Once known as the "Tin Can Beach", Bolsa Chica State Beach is now a popular beach which attracts visitors all year-round. It is an ideal place to go sunbathing, play volleyball, have a family day out and try other water sports. Surf fishing of fishes like croaker and corbina are among the other activities you can partake in here. Also, on this three-mile long sandy stretch is a designated place where you can camp in your RV vans. Bolsa Chica is a great spot to sit back and enjoy everything that the beach has to offer.
A paradise for surfers, the Wedge is the name given to a particular location off the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach. The spot is called so owing to the huge wedge-like waves that occur here due to the outstretched Newport Beach Jetty that lies in the path of the incoming tides from the North Pacific Ocean. With waves reaching as high as 30 feet (nine meters) at times, the Wedge occupies a very special place on the bucket list of most surfers and adventure seekers.
For those who can make only one stop in Corona del Mar, make it the Corona del Mar State Beach. This area alone can make everyone fall in love with CdM, a laid-back multi-million-dollar neighborhood accented by the Pacific, with streets lined by palm trees and flower beds. On the bluff, three signs mark beach access: Lookout Point, Main Beach, and Inspiration Point. Each point has a different view, but all share Catalina Island in the background, with Newport Bay and Balboa Island in the foreground. A few steps towards the south end of Ocean Boulevard is a secluded cove near the Robert E. Badham Marine Life Refuge, and some of the most extravagant mansions follow.
If the air inside one of the area's many malls seems too stuffy for you, head to Newport Pier for a day of shopping and dining right on the water. Whether you are in search of a quick buy for a day out on the beach or looking for souvenirs to bring back home, you can find it among the many shops and restaurants in this bustling oceanfront area. Here, you can pick up an OC sweatshirt to emulate those moody walks by the waves or get the kids some toy shovels to build expert sand castles. Then, stop by one of the many kiosks for a fruit smoothie for the ride home, but before you go, make sure to walk out to the end of the pier for some great views of Catalina Island and the surrounding beaches.
This place recalls the days when a Saturday night date meant a trip to the local amusement park, complete with a ride on the Ferris wheel and a few games of skill where a boy could win a teddy bear for his sweetheart. It opened in 1936 and has remained a Newport Beach institution to this day. It's not that big, so don't count on a full day of activity, but it is a nice place to spend a couple of hours. Nights are especially festive here, so bring the family, a group of friends, or a special someone. There is no entrance fee, but each ride requires tickets.
The Ocean Institute is located in beautiful Dana Point Harbor and offers ocean science and maritime history programs perfect for kids and adults alike. See hundreds of marine animals in aquariums, watch animal feedings, experience ocean-themed exhibits, and have fun with hands-on activities. For an extra charge, take a tall ship or a whale watching cruise. The Dana Point Marine Protected Area is steps away from the Institute.
La Tour (French for "the tower") is what locals love to call the mysterious tower jutting next to the cliffs at Victoria Beach. This quaint and browning tower, with rugged stones at its base, seems almost as though it has grown naturally out of the cliffs. For decades locals have wondered about the tower's origin; was it perhaps a lighthouse to guide sailors or really a pirate's haunt? Most people now seem to agree that the tower is nothing but an extension of a former home that perched on the clifftop. It was built in 1926 as a stairway for Senator William E. Brown and his family to access the beach from their home. The single metal staircase found inside the tower seems to confirm this theory. You can only visit La Tour during low tide and that too with permission from the owners, as it stands on private property. However, if you do get a chance to visit, the beach surrounding the tower is one of the most picturesque and secluded spots in the city.
Don't be surprised if a group of sixteen, large white rabbits greet you at the Civic Center Drive in Downtown Newport Beach. This cute and wonderful arrangement is the newest addition to the Civic Center Park that surrounds the Civic Center Building. The huge fluffy white bunnies sitting in a circle are often called Bunnyhenge, owing to its arrangement which sort of mirrors the prehistoric Stonehenge in Amesbury. Installed in 2013, these rabbits are a joy for the kids living in the nearby areas while they also make for superb models for the shutterbugs.
Located close to Treasure Island Park, Goff Cove is a relatively secluded beach, offering stunning views, tide pools and gentle waves. The beach is perfect for simply soaking up the rays away from the hordes of tourists or going for a swim. This sandy cove has also been declared a marine sanctuary, so snorkeling or scuba diving in the clear waters is also a great idea. If you decide to visit Goff Cove, keep a lookout for climate updates as the beach can be closed during rough weather.