Balboa Beach
Newport Beach, CA
Balboa Beach is the main ocean-facing sand of the Balboa Peninsula, reached at street ends and from the Oceanfront boardwalk, with metered parking along Balboa Blvd. It's the classic wide Orange County beach experience, a short walk from the Fun Zone and Balboa Pier at the peninsula's tip.
A solid, classic Orange County beach day within walking distance of the pier and Fun Zone, reliably good without being a hidden gem.
How we score beachesMetered parking on Balboa Blvd. is the most reliable option, side streets fill fast on summer weekends.
Metered parking on Balboa Blvd. and at street ends.
Leashed dogs are allowed on the sand only before 10 a.m. and after 4:30 p.m. under Newport Beach's citywide dog curfew.
Cool water into early summer, most comfortable from August through early October.
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