My brother is getting married in early November in Irvine, so as long as we’re flying out there, I thought the wife and I would spend a few days in the area on a short vacation. Specifically, my wife is looking at staying at these cottages in Crystal Cove State Park in Newport Beach. I’m a bit more skeptical in that, while staying on/near the beach sounds great in theory, between beach crowds and Pacific Coast Highway next door, I’m not sure we wouldn’t just be better off in a hotel with more quiet and privacy (we’re a somewhat non-social couple).
So, if anyone has any thoughts on this place or things to do in the area, please share.
You’re in luck. I live right by there and my brother-in-law just stayed in those cottages a few weeks ago. One thing about them is that they are right on the beach which is very nice. The backstory is that these cottages are pretty old and they are in the process of upgrading them. If you get an upgraded one, it’s fairly nice but nowhere near luxury. I don’t know what the unupgraded ones are like. Simply put, if you like quaint, these are the place to be. Secondly, they are down at the bottom of a cliff and you have to take a $1 tram from the parking lot to the drop off point and then walk ~100yds to get there. There’s a restaurant right next to it and many, many things to do in the surrounding area, provided you have a car.
I don’t think you’ll have to worry about crowds in November.
Born and raised in NB- you should have a good time.
Food- lots of choices, depending on what you like to eat. Particularly good at the moment is A Restaurant, at PCH & Newport Blvd (the old Arches space). Great food, great atmosphere. Classic Newport would probably be Villa Nova, pricey but nice. Casual, you have lots of choices- Mama D’s, Joe’s Crab Shack, Jack Shrimp, etc, all on or near PCH. Nicer on the water- The Beach House, the Rusty Pelican, and several others on PCH. Super-casual and yummy- Pan Asia on 17th Street, Eat Chow on Newport Blvd.
I’ll think of some other food choices a bit later.
Oh wait- if you stay at Crystal Cove, there is a nice place right next you, on the sand. We have eaten there several times and like it. Javier’s is also close by, for great Mexican food.
Wow, I was kind of taking a stab in the dark, but thanks everyone for all the useful information. We are kind of foodies, so the food suggestions are great. Otherwise, we’re interested in history/nature/science/geeky things, so anything to do in those areas would be appreciated.
Newport Beach is really nice, but you will want to take a lightweight jacket. The breeze can be chilly in November. You don’t need to worry about crowds, odds are good the beach will be empty of anyone except locals.
I spent a good chunk of my childhood on that beach, but sadly information on where to get the bus and where the cute boys are is probably not what you are looking for. One piece of advice, in Newport Beach it’s illegal to drive in the crosswalk when pedestrians are in it. So if you’re used to slipping through the intersection after the pedestrians have passed you, try not to do that on your holiday. And be careful where you park.
History? You’ll be within easy drive of Mission San Juan Capistrano, which has tours.
Newport Beach is actually split into several little areas-
Corona del Mar, where you’ll be if you stay in the cottages. It’s down a bit from the rest of Newport along Pacific Coast Highway to the south. It is known for nice beaches, good (if fancy) restaurants and shopping. You can walk along PCH and window shop, grab coffee and find some awesome resale boutiques. Sherman Gardens is also in CdM, nice if you’re into botanical gardens and afternoon tea.
Take PCH north to Fashion Island/Newport Center. This is basically a mall with lots of shopping and food, plus a big movie theater complex. Shopping is a mix of boutique and big anchor stores (Macy’s, etc). Food is expected for a shopping area (PF Chang’s, El Torito, Cheesecake Factory, Hard Rock Cafe) but there are also smaller places to eat like the Tommy Bahama Cafe and Muldoon’s Irish Pub.
North on PCH takes you into the next part of Newport, along PCH up to Newport Blvd. Mostly nice dining with some upscale shopping, car dealerships, etc. Lots of nice restaurants on the water, plus I must put in a plug for my friends’ bikini shop, Beach Bunny! Favorite restaurants are Joe’s Crab Shack, Jack Shrimp (if it’s still there), China Palace, A Restaurant, Rusty Pelican, Villa Nova.
The Balboa Peninsula is Newport/Balboa Blvd south of PCH. It’s made up of several sections- Lido is the northernmost, with shopping and food. Parking should be better in winter if you want to walk around. Best food is probably Blue Water Grill. Heading south is McFadden Square and the Newport Pier- lots of food and shopping, plus the beach and the Dory fishing fleet. Best food is the Crab Cooker and The Kind Burgers. Heading further down you get “downtown” Balboa, with the Balboa Pier, the Fun Zone arcade area, Newport Harbor, rental boats and kayaks, harbor tours and the shortest car ferry operating, between the peninsula and Balboa Island, which is a fantastic walk around the small island of beautiful homes, plus food, shopping and coffee on Marine Ave. Best food is probably Wilma’s Patio on the island and Newport Landing on the peninsula. The very end of the peninsula is the world-famous Wedge body surfing spot, which is deceptively calm most of the time, but can break with 20 foot waves and killing force. The entire peninsula is lined with beaches on the ocean side (plus a few on the bay side).
Up Newport Blvd from PCH is the Newport-Mesa area, which is lined with everything from shopping to food to whatever. Best food is Eat Chow, Pan Asia, Garduno’s. The main drags are Newport Blvd and 17th Street.
Frankly, if you are looking for culture, there isn’t much- a few small specialty museums, the Blizzard campus isn’t far away… but really not much. More a place to relax and hang out.
Even in November, the beach at Corona del Mar is a great place to wander the tidepools. Along with the usual anenomes and crabs, I’ve seen some interesting and rarer animals such as a sea hare and a baby leopard shark.
Ah, memories of my hippie days in Newport Beach, living at the rundown Ocean Front Hotel with other ne’er-do-wells, working at the Idle Id pyschedelic shop downstairs, sometimes the Turning Point Record Shop (next to the original Russell’s Surf Shop), then Hanifin’s Surf Shop on 22nd Street… oh yeah!
Favorite restaurants are Joe’s Crab Shack, Jack Shrimp (if it’s still there), China Palace, A Restaurant, Rusty Pelican, Villa Nova.