were lucky enough to spend a few nights at a friends house in Balboa Island and it was the highlight of our trip to USA and Mexico. The island is beautiful and you can walk or ride bikes all over the island and enjoy the scenery. Easy access to mainland and ferry across to Newport Beach Peninsula where there is plenty more to do. Just a wonderful place to visit.

Been living in LA for 30 yrs but I still love to visit Balboa beach. A lot of activity that we can do at balboa beach. But the bad part is the parking is always bad

This is the best place to walk around and eat and shop in Newport Beach. There aren't too many places where you can enjoy a leisurely walk and then grab a bit (either a quick one or at a nice restaurant) and then do some shopping! I love to walk around the whole island on the boardwalk, grab a coffee and sit on a bench and people watch.

I'd not been back to Balboa Island for a few years until recently. Parking can be a challenge (look online before heading there and find places to park). It's just a fun place to walk around and enjoy the boats, homes, stores, food, and overall atmosphere. There are many shops you can go into and browse. The chocolate covered bananas are wonderful and there are many places to get food. Take the ferry across the bay ($1.25 each way) and then walk over to the beach and pier. It's just a fun place with a nice vibe. Be aware that there are all the COVID restrictions in place right now so be prepared to wear a mask and social distance appropriately. It wasn't crowded on a weekday morning so that was a plus.

Cute island that you can walk around and look at all of the interesting houses and boats. There is a main street with shops and restaurants. You can take the ferry over from Balboa, I would recommend this on the weekend because parking on the island is very limited. There ferry is just a short ride and runs constantly.

This is by far the best sand beach we’ve visited in California when it comes to swimming and sitting by the ocean. We’ve been to the beautiful cliffs overlooking the ocean and those were awesome as well, but some of the other Southern California sand beaches have been less than the best. We are from Florida, so our standards are pretty high.
We found it to be clean and beautiful. It wasn’t overly crowded on a weekday and parking was easy to access. We crossed over to it in our Jeep on the Balboa ferry which as quick and easy.
Dogs were welcome throughout the island and also on the beach during specific hours.
Plenty of restaurants and shopping within an easy walking distance if you’re in the village shopping district. Driving back out on the Pacific Hwy takes you past beautiful bungalows and colorful homes as well as the Marina.
Lots of things to do to fill up a day.

Popped onto the island on our way to see the infamous Wedge jetty area. Balboa Island is beautiful. Houses are well kept and there are boats everywhere to look at. We enjoyed our brief stay on the island

It’s a good area to visit if we drive along Pacific Coast Highway and Balboa Island visit is a must to enjoy the scenery on the island where there are a lot of nice and beautiful houses

Never really get tired of visiting Balboa Island...moved to California in 1971...had a friend who rented a place there for a week...it's like being in "beach heaven" during the week when tourists are not as plentiful. But even on weekends we can always find a place to park, get out of the car, and walk on the sidewalks bordering the beautiful Newport Beach Harbor. You can even take the Ferry across for a dollar and hang out at Newport Beach fun zone...and then return at your convenience...take your bike or car across if you like...just beware of crowds and long lines during summer, spring, and fall...oh yea...winter is pretty special too!!!!

A fun,laid back place with Awesome shopping, great restaurants, museum is a must, fun facts!, Original place for dipped banana..the houses are just amazing and fun to look take a peek at fine California living.

A friend invited me to take a walk on a Sunday morning on the island. We went early started from the little commercial center. Had coffee and tea. Walked for an hour at round the residential area. Lovely place to see all the water front properties. Very enjoyable !

We took our bikes across on the ferry and cycled all around Balboa Island. Stunning place, I could easily live in this beautiful environment. The houses were all simply amazing with the most perfect views of the sea and marina. Loved the Main Street with great shops, cafes and restaurants..everything you need in one perfect place!!

Breathe the fresh air and wear your walking shoes or sandals! This cute island offers a ton of shops, coffee and restaurants. If you take the ferry, right as you get off, there’s a chocolate strawberry stand. Those are literally the best strawberries I have ever had, make sure you try them!! We enjoy walking through the neighborhoods and looking at houses and vegetation (probably because we live in the desert and it’s mesmerizing to us). Support small businesses and enjoy!!

Enjoyed the annual Holiday Boat parade, watching the boats from the bridge that leads to the island as that is their turn around point so you see them from both sides of the bridge. So fun and amazing how much people really go ALL OUT for the boat decorations. Equally as enjoyable is walking around the island and seeing the beautifully decorated homes.... They are incredible.

We took the little ferry to the island, walked around, went in a few shops,a lovely relaxing Sunday afternoon.

The beach homes are beautiful, a lot had signs that they were vacation rentals. What a great place to vacation, I'd love to rent one of these homes.

Spent a morning here in November. Originally planned just breakfast, but quickly realized what a jewel I found.

Take a walk along the waterfront with the houses facing the ocean. Viewing the houses is even better than viewing the water.

Balboa Island is a great place to window shop for souvenirs and beachy gifts or walk the streets of darling beach houses. The island has lots of charm. Take the ferry out to the Peninsula from the island...a really short but fun ride.

A friend recommended that we visit Balboa Island while we were in the Newport area. We found an easy access to the island by a bridge that leads you to scenic beach views, coastal vacation homes, speciality shops and a few local restaurants. We parked in a residential area and enjoyed our walk viewing spring flowers and views of the beach on our way to the main shopping area. Purchased a couple bottles of Meyer and Sicilian lemon oil and vinegar from "Olive Oil and Beyond". Owner is very friendly and proud of his authentic quality products. Looking forward to enjoying spring and summer salads topped with this oil and vinegar dressing from Balboa Island. Glad we stopped to visit this quaint island.

The houses were so beautifully decorated. Visitors were coming specially to take pictures and see the decorations. The boats were decorated as well. The lights were amazing in the evening.

Balboa Island is beautiful. The Fun Zone is not fun. It is old, ran down. Hard to find anything exciting about it. We had visitors from Minnesota who had a pre-teen and a teenager. We had 3 teenagers (16/17). Nothing there for those guys. They did try the Ferris wheel but it was a joke. I guess you get what you pay for. Balboa Island can do better that this.

Save for the traffic and parking headaches that have always been part of the Island experience don't miss a chance to eat, shop and explore here.. Frozen Bananas and Balboa Bars are just some of the goodies waiting for you..

My mom, myself, my son and daughter just decided to get out of the house and take a drive a month or so ago. I remembered Baloboa Island down in Newport Beach and had not been there in many years. So, that's where we went. You follow the signs down the residential little street, and you will see the entrance to the fairy boat straight ahead of you. Pull up to the stopping point, (be prepaired to hand them the $5.00 cash) for getting you to the other side lol. When it is time for you to load- you will simply pull your vehicle forward onto the actual fairy boat until they tell you to stop. Place your vehicle in Park (you can turn the car off, or just simply place it in the park position, leave it running if you 'd rather, and enjoy the simple, short, but very pleasant smoothe ride across to the other side. There is a parking lot right there as you exit and they have the instructions for paying the parking fee on the light pole. You will need to either call or doownload an App on your phone first. Once that's done, you will be able to choose your length of time and options as well as paying options. The App will even keep track of time for you and alert you via your phone .
Everything is pretty much closing around 9:00pm (even though the bars are open of course). But there are places to sit and just enjoy the views. Smaller places with a variety of snacks and drinks and such. We actually had a simple, but relaxing and enjoyable evening and got out of the house for a bit. I recommend it for all ages.

Amazing little island with cute shops and good food. Rent a house for the week to really dig in. CN take the ferry over to the peninsula too!

We walked around the town having taken the ferry across. Beautiful homes and cute little shops. Stop in for ice cream or a chocolate covered banana. Nice change of pace. The beach is not far and there are many boat tours one can take. Would definitely be a nice weekend getaway from LA.

I went there first in 1940 with my family, thanks to my dad. I'm now in my 80's, and my brother, sister, and I went with our children, and now all of us have a yearly reunion with ourkids and grandkids. Ride the ferry. Shop the cute stores, Eat, especially Dad's Balboa Bar, a Must! Good doughnuts there, too. Walk all over the main island and cross over the bridge canal to the smaller part. Have fun on the beach, any beach. They are open to all. Rent a standup paddleboard or a kayak. Go to the little museum and learn how the island was created. Rent bikes. On the peninsula side take a boat for the day to Catalina. Take a narrated boat tour of the bay. Rent a Duffy boat or a speedboat or a jetski. Take a dinner cruise. Eat at the Crab Cooker. Eat at the Pavilion and learn its history. Eat appetizers at Newport Landing. Take a gondola ride. Go deep sea fishing. Go boogie boarding in the ocean. Eat on the pier at Ruby's That said, parking and traffic are horrendous on weekends and sometimes difficult on weekdays.
Don't miss the Pageant of the Masters in nearby Laguna in July.

This is a very cute place to visit. Quaint and chill. A perfect place to spend a Sunday morning for early breakfast, brunch or coffee. Great photo opps too!

We took a cab from our hotel to here to venture out. Was a nice day and walked all around the town. Took the ferry to the other side and ventured there as well. Great shops, restaurants to enjoy while there.

Quaint little town with lots of specialty shops. They have a great little bakery with the best pastries. Kind of reminded me of Amity Island in the movie "Jaws".

Go to other streets nearby which are usually crowded by others seeking to take this great shortcut to the beach on the peninsula and pier!

This place is pure heaven! The shops, restaurants and beach are perfect is every way! The locals are friendly and helpful. Whether you want a nice day trip or to spend some nights on vacation, I highly recommend this area. Take the ferry over for the day and enjoy all this spot has to offer! You can rent bikes and they also ha e Segway tours. We ate at Ruby’s at the end of the pier and it was great!

Very nice walk around the island. The homes are gorgeous and everyone was very nice. We walked the entire island before having lunch and then taking the ferry back.

My friend and I really enjoyed our day time visit to this picturesque island. Great place to stroll around, go to the beach, eat/drink and shop! Loved every minute of it!

What is not to love about Balboa Island? There are so many cute shops and restaurants to explore! You can take a stroll around the outside of the island and look at all of the houses and boats! You definitely cannot miss out on having a chocolate covered banana famous to Balboa Island! There is some street parking available on the island if you are lucky! If not, you can park or short way off the island and walk over on the small bridge. As you are driving toward Balboa Island from the PCH, don't miss the beautiful view of all of Newport Harbor as you drive down the hill!

This island helps prove that some stereotypes of Southern California are absolutely true. The place is beautiful, surrounded by water, with great shops and restaurants and real estate that is completely unaffordable! To make matters even more stereotypical, when we were there the fireman were doing an exercise routine which involved them doing push-ups in the middle of the road without shirts on. You just can't make this stuff up!

I live on Balboa Island and have for nearly 30 years. I always marvel at the view it is other than a wonderful place to live. However, it is exactly that. Balboa Island is an amazing destination. There are so many things to do, including just having a seat and relaxing on one of the many benches available on the walkway around the Island between the Boats and the Homes. I have traveled a good bit of the World and I am always glad to come home to Balboa Island. Enjoy your walk.

The island is stunning with so many great houses to see. It’s very unique and I would call it a must see. However, there was not a lot to do or places to eat along the way. The walk was very enjoyable and everything was very well kept.

The is a real throwback to the old time American small community. It has one main street with a few small restaurants and quite a few boutique shops.

Great for a relaxing morning for brunch even in the winter.

Balboa Island is not large. It will get busy on the weekends, holidays and over the summer. And when I say busy, I mean packed with people. Parking on the main island is limited. There is basically street parking on the commercial strip then street parking among the closely packed and very cute homes. Wear good shoes. You can easily walk the strip, grab a meal and an ice cream, and by doing so have an enjoyable outing. The more ambitious can walk the island and check out the beautiful location or perhaps rent a bike. Consider a taxi or Uber on busy days. Lastly, bring a few layers as BI's coastal location can result in unpredictable weather.

Wonderful place to simply stroll, or to shop and stop for something to eat/drink. Don't miss the Museum, as it tells the story of this little island from the very time, 100+ years ago, when was developed from a sandbar to the charming village it has become. There's almost always something going on ... but it's also just a unique location for walking along the boardwalk, maybe stopping at one of the many benches, and simply enjoying the views.

I love to walk the island and soak it all in--the sun, the site and smell of the ocean water, the quaint shops and restaurants, the flowers surrounding the homes and the extravagance of the homes themselves. Makes for a fun day. Enjoy the beauty the island has to offer.

We enjoyed an entire day here during a trip to the Newport Beach area and were so impressed! This little scenic hamlet offers excellent dining and shopping and some amazing views! The dining options range from Mexican to seafood to Italian to burgers to hot dogs, etc. The shops are all locally owned, NO CHAINS! You will find some really high quality merchandise instead of the usual cheap souvenirs. Marine Avenue is the main drag with all these awesome things to see and do. If you are adventurous, try the “frozen bananas” available at several of the stands along the way. Be aware that parking can be challenging, so arrive as early as possible to get the best location.

Great time to be with your family members and friends with amazing atmosphere.
Kids may play on sand or on the grass

Best place to walk & enjoy shops or quaint restaurants. Great place to rent a beach cottage for a weekend, week or holiday. You can walk or get around on a bicycle. Try to rent a Duffy boat while your there, it’s an electric boat that you can enjoy for cruising all around the Newport Harbor. I’ve lived here most of my life & we always take friends here & on a a Duffy boat cruise & it’s the highlight of their trip.

I enjoyed walking around the island. Most of the shops and restaurants were grouped in one area so it made it easy to look around in half a day.

Beautiful island, very upscale, beautiful beach and little shops to walk around. Frozen chocolate banana with your favorite topping and vanilla ice cream with chocolate covering freshly made sold in two famous stores Dad donuts and Sugar n Spice, don't miss to try them out.

Quintessential Southern California at it best. Great restaurants. Great ferry rides and hectic inclusive setting to while away the hours on a gorgeous summer afternoon.

Adorable little plaxe with streets of charming houses. A street of shops, few restaurants. You may ferry over, a 5 minute ride or drive. The ferry can only manage 3 cars at a time. The fare with car and 2 passengers was $4.50

Stop at one of the great restaurants for wine, grab a frozen banana and poke into the shops. Too many of the clothing stores have cheap items but the olive oil store and Art for the Soul shouldn’t be missed.

Balboa Island

Newport Beach

Balboa Island...Ahhhhh so relaxing!

We stumbled onto Balboa Island years ago after a trip to Newport Beach. This is just one of the coolest places we've ever been to. Balboa Island, which celebrated it's centennial in 2016, is a man made island that is full of little cottages and magnificent water front homes.

Unless you have a lot of money, it's likely you'll be like us and only wish you can live here. I doubt you could buy anything for less then $2,000,000. Balboa Island is one of the most expensive real estate markets in North America outside of Lower Manhattan. A two-bedroom house with a water view from the living room can cost about $3 million.The perimeter of the island along the Bayfront is dotted with piers for the homeowners' boats. Interior new construction sells for 4 million. Bay fronts range from 3.5 million - 9 million.

But definitely go visit! The main street is Marine Ave. Marine is dotted with little shops and restaurants. Have a frozen banana at one of 2 shops that have been there for generations. The walk around the island in about 2.5 miles. Its a great stroll which we find very relaxing and very enjoyable.

Thee are 2 ways to get on the island. There is a small bridge or...our favorite is the ferry! I've written about the ferry before.

Be sure to catch the car show at the Fun Zone every Sunday morning!

As they subject says just beautiful.! Fun zone for the kids and restaurants a plenty.Walk straight of the ferry to get to Newport Beach & Ruby’s dinner at the end of the pier.👍🏻

If you are into walking it is great. Not much parking, we walked down from Marriott and Uber back. Quaint shops and restaurants. If you do not like to walk, recommend skipping this venue

Balboa Island is unique as there is a sidewalk that goes all of the way around the island so you can see boats, docks, water, beach and friendly people walking with you. It’s about a mile to walk around Balboa Island. And it’s always enjoyable to be accompanied by a Frozen Banana dipped in chocolate and nuts! It can be purchased on Main Street!

An original village along the coast of So Cal, this is a great spot to see what Newport of old was like.

Balboa is mentioned in every Orange „What to do” - but personally I am not aware of a single reason to go there. 1/4 miles of „promenade” with some lousy boutiques and even worse restaurants. Most of the food places close before 9 pm (even on Sat evening). On top of that parking there is a problem and if traffic is heavy - You can spend a lot of time just to get in and out. Choose other locations to walk/ eat & shop in Orange! :)

I love coming to this Island. The shopping and ambiance is great. so many of the boutiques have very reasonable pricing, and very unique product. We went on the Art Walk, which was very fun and a good day to enjoy our stay.

We visited Balboa Island this Easter break . Lots to do there. We rented a boat for an hour , packed lunch and made it a picnic on the ocean . Pizza from New York Pizza were delicious. We lived taking the ferry to the island. Just $4. A quick trip, but fun. The little stores around the island are so cute and not too expensive. People here are warm and friendly. The various out door cafes are cute and have plenty of delicious options for anyone. The pier and the beach was not crowded at all . We loved it.

I felt like the whole island was a movie set. The houses are close together, the streets are narrow and everything is clean. The main street was cute, quaint and friendly.

The town is very historic and the beach is very long. There are numerous activities on the beach with people playing football, basketball and persons were fishing on the pier. There is parking and public bathrooms. The beach also has a bike trail.

Nice walk along where all the boats are docked. Lots of restaurants and stores/boutiques. Very enjoyable.

Beautiful island with lovely shops and restaurants, a definite must visit if you are in the area. Would highly recommend eating in Wilma’s restaurant for breakfast or evening meals.

We went about 9am, and could not find any parking. We drove thru the main drag and then back out. Lots of people were there enjoying the food and stores, so I gave it a average...bad for us, good for others

Balboa Island is an interesting place. It seems like a regular city type place until you get to the town center. It is a quaint little town with shops and restaurants to make almost everyone happy. I enjoyed it, although our trip was a quick one. Beaches were spectacular at sunset.

Nice beach walk and kids ride bike safely. Well decorated for holidays. Parking is tough. Recommend ferry ride and popcorn

Would highly recommend this island to all. The walk down the street savoring the frozen banana and Balboa icecream bar is amazing. The street is full of pretty stores. Further down the walk to the ferry you will come across the prettiest houses ever. The ferry itself is a short one. Across the ferry there is a fun zone and also the beach. All in all a perfect day is garanteed.

Balboa Island is like a "time capsule". The small houses with their tiny yards and verandas are beautiful to walk by. The main street is still complete with houses that look like they were taken out of a western from years gone by. There are nice restaurants, and small artists shops. The whole "feel" of this place is laid back.

Love this little place in Newport. Narrow streets and shops and homes and a ferry to take you across. You can just sit back and watch the pelicans for hours

We rode the ferry over in the evening and then wandered the lovely neighborhood on our way to get a frozen banana. The area was beautiful!

This quaint little island, has both the shops and homes of some of Orange county's wealthiest people.

We stay in the keys quite ab it and Balboa island is very close with its small shops and great restaurants

We had a wander here after going whale watching. We had a nice walk and enjoyed watching a game of rugby! The pier was great. We saw a whale diving down .
Amazing! Also saw dolphins and a sea lion stealing a fish from a fisherman's rod!

It was so nice to go here. My husband and I use to hang out here when we lived down 22 years ago. It is still so nice as it use to be.

1. "Balboa Island" is actually two islands, one 1.75 miles around and one about .9 miles. They are the only islands in Newport Beach with a public sidewalk all the way around each. Walk the sidewalks and enjoy looking at the houses and boats.
2. Parking is tough. Consider parking on Bayside Dr and walking over the bridge. Then stroll the perimeter of both islands.
3. No trip to BI is complete without a frozen banana or Balboa Bar. BOTH Sugar & Spice and Dad's sell GREAT ice cream. Dad's has cookies and donuts.
4. Ride the ferry over to the "Fun Zone."
5. Enjoy a meal. There are several fine restaurants. You can't go wrong.
6. Understand that if you rent a bike, you can't ride it on the sidewalks.

What a beautiful place! The shops and restaurants along the main street onto the island are delightful. If you're close enough to walk or bicycle onto the island, you won't have to look for a place to park. That can be tricky depending on when you visit.

Very friendly. Beautiful waterfront paths to walk along. Good restaurants and local shops. Enjoyed the atmosphere.

We road the little ferry over to the island, it was very fun. We decided to walk the full loop of the island and the homes were amazing! We stopped halfway and had lunch, it was one of the best days of our trip.

We love visiting this island again and again for it's small-town, "beachy" feel. It's easy to walk around the entire island with water on one side and great homes to look at on the other. The main street has cute shops and great places to eat. I recommend it for a fun afternoon or evening.

We took the ferry ride over to balboa island on our bikes. We were able to ride our bikes onto the ferry and explore the island ($1.25/pp). The shops are amazing and there are plenty of restaurants to choose from. The ice cream and chocolate covered bananas seemed to be a favorite to everyone although, I did not try them. Overall, this is a cute little shopping and dining spot, not much for kids to do, but recommend you try it. On the way back, the kids were able to ride the Ferris wheel and rock climbing wall up a palm tree. This is definitely a must try. I probably would not take my kids again, but would do this with adults.

Quaint neighborhood with bay views and cute luxury homes. Several shops and some restaurants are on the main street as well as public restrooms. Strolling on the walkways along the canals day or night is very relaxing. Holiday season here is especially beautiful with lots of lights and decorations. Parking is very difficult so get here very early. Recommended.

Have gone here for years and years--with family, friends, houseguests. After not being here for a few months I took a houseguest to have lunch and shop a bit. What a disappointment. In just a short time so many of the good places are gone--either replaced by businesses with junk, or ones you know won't be there by summer--or are just empty. Even trying to find a decent place to have lunch was a mistake. Most restaurants weren't open or were empty. Our choice of a place was sadly a mistake as well. And this was a Saturday. I'll skip the once favored little street with the next houseguest.

I ran through this area on a business trip and then went back to enjoy. It's very charming, authentic CA beach town. Lots of places to eat, shop, and a nice path along the water. Highly recommend stopping and strolling on your way through.

We hiked down the beach from lido hotel. And took the fairy. We spend a few hours here. Ate wonderful Italian food and fairy home.

My Dad worked at the Post Office here during my childhood. My sister and I spent many happy days exploring the island and visiting my Dad's friends. It seems pretty much the same, although many of the businesses have turned over. And many beach cottages have been upgraded to something much grander. But yet, the quaint vibe of luxury (not trying too hard) seems to have survived.

It was our first time going to Balboa Island. We decided to take a day trip for whale watching which was fantastic, then we walked around and looked at all the shops as well as had a delicious lunch at a local Mexican restaurant. There was a lot of things to do activities shopping and many good restaurants. You can have the option of taking the the ferry over by walking or driving your car. We went by car and paid parking at the Beach area. I will definitely go again for another day trip even if we don't do whale watching we'll go in the summertime and enjoy the beach.

This is fantastic small island reached by the short $1 ferry, fantastic views, beach, wonderful shops and restaurants, lovely village atmosphere unique individual houses.

Small island of coast accessible by bridge and Ferry in Newpart, Ca. Shops, beach, cafes, coffee, snack, beautiful homes and rentals with a 50s east coast flair! Very relaxing and familiar feeling. Worth the visit!

What a summer carnival setting here with amusement park rides and all kinds of summer fair festival food and souvenir shops.
Just an all time fun place to stroll through the shops and watch the fun happening here.

This area is very relaxing and fun to go walking or biking. The area has a lot of little shops and restaurants.

Enjoy Ruby Beach from North Bay front homes and some of the largest docks on Balboa Island. Best summer sunsets over Harbor Island and prime seats during the 4th of July fireworks. A wonderful island to relax and enjoy the ocean breeze.

I was really impressed with the organization of Davey’s Locker harbor cruises to see the holiday lights. It is a well run operation and the staff, crew and vessels are all top notch.

I appreciated their advice via my email confirmation regarding parking. We parked at the Edgewater Garage which has valet and is covered. I was worried they would be full by our late afternoon arrival, but they weren’t. They are very close to Davey’s Locker and were very helpful in telling me how to get there. So thanks to Davey’s Locker for that small tidbit of advice, as it made our visit much easier.

Our cruise was on the Ocean Explorer and the max amount of guests per cruise is 102 for that vessel per a crew member I asked. It’s a big boat and had a comfortable crowd. We met both really nice people and people who need lessons in politeness during our cruise. The crew was great at all times...I’m referring to my fellow passengers. Some were out and out rude. Really, no one is more entitled than any one else, but some people sure acted like it.

The only suggestion I would have for Davey’s is a new playlist of Christmas songs that plays as you cruise. It’s a nice idea and one I wasn’t expecting, but includes way too many Country selections and some songs that were downright sad and close to depressing. With all the Christmas music out there I think they should revamp it a bit.

Overall this was a fun experience and one I would do again snd encourage others to experience. If you go, the best views will be on the right side facing the front of the boat. You are free to move around during the cruise, but I noticed this side seemed to have the best views throughout. Also, don’t forget to put money in their tip bowl as you disembark!

Winter is the best time to go and walk the streets of this charming beach community. Lots of fun shops, eateries with a couple of carnival rides.

I read that Balboa Island is the second most expensive real estate market in the U.S. after Manhattan. Walking around, it seems obvious. There are lush, expansive homes thanks to the great wether and a lot of water front since it's two small man-made islands. We spent a couple hours just walking the perimeter of the island and visiting the main area which is just across the bridge from the mainland. Parking is probably going to be a problem if you come at a prime time so good luck :) You can park on Balboa Peninsula or the mainland and ferry or walk over. It's a great way to spend a morning or later afternoon (avoiding the crush of midday)..

Balboa Island has been a mainstay within the city of Newport Beach and today it remains as one of the top attractions in the city.
The Island is between the Balboa Peninsula and the main Balboa Island and has a very small car Ferry connecting the two. This Balboa Ferry carries only 2 cars; many passengers and a great deal of bikes from early morning till late at night! When you cross on a weekend day the ferry is crisscrossed by many small boats and many large sailboats.
This is a man-made island yet it now affords a great time for shopping; walking; jogging or simply finding a great restaurant to enjoy a great breakfast; lunch or dinner.
If you are in Newport Beach don’t miss out on the true flavor of visiting Balboa Island. You will not be disappointed.

There is one Main Street which has different shops and restaurants one of the specialties is frozen bananas with different toppings
Beautiful water surrounding island
Cute houses on the island. Fun to walk around.

What a nice little island with it's own charm. This island is definitely worth checking out. Plan to walk around since traffic getting here is a not great.

We came during Christmas. We unfortunately missed the Christmas Boat Parade (which is the highlight of holiday season)..but we were able to walk around and see all of the beautiful houses who went all out on decorating. Apparently that is one of the big attractions for the island. They even have boat tours to see all of the decorations on the houses.

The main road on the island is where all of the shops and restaurants are. It's not huge and each place has it's own appeal.

We stayed at the Balboa Bay Resort two miles away and just walked here. Its a 40 minute hike but doable and worth it if it is a nice day outside.

This place is a must see if coming to Newport! We will definitely be back

Small place but nice to visit. Lots of boats to look at. The small streets are busy with traffic, but we readily found a space to park when we visited on a week day. Not sure what’s its like on a weekend. There is a main street of small shops and restaurants. You can always take the ferry over to the sandy Newport beaches if you want to take it easy. It doesn’t cost much money.

Great place to walk, exercise and get to visit local shops and restaurants. Don't forget to visit adjacent Little balboa Island while you are there.

Take the ferry from the island to the peninsula. That way you get your family out on the water for a few minutes and it’s really cheap :)

Had a lovely time at the street festival this past Sunday. Was enjoyable walking around, tasting food from specific vendors, and partaking in the raffle they had going!

We took the ferry across and walked around the island. There is a walking path that goes around the entire island.

There are a few shops and restaurants, but the place is mainly crammed with houses.

We took a nice boat nice over there. Then, we saw many beautiful houses. It was fun shopping too. It took all day but went fast.

Kids enjoyed the activities which included renting bikes and taking in the scenery. Food at a fair price all things considered. Ample parking that was dirt cheap.

Great place for a side trip during a business meeting. Great shops and places to eat. Laid back and relaxed area with great people.

Took the ferry from Newport Beach to Balboa with our cruisers. Super quaint main shopping and food strip next to the bridge over to the mainland. It felt like we stepped back in time. Although there was one coffee chain there, most of the boutiques and food/restaurant offerings were unique and local. Definitely an older crowd on this island. Cruised around on our cruisers. Architecture is very different than that of Newport Beach. A different world altogether. No other people on bicycles but lots of cars with older drivers. We would probably just take the ferry next time and walk around the island. A lovely way to spend a few hours.

We visited during an evening so everything was pretty dead, but we enjoyed walking along the waterfront and peeking into the beautiful homes nearby. We made our way into the seemingly center of town where there were restaurants, shops, and balboa bar shops! It was a really low-key way to hangout with friends. It may be different during the day, but I liked visiting in the evening so we could enjoy the streets to ourselves.

Quaint small town full of shops, restaurants, bake and candy shops trinkets, clothes and more. Just a fun pretty area to spend an afternoon or night.

Great place to visit. Great food, both light and expensive. Prefect place to get in your steps. 2.6 miles of walk way on the island that is all on the water and the island. You can catch the Ferry to the beach from Balboa Island as part of the your 2.6 mile walk.

Unique tourist shops,etc. Limited parking, I’d advise going during the week rather than the weekend if possible.

Right on the water, separated from the open Pacific by a thin peninsula, this small island can be accessed by a single bridge. Its 3-4 streets are crammed by shops, small stores, restaurants, bars, museums , a couple of chapels, etc. The best way to see it is on foot, wandering around while enjoying an ice cream and settling down for snacks or a full meal. Several excellent restaurants call the island home.

Take the 10 minute ferry ride, it's fun! If it's a weekday, drive your car onto the ferry, it's almost as cheap as walking, and you'll have plenty of parking on Balboa Island. Also, it's a LONG walk from the ferry to the shopping/restaurant district. The architecture is quaint and there's a definite laid back vibe.

Balboa Island is a real nice area for family or couples. We came here a couple of times. Walking through the streets where are the shops are is great. We had breakfast here one morning at Wilma's Patio ( a little overpriced) and my family did some shopping in the little boutiques which were very reasonably priced. The Balboa Candy store was GREAT and there's also a Starbucks and a Frozen Banana place. Many stores to shop at. Across the bay by ferry is a small amusement park with a small boardwalk and more of the similar shops. We ate dinner here one night at the Harborside Restaurant. We were there a little early for the summer season but most places were open. There's also a pier and a large beach with several bars and shops. It kind of reminded me of the villages along the Jersey Shore. Good place to visit.

A wonderful place to stroll, shop and eat ... whether it's a full meal or just a frozen banana. Unique among the islands, Balboa Island offers strollers a pedestrian walkway that circles both the big and little islands. The walkway, about 2.8 miles in total, comes with lots of benches where you can watch the boats or simply sip a cup of coffee. Marine Ave is the heart of the shopping and eating area, with the charming chapel at St John Vianney. But much of the joy of Balboa Island is to be found by walking the residential streets and experiencing the sense of welcoming calm that seems to radiate from the homes and cottages. Narrow streets, but that adds to the sense of village charm.

Wonderful
Clean safe spot to live a pedestrian life , walking to anything you want, morning stroll, dining, beach, ferry, paddle, dining, gourmet market, exercise , boating, sunsets -it’s all here. Weather great, people nice, dining yummy , all
A few miles from
OC airport, fashion island shopping, CDM and crystal
Cove. Fun to experience again after so many years . It is zero
Property line, dense living and some
Construction..so it won’t be noise free as the island boasts many vacation rentals . Views of the tony strand homes and big yachts, beautiful landscapes .. wow
Water fairly clean, humid. Check out lido isle and the village of lido as well. Seems to be even higher end if that’s possible.

My family and I got an airbnv and enjoyed out time on balboa Island. It's so peaceful, quiet, and clean

We thought the ocean side of the island was beautiful. Great parking availability and clean restroom facilities. The harbor side of the island is cheap looking and feels seedy. The shops have cheap clothes and the food caters to the amusement park crowd. I was a little surprised for the Newport Beach area.

Cute and classy small beach houses I love the area! nice beach there was an amazing restaurant in the area called mama Ds

First time to visit this place, sad to say the shops are closed bec its thanksgiving day. Its a quaint little island with small boutiques. Nice place to just walk leisurely and enjoy the peaceful environment. Highly recommended for family vacation.

A very cute small place to go and walk, excellent to go shopping. They have really amazing clothes and accessories. There is a place that sells jewelry with natural stones that the owner make them herself beautifully. The frozen banana is the best treat for yourself.. they said it’s originally from there. And a small bakery with delicious pastries (she closes at 2pm) so if you want to try them arrive before that time..

this island is a hidden gem. the food options are amazing. we loved everywhere we went. we stayed at the Hyatt and could walk down to the island. parking is a problem during the day but later in the evening the parking gets better.

If you have kids and wants to enjoy a nice day with your kids, you need to visit the Kids games and arcade in the balboa island.

Its a unique place, a small mainstreet of boutiques and shops on an island. If you drive, realize that parking is almost non-existent. Better to take the ferry. I'm not sure its worth a repeat trip. The streets are very narrow. Nice people, just not sure its worth the hype

Definitely a cool place to see. It’s been built up a ton in the last 20 years, and gone from being more like Venice with funky people and funky buildings to more mainstream and nice bars and restaurants. The “wedge” at the pier can get big waves and bring out the surfers and skimmers. Enjoy

This is the quintessential walk to take on a sparkling winter day. We left from the RV park at the Back Bay and walked over the bridge to Balboa Island in a group of about 23 people. we stopped and snapped pictures,as we entered the island,of the lovely boats and houses.

We enjoyed peeking in the windows of the businesses along the main street and proceeded to the end of that main street. We turned right and viewed all the beautiful Bayside houses with their colorful flowers. After eight blocks we took the ferry over to the peninsula and enjoyed the long walk towards the wedge to view the surfers. Don’t miss this in the fall or winter. I suspect during the summer there’s hardly room for anyone to walk on the sidewalks. Not to be missed.

drive across the little bridge and your on Balboa Island, a community of tightly packed small and very expensive houses which are all interesting in their own right but very impressive as a collection. Whether on the waterside or 2 blocks inward the houses are worth seeing, as is the ambiance and the way people have adapted to a small, expensive island with wonderful views of the harbor and adjacent cliffs.

Other than too many frozen banana stands, and a pretty good juice bar, this place would be better skipped. I'd stop along the coast highway at any of the beaches or up to the top of the hills and hike alta laguna park (not that far down the road).

We spent a lovely day here. The island can be accessed via ferry, car, or walking bridge. It includes a main "drag" which is packed with lots of great little shops and eateries. The views of the marina and beach are just beautiful and of course, all this is set in the perfect California climate.
Plan to come to stroll the shops and waterfront and enjoy a meal or a snack from the many eateries.

Such a fun place! Great shopping, wonderful restaurants, and a block from the beach. Fabulous walking while a step from the beach, plus, great people watching. Take your dog, they’re always welcome.

We spent a few hours just wandering around from shop to shop. There are several places to eat, enjoy snacks are just shop with local vendors. Plenty of street parking and every shop we visited was very welcoming.

Heard so much about Balboa Island. However, it is very crowded limited in view. If shopping there is the main street with shops and eateries. Was not overly impressed.

Balboa Island is a very nice area that you can drive around or go for a nice long walk. It is very quaint. Not a must see but nice. Have a frozen banana.

As a teenager, my friends and I would look forward to buying our bikinis at shops on the Island. Now, (25 yrs later) certain shops have continued to maintain their charm without
sacrificing trends. Just Basics has been a mainstay for fashionistas and has been there for over 20 years! Debbie and Sue are very helpful in making your selections! Etc Etc has been there for 30 yrs and always has something you must have to add to your closet! Island Home is a treasure with something for everyone’s home and free and beautiful gift wrapping!
The restaurants are excellent and of course the Cali vibe is alive on the Island! Please keep the original and casual beach charm of this iconic place—don’t give in to modern architecture!

We had a nice afternoon walking around balboa island. The car ferry is a great experience and the little
Village is great with some great stores. The chocolate banana is a balboa island essential.

I have been coming here since I was a kid and we decided to walk over from the RV park for breakfast. Walking is the best way to visit the place (or Uber) because there is little parking in the summer. We had a nice breakfast and a pleasant walk around the area. There are some nice, if expensive shops. It is much quieter here now than when I was a teenager when it was wild! We noticed a few things that they need to work on..a couple of striped rusty bikes we partially blocking the sidewalk. The city needs to cut them off and toss them before someone trips on them. Nice place to spend a day..or less.

It is very difficult to find parking, we'll grant you that. But... it's really worth checking out this beautiful little island. Best time would NOT be on a weekend... it's too busy and crowded then. Go mid-week and stroll around, taking in the bay views and nice restaurants/shops.

An unusual island. Basically for locals and tourists shopping or eating. Charming and wonderful shop owners. Had a wonderful afternoon. Worth the time.

Sweet little island that you can walk around and see the beauty of the water and the mountains in the distance. Some lovely homes to look at. Wonderful Main Street area shops and restaurants.

Charming island. Cute shops on the Main Street. Beautiful to walk everywhere looking at the amazing houses and boats on the Bay. A challenge to park though!

We took the ferry, walked along the waterline and "Ooooh" and "Aaaah" 'd to the nice home along the walk path. When we finally made it to the only main drag with shops and restaurants, we picked the Italian restaurant ("Ciao"). The food was very good, if a little pricey but portions were huge and we were all stuffed to the gills and had plenty to take home.

All in all, a pleasant day out while on vacation in Newport Beach, CA

Balboa Island is one of my favorite places in all of Orange County! The boardwalk is the perfect walk for young ones (it’s about 1.5 miles from start to finish) and has so much natural beauty. You may see seals perched on a boat sunning their brown bodies and different wildlife in the sea. There are an abundance of shops and restaurants on the Main Street for all ages. Take the ferry across to the Balboa Fun Zone or even one of the many restaurants. Great Mex has some of the BEST Mexican in the area too! The beaches on balboa aren’t as expansive as across the ferry, but Ruby beach is the place to be if you have small children!

This was our second visit here in twelve months: the weather, first time, was damp and pretty miserable but we couldn’t fail to see how gorgeous it would be in the sunshine and, in the recent heatwave, it sure was!!
Pedal bikes for rent and (the reason we were there) a good choice of seagoing activities. Plenty of parking.
There is a nice selection of gift shops, restaurants and bars and the whole area was spotlessly clean. It has a really chilled, laidback vibe about it though I’m guessing that midsummer is probably a different story.
Well worth a visit . . we’ll certainly be back when next in LA!

Walk around the island on the water side at dusk. The houses are lit inside and the sun is just glowing on the western horizon. It is how the 1% live, and it looks wonderful.

Balboa Island is one of my favorite places! I lived a few blocks away snd walked the two islands daily! At the crack of dawn you can sometimes see and hear the sea lions greeting the day with joy and in Spring discover little brown bunnies hopping between the perfectly manicured gardens surrounding the charming and eclectic showcase inspired homes! The fragrance of roses blooming and the hummingbirds busily drinking nectar and dew is a feast for the senes... wether i walk alone or with my young granddaughter ... she loves to play in the sand- its a treat! Fresh coffee at Starbucks and yummy donuts at Dad’s Original Frozen Banana are great ways to start the day! And do not firget the famous Hippo Cookies! DELICIOUS! Ypu can have a huge breakfast at Wilma’s Patio too! And light a candle at St. John Vianny.. or just get a good workout! That’s all before lunch! Rent a Duffy and see the island from the water is great fun too! Or stroll down Marine Ave. and shop in the wonderful shops! I love so many of them! Its a great way to find little treasures for gifts, hime and clothing too! I love Magnolia Charlie for kids clothes ! So many Lunch options- the Village Inn is great... for happy hour too! Or catch the sunset on your own and enjoy this quaint New England like charm in Newport Beach! The island has great themed events from The Holiday Boat Parade- 5 STARS! To Halloween and Trick or Treating...,To Art Fairs and July 4th celebrations too! It’s absolutely a treasure to behold for all ages- from 2 to 93! And for all of us in between! The residents of Balboa are amazing and generous and love their island and so will you!! Go For It!

Have taught swimming on the Island for many years. We used to walk around, row around and paddle around the Island. Main Street is a real joy. There are many shops and restaurants there.

Very large marina on one side of the strip and beach the other. Lots of restaurants and bars to chose from. Laid back feel to it.

My sister and I just happened onto this quaint little island. We walked the boardwalk and neighborhood, had lunch and did some shopping. Everyone was very friendly, lots of families.

I love Newport! We came for the boat parade. I highly recommend it. All the little houses, docks, and boats get decked out. It's fun for the whole family.
I have been during the summer and its always a hood time!

A must see when in Newport Beach. Very small island with lots to explore. Fun places to grab a bite. You do not need to take the ferry to get there, but why not.

What a wonderful town to stroll around and enjoy visiting the small quaint shops where you can find great unique items. Grab an ice cream and enjoy the day. Parking available on the street.

The hotel provided a shuttle here, so we tried it out. It seemed quite crowded, but a vendor said it’s even more crowded in summer months. Lots of little shops and places to eat. It’s almost impossible to find a bathroom. The beach is nice, but it is a lot of walking.

Only Island in Newport Beach with a public Boardwalk. If you do both Islands, it's 2.5 miles. Great views of the harbor and waterfront homes. The downtown area has a variety of local shops and independent restaurants.

Balboa Island has amazingly cheap yet good quality clothing, including shops where all items cost $14 or $16. The shopping strip opens till about 9pm in summer, and you'll find an abundance of bars and restaurants to satisfy your hunger and thirst when you finish shopping. Make the effort - you won't be disappointed

The first thing we did was to take the ferry over to Balboa peninsula. Upon returning, we enjoyed walking around the island and sampling some of the food. We walked down to the Wedge and enjoyed watching the surfers. We took a whale/dolphin 2-2 1/2 hour cruise and were rewarded with seeing thousands of common dolphins jumping up and down in the ocean all around our boat. We also enjoyed a beautiful sunset on the beach.

We parked and took the ferry over (on foot). Beautiful spot with nice beaches and plenty of bars restaurants and bathrooms. There is even a small amusement park for small kids. The ferry ride over is awesome. The whole area isnnoce and walking along the water along the beautiful homes was a highlight for us

Despite the fact that I’ve lived in the area for four years, I hadn’t made it to the island yet. That was a mistake! Our four kids 8 and under loved it!

This is a neat area to check out. It has some really interesting houses. Lots of shops and restaurants to see.

Balboa Island is a beautiful, relaxing, fun, active place to visit. Finding the island was very easy and parking was no big deal either. A cute place with lots to do like shopping, or picking your favorite restaurant to eat at. There are coastal tours where you can go out on a boat looking for whales and dolphins, piers to go out on and you can even ride a ferry across the peninsula. ( whether you just sit and ride, take your automobiles, or bikes across) The cost for my husband and I to take our vehicle across was only $3 so very reasonable. It was a wonderful place to spend the day!

Take your time and walk slowly around the little shopping area Then continue along the seaside and watch the wildlife and all different kind of houses and boats

Beautiful community. Love to ride the ferry over and walk the waterfront. The houses are so charming then stop for coffee or ice cream on the main drag before heading back to the car

Balboa Island is crowded, but worth the traffic as it remains among the classic villages along the California Coast.

Great little peninsula location over the water from Newport .. accessible by road or on the little car ferry which takes 2 mins over the harbour ... we went whale watching and the boat departed from Balboa island .. on one day we took the hotel bikes from our Lido House hotel and cycled the boardwalk and all over the village .. well worth checking out and having a famous frozen banana on Main Street !

The friends we were staying with wanted to show us Balboa Island, the ferry and especially JD's Big Game Fishing Tackle store on the island as we are fishermen. JDs was excellent. The whole island had a vibe about it. Cool place.

In all of Newport Beach The Big and Little Balboa Islands are the only ones with a sidewalk around them. Grab a world famous frozen banana.

My family is from the east coast so our view of beach towns is shapped around the east coast. After visiting Balboa Island I'm not quite sure that it compares to our beach town because there is no beach. It does have a shopping street that is very charming and reminds me somewhat of a beach shopping area on the east coast. I wouldn't recommend going out of your way to visit Balboa Island if you're just a visitor to the area, I think it's a local thing.

Lots of souvenir and tshirt shops! Plus a small arcade and Ferris wheel. Lots of fun! Definitely get a chocolate covered frozen banana- so good!

Stopped yesterday and walked around the island visited many shops. Havevto stop and have a frozen banana or other ice cream treat.

Nice place to visit..
Enjoy the weather while shopping here..
Love this place...
Should Try frozen banana here..it was great..

Charming homes await & you’ll want to see them all. The streets are crowded and narrow, so pick a smaller vehicle to roam island on. Better yet, a bike or scooter. We took the ferry and left over a bridge. Spent the whole there and enjoyed it.

Have ridden numerous times in f150, bike and just us. Price is right. Crew is friendly and it runs on time. Trip across bay takes maybe 10 minutes

Great way to walk Balboa Island or the Bslboa pier

Stop in at Class if ‘47 bar. It is a great local place

A small island situated in Newport Beach, Balboa Island has a charming one street downtown containing shops, restaurants and a quaint post office. Try a Balboa Bar ice cream treat or a frozen banana. There is access to the Auto Ferry which connects it to Balboa Peninsula and the Pacific Ocean. Public beaches circle the island.

Maybe it was just me, but the place was very crowded. Difficult to park, and it was cold on the day I went. Maybe my expectations were too high?

Love Balboa Island! Great shops, restaurants, etc. Rent a bike and ride around at your leisure! We'll definitely go back to this place. Would love ot rent a little house over there and stay for a week!

What a wonderful town to stroll around and enjoy visiting the small quaint shops where you can find great unique items. Grab a Starbucks or an ice cream and enjoy the day. Parking available on the street. My favorite little stores for women’s clothes are The Crush and Fresh Market just to name a couple. There are many more. Go over the bridge and you are right in the center of town.

Visited for an hour, walked around the area, sampled the frozen bananas. Well worth a visit, nice waterfront to explore.

We visited the island during it’s annual art festival. It’s an enjoyable visit and fun to see the houses and feel the eclectic vib of the neighborhoods and shops. Would recommend as a way to pass an hour or two.

Fun experience. It’s like a year round carnival with rides and carnival-type food. Fun little shops offer unique varieties of gifts. You should definitely take the ferry to get on the island, but there is a land route if you prefer not to ride the ferry.

Balboa Island is a well-known place in Newport Beach for a reason. It contains multi-million dollar waterfront homes and private piers. The streets are lined with shops and cafes. On the water, you can see people doing paddle board or riding their boats. There are homes that are for rent if you want to spend your summer here and decompress. The only big problem when it comes to Balboa is the parking situation! Don't forget to try the frozen banana, as it's a famous snack here. During Christmas, the island is even prettier since people decorate their houses in colorful lights. In fact, there is even a harbor cruise that you can pay to ride on to explore the homes with decorations.

It use to he very quaint, but feels more commercial and touristy - traffic and parking is an issue. Still nice to walk along the water. Fewer and fewer restaurants....

Enjoyed a wonderful revisit to a childhood destination. It can be expensive, but doesn’t have to be...

just walk through. you can spend some good time with kids there. I would have liked to see more restaurants a shops there.

Surprisingly inexpensive. The ferry is only 5 bucks. Family friendly. It's one of my favorite spots. The beach is very steep. Do not bring a boogie board. The waves break on shore.

I confess, my heart is still on Balboa Island as my family sold our home there just before I graduated high school way back and now I returned to within 20 miles of Balboa and visit often as the memories are relived to this fun, cute, little village that has a lifeline of its own. You need to bring plenty of the green stuff if you plan to buy or rent.

Since parking on the island is tough, consider parking on Bayside and walking over the bridge. It's about 2 miles around the big island and a mile to circle the little island. Stopping at "Dad's" or "Sugar and Spice" for a frozen banana or a Balboa Bar and riding the ferry are absolute Must do's. There are several places on the island to eat a meal and they are all good.

Took the ferry over to meet with a group of friends to have lunch and enjoy the beautiful view of the boats.

Amazing in every way you can think of, this island is simply "Heavens"! The daily early morning and sunset strolls by the water are magically meditational to me. With a great weather year around, peace and tranquility are priceless cherished gifts indeed.

Don’t miss this place if you’re coming to Southern California. You can drive onto the island and take the ferry across to the peninsula or just drive out onto the peninsula.

There are harbor tours, whale watching tours and beautiful beaches. There are two great piers and very inviting sidewalks.

Enjoy.

Really sad how only about 50% of the people walking in town are wearing masks. Many carry in their hand. Orange County is now mandated to wear a mask outside at all times. Narrow sidewalks and people walk by you talking w.o. a mask. May be locals since a lot are walking their dogs. No wonder Orange County moved back to the most restrictive tier. Won't be going back.

Balboa Island is a wonderful little enclave of homes, shops and restaurants. The island is small with mostly homes but has a fun main Street. Some of the better restaurants include Basilic, upscale European, Ciao, more casual Italian, and The Village Inn, a local hangout with music and great food. The burgers are terrific.

Enjoy walking around the island boardwalk where you get an unsurpassed view of the harbor and get an intimate view if how the 1% live. You will see kids, teens, families and retired couples enjoying themselves in the beauty of Newport.

If you are in town in October or December you can enjoy a walk on the island to enjoy amazingly decorated homes as well as the Newport Christmas Boat parade.

Fun spot if you are in the Newport Beach/Laguna area.
Walking the "downtown" area of Balboa takes you back in time, to the feel of a very small downtown.
If you visit on the weekend or a warm day, you will have trouble finding a parking spot, but it is well worth the stop.
When visiting you do need to taste test the frozen bananas or Balboa Bars!

We have been to Newport Beach at least 10 time over the past 10 years. Each visit has included at least one walk around the shoreline of Balboa Island. The homes, the landscaping and the water views are simply spectacular. Bring your camera. If you are hungry when you are walking, we suggest 501 Park near the ferry terminal. It is a lovely place for lunch or brunch.

It is not a huge shopping area but it does have some interesting shops. There area a number of restaurants, ice cream shops, clothing stores, art stores, home decor stores, and odd and end stores. Won’t take you long to hit them all.

There was an arcade, a small ferris wheel and other small activities for fees.
We found a play park for our 4 year old which he loved.

The houses are lovely to look at, especially in the holidays with the festive lights.

Friendly people and beautiful place.

Been a very long time since I have been to Balboa Island, but it was as charming as ever. I was very thrilled to see Dads Donuts is still there. Such a great place to stroll around and check out the shops and restaurants. Don't forget to get a frozen banana too! Now that's good livin'.

Yes with a little too much effort (like parking) issues. You can bring your date/spouse or both with you on a boat ride to Balboa Island. The cruse take about 9 minutes and you will not get wet. Usually. From The Pavilion area of the Newport Peninsula, you wait in line, looking for a smallish sign, and your car slides right on ( after a long wait) to get on the ferry boat. When you hit Balboa, the Main Street is located on the other side of town. The chances of finding a parking space is just zero unless you park in the residential area (without NO PARKING signs) and hike to the island’s main shopping street. There, you are supposed to buy a Balboa Bar (ice cream) or Frozen Banana (dipped in chocolate). You have just traveled back to the 1950’s in terms of food and ice cream choices. There are places selling things like shirts with Balboa Island printed on them. So, you might as well go big. Splurge on the Ice cream, put your name down for a restaurant, walk around. Keep walking the same direction that got you to the ‘Main Street’ and you will find the water. Everything is now...just fine. Yes, your spouse and girlfriend will be so impressed with you. Good luck going back ! The good news is you can return to your home or hotel without reversing your tracks. You just, using that trusty Apple phone, head back to the mainland by crossing the nearby bridge. Happy Trails !

Balboa island is really more of an expensive residential area than a tourist attraction. Yes, there is a very short car ferry, and you do get a nice ocean view. But, this is California, you get nice ocean view everywhere.

Grab a coffee or OJ on the main street, then walk around the island's perimeter on the public walkway. The views of the bay, boats and home as you walk are very relaxing.

Balboa island is a fun little area by the beach filled with great restaurants and shops. It is has something for everyone and has a great beach town feel. It is very unique and a definite must see for anyone visiting the area.

We have visited Newport Beach many times over the years. A highlight of every visit has been a stroll on the walk around Balboa Island. Beautiful views, beautiful homes, beautiful gardens, the walk has it all.

Take the cute car ferry to the island, takes only minutes and saves a 12-mile drive from the mainland. The island has a short 'main stree' with a number of restaurants, bars, souvenir shops, ice cream and real estate offices. Parking is a huge problem unless you're lucky enough to get a spot on the street. The island is small and very densely packed with small homes and vacation cottages. Everyone we met on the island was very friendly but it is very touristy. Finding parking on a Friday/Saturday evening is all but impossible. TIP: arrive early in the day