Newport Beach is a coastal city of about 85,000 in southern
Orange County, California
Orange County (officially the County of Orange; often initialized O.C.) is a county (United States), county located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area in Southern California, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the population ...
, United States. Located about southeast of downtown
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
, Newport Beach is known for its sandy beaches. The city's harbor once supported maritime industries. Today it is used mostly for recreation.
Balboa Island draws visitors with a waterfront path and easy access from the ferry to the shops and restaurants.
History
The Upper Bay of Newport is a canyon carved by a stream in the
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene ( ; referred to colloquially as the ''ice age, Ice Age'') is the geological epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from to 11,700 years ago, spanning the Earth's most recent period of repeated glaciations. Before a change was fin ...
period. The Lower Bay of Newport was formed much later by sand brought along by ocean currents, which constructed the offshore beach now recognized as the Balboa Peninsula of Newport Beach.
For thousands of years, the
Tongva people lived on the land in an extensive, thriving community. The Tongva villages of
Genga and
Moyongna were located in Newport Beach.
The
Spanish Empire
The Spanish Empire, sometimes referred to as the Hispanic Monarchy (political entity), Hispanic Monarchy or the Catholic Monarchy, was a colonial empire that existed between 1492 and 1976. In conjunction with the Portuguese Empire, it ushered ...
colonized the land, followed by
Mexicans
Mexicans () are the citizens and nationals of the Mexico, United Mexican States. The Mexican people have varied origins with the most spoken language being Spanish language, Spanish, but many also speak languages from 68 different Languages o ...
and
Americans
Americans are the Citizenship of the United States, citizens and United States nationality law, nationals of the United States, United States of America.; ; Law of the United States, U.S. federal law does not equate nationality with Race (hu ...
, all of whom displaced the Tongva.
The State of California sold -plots of land for $1 apiece in the Newport area. Anglo-American inhabitation in the area grew substantially following 1870 when a 105-ton steamer named ''The Vaquero,'' captained by Captain Samuel S. Dunnells (against warnings posted by surveyors), safely steered through the lower and upper bay of Newport where it unloaded its cargo.
James Irvine, upon hearing the astonishing news, quickly traveled from his home in San Francisco to the San Joaquin Ranch. Meeting in Irvine's ranch house near present-day
UC Irvine with his brother Robert Irvine and friend James McFadden, they agreed that the newly found port should be simply named "Newport" which is where Newport Beach gets its name. James McFadden built a long
McFadden Wharf in 1888.
In 1905, city development increased when the
Pacific Electric Railway established a southern terminus in Newport connecting the beach with downtown
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
.
In 1906 (with a population of 206 citizens), the scattered settlements were incorporated as the City of Newport Beach.
Settlements were filled in on the Peninsula, West Newport, Newport Island,
Balboa Island, and
Lido Isle. In 1923,
Corona del Mar was annexed and in 2002,
Newport Coast, East
Santa Ana Heights, and
San Joaquin Hills
The San Joaquin Hills are a low mountain range of the Peninsular Ranges System, located in coastal Orange County, California.
They extend in a northwest–southeast direction, starting in the northwest in Newport Beach, California, Newport Beac ...
were annexed.
In 2008, after a long battle with the city of
Costa Mesa, Newport Beach annexed West
Santa Ana Heights.
Geography

Newport Beach extends in elevation from
sea level
Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an mean, average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal Body of water, bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical ...
to the summit of
Signal Peak in the
San Joaquin Hills
The San Joaquin Hills are a low mountain range of the Peninsular Ranges System, located in coastal Orange County, California.
They extend in a northwest–southeast direction, starting in the northwest in Newport Beach, California, Newport Beac ...
, but the official elevation is above sea level at a location of (33.616671, −117.897604).
The city is bordered on the west by
Huntington Beach at the
Santa Ana River
The Santa Ana River is the largest river entirely within Southern California in the United States. It rises in the San Bernardino Mountains and flows for most of its length through San Bernardino County, California, San Bernardino and Riversid ...
; on the north by
Costa Mesa,
John Wayne Airport, the City of
Irvine and
UC Irvine; and on the east by
Crystal Cove State Park.
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has a total area of . of it is land and of it (55.07%) is water.
Areas of Newport Beach include
Corona del Mar,
Balboa Island,
Balboa Peninsula (also known as
Balboa), Lido Peninsula,
Newport Coast,
San Joaquin Hills
The San Joaquin Hills are a low mountain range of the Peninsular Ranges System, located in coastal Orange County, California.
They extend in a northwest–southeast direction, starting in the northwest in Newport Beach, California, Newport Beac ...
,
Santa Ana Heights, and West Newport.
Newport Harbor and Newport Bay
Newport Harbor is a semi-artificial harbor that was formed by dredging
Newport Bay estuary
An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime enviro ...
during the early 1900s. Several artificial islands were built, which are now covered with private homes: Newport Island,
Balboa Island, Little Balboa Island,
Collins Island,
Bay Island,
Harbor Island,
Lido Isle, and
Linda Isle.

Newport Harbor once supported maritime industries such as
boatbuilding,
shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and other Watercraft, floating vessels. In modern times, it normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation th ...
, and
commercial fishing, but today it is used mostly for recreation. Its shores are occupied mostly by private homes and private
docks. Newport Harbor has approximately 9,000 boats and is one of the largest recreational boat harbors on the U.S. west coast. It is a popular destination for all
boating
Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels (such as rowing and paddle boats), focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, suc ...
activities, including
sailing
Sailing employs the wind—acting on sails, wingsails or kites—to propel a craft on the surface of the ''water'' (sailing ship, sailboat, raft, Windsurfing, windsurfer, or Kitesurfing, kitesurfer), on ''ice'' (iceboat) or on ''land'' (Land sa ...
,
fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment (Freshwater ecosystem, freshwater or Marine ecosystem, marine), but may also be caught from Fish stocking, stocked Body of water, ...
,
rowing,
canoeing
Canoeing is an activity which involves paddling a canoe with a single-bladed paddle. In some parts of Europe, canoeing refers to both canoeing and kayaking, with a canoe being called an 'open canoe' or Canadian.
A few of the recreational ...
,
kayaking
Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving over water. It is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle. A kayak is a low-to-the-water, canoe-like boat in which the paddler sits fac ...
, and
paddleboarding.
Commercial maritime operations today include the
Catalina Flyer ferry to
Catalina Island, harbor tours,
sport fishing,
whale watching day trips, and charters as well as a few small commercial fishing boats.
Newport Bay is divided by the Pacific Coast Highway bridge, which is too low for most sailboats and very large boats to pass under. North of the bridge is referred to as
Upper Newport Bay, or the Back Bay. South of the bridge is commonly called Lower Newport Bay, or Newport Harbor. However the Back Bay also has harbor facilities, especially the marina and launch ramp at Newport Dunes Marina.
The north end of the Newport Harbor channels surrounding Lido Isle has several small business centers and was at one time used as a home by the fishing fleets. On the North East side of the channel, the Lido Marina Village now acts as the local port to many "Newport Party Boats" that can be rented for events, as well as small merchants and local restaurants. It also hosts the area boat show each year, and an organic "Farmers Market" on Sundays, in addition to being the port for the local Gondola Company. In 2014, the center was closed for a renovation. The Lido Village was reopened in 2017 after a complete renovation.
In 1927, a home was built at the mouth of the entrance of Newport Harbor that came to be known as the
China House of China Cove. The home was built using traditional Chinese architecture. It was a landmark in the Newport Beach Harbor until it was demolished in the 1980s. Some of the original roof can be seen on a home located in the China Cove.
Upper Newport Bay is an
estuary
An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime enviro ...
that was formed by a prehistoric flow of the
Santa Ana River
The Santa Ana River is the largest river entirely within Southern California in the United States. It rises in the San Bernardino Mountains and flows for most of its length through San Bernardino County, California, San Bernardino and Riversid ...
. Today it is fed by a small stream from
San Diego Creek. Much of Upper Newport Bay is a protected natural area known as the
Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve, established in 1975.
Climate
Newport Beach has a mid-latitude
semi-arid climate
A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of se ...
(
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
: ''BSk'') with characteristics of a
warm-summer Mediterranean climate (
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...
: ''Csb''). Like many Los Angeles and Orange coastal cities, Newport Beach exhibits weak temperature variation, diurnally and seasonally, compared to inland cities even a few miles from the ocean. The
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is ...
greatly moderates Newport Beach's climate by warming winter temperatures and cooling summer temperatures. Diurnal temperature variation is stronger during the winter than during the summer. Newport Beach does not receive enough precipitation to qualify as a true Mediterranean climate.
Demographics
Newport Beach first appeared as a city in the
1910 United States census.
[
]
2020
2010
The 2010 United States census reported that Newport Beach had a population of 85,186. The population density was . The racial makeup of Newport Beach was 74,357 (87.3%) White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
(82.3% Non-Hispanic White), 616 (0.7%) African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 223 (0.3%) Native American, 5,982 (7.0%) Asian, 114 (0.1%) Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 1,401 (1.6%) from other races, and 2,493 (2.9%) from two or more races. Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 6,174 persons (7.2%).
The Census reported that 84,784 people (99.5% of the population) lived in households, 151 (0.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 251 (0.3%) were institutionalized.
There were 38,751 households, out of which 8,212 (21.2%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 17,273 (44.6%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 2,608 (6.7%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,199 (3.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,846 (4.8%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 233 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 12,838 households (33.1%) were individuals, and 4,412 (11.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 years or older. The average household size was 2.19. There were 21,080 families (54.4% of all households); the average family size was 2.81.
The population was different ages with 14,744 people (17.3%) under the age of 18, 6,659 people (7.8%) aged 18 to 24, 22,299 people (26.2%) aged 25 to 44, 25,322 people (29.7%) aged 45 to 64, and 16,162 people (19.0%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.1 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 95.5 males.
There were 44,193 housing units at an average density of , of which 21,224 (54.8%) were owner-occupied, and 17,527 (45.2%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.8%. 50,511 people (59.3% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units, and 34,273 people (40.2%) lived in rental housing units.
In 2009–2013, Newport Beach had a median household income of $106,333, with 7.9% of the population living below the federal poverty line.
2000
As of the census
A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2000, there were 70,032 people, 33,071 households, and 16,965 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 37,288 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 92.22% White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.53% African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.26% Native American, 4.00% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 1.13% from other races, and 1.74% from two or more races. Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 4.71% of the population. There were 33,071 households, out of which 18.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.5% were married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.7% were non-families. 35.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.09, and the average family size was 2.71. In the city, the population was spread out, with 15.7% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 33.0% from 25 to 44, 27.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 97.9 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 96.6 males. According to a 2019 US Census estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $64,423, while the median family income was $126,976. Males had a median income of $73,425 versus $45,409 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year.
In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the city was $63,015. About 2.1% of families and 4.4% of the population were below the poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 3.0% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Housing prices in Newport Beach ranked eighth highest in the United States in a 2009 survey.
Newport Beach is home to one Fortune 500
The ''Fortune'' 500 is an annual list compiled and published by ''Fortune (magazine), Fortune'' magazine that ranks 500 of the largest United States Joint-stock company#Closely held corporations and publicly traded corporations, corporations by ...
company, insurer Pacific Life. Other companies based in Newport Beach include Acacia Research, Galardi Group ( Wienerschnitzel), Chipotle Mexican Grill, The Original Hamburger Stand, Tastee-Freez, the Irvine Company, Jazz Semiconductor, PIMCO
Pacific Investment Management Company LLC (PIMCO) is an American investment management firm. While it has a specific focus on active fixed income management worldwide, it manages investments in many asset classes, including fixed income, share ca ...
, and Urban Decay. Fletcher Jones Motor Cars in Newport Beach is the largest Mercedes-Benz dealership in the world. At one time Edwards Theatres had its headquarters in Newport Beach. Before its dissolution Air California was headquartered in Newport Beach. The city's largest law firm is Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, with approximately 75 attorneys at its Fashion Island location. Toyota
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on August 28, 1937. Toyota is the List of manuf ...
has a design center, Calty Design Research which is in Newport Beach and responsible for the exterior design of the 2nd, 5th, and 7th generation Celica, as well as some Lexus and Scion models.
Top employers
According to the city's 2021 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report here are the top employers in the city.
Arts and culture
Points of interest
* Newport Back Bay or Upper Newport Bay
* Newport Pier
* Balboa Pier
* Balboa Fun Zone
* Balboa Island Ferry
* Balboa Island
* Mariners Medical Arts complex on Westcliff Drive designed by Richard Neutra
Richard Joseph Neutra ( ; 8 April 1892 – 16 April 1970) was an Austrian-American architect. Living and building for most of his career in Southern California, he came to be considered a prominent and important modernist architect. His most ...
in 1963
* Bunnyhenge
* Sherman Library and Gardens
* Newport Sports Museum
* Pacific Coast Highway
* Orange County Council BSA Sea Base
* The Crab Cooker
* Corona del Mar State Beach
* Crystal Cove State Park
* The Wedge (surfing)
* Lovell Beach House
* Wooden Boat Festival
Image:Fashion_island_Newport_Beach_CA_Photo_D_Ramey_Logan.jpg, Newport Center
Image:Beer Can Races Newport Beach California photo D Ramey Logan.jpg, Beer Can Races in Newport Beach
Image:Lovell Beach House photo D Ramey Logan.jpg, Lovell Beach House
Image:Body Surfing The Wedge Newport Beach CA photo D Ramey Logan.jpg, The Wedge (surfing)
Image:Balboa Bay Club 2013 Photo D Ramey Logan.jpg, Balboa Bay Resort
File:Orange County Museum of Art exterior.jpg, Orange County Museum of Art
Past landmarks
* The China House of China Cove
* Orange County Museum of Art
* The Reuben E. Lee
* Rendezvous Ballroom
* The Banana Stand
* Balboa Inn
* Hall House
Attractions
Beaches and surfing
Beachgoers have flocked to Newport Beach since the Pacific Electric Railway began bringing them in 1905. Attractions include the city beaches from the Santa Ana River
The Santa Ana River is the largest river entirely within Southern California in the United States. It rises in the San Bernardino Mountains and flows for most of its length through San Bernardino County, California, San Bernardino and Riversid ...
to the tip of the Balboa Peninsula, Corona del Mar State Beach, and the beaches at Crystal Cove State Park. Newport Beach is known for good surfing
Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suita ...
, especially between Newport Pier and the Santa Ana River
The Santa Ana River is the largest river entirely within Southern California in the United States. It rises in the San Bernardino Mountains and flows for most of its length through San Bernardino County, California, San Bernardino and Riversid ...
. At the tip of the Balboa Peninsula, The Wedge offers world-class bodyboarding and bodysurfing
Bodysurfing is the sport of riding a wave without the assistance of any buoyant device such as a surfboard or bodyboard. Bodysurfers often equip themselves with a pair of swimfins that aid propulsion and help the bodysurfer catch, ride, and kick ...
. Newport Pier and Balboa Pier draw fishermen and sightseers. A boardwalk runs from 36th Street in West Newport, past Newport Pier and Balboa Pier, to between E and F Streets on the Balboa Peninsula for both pedestrians and bikers.
A notable urban development project is proposed in Newport Beach, which involves converting a portion of a local golf course into a surf lagoon. The Newport Beach Surfing Lagoon Project, initiated by Back Bay Barrels LLC, involves the creation of a 7-acre lagoon capable of generating waves mechanically, along with two buildings intended for dining, retail, fitness, and lodging. The project has sparked debate among residents, with some viewing it as a progressive innovation and others as a potential disruption to the area's natural beauty and community character.
Harbor and boating
Newport Harbor is the largest recreational boat harbor on the U.S. west coast, and a popular destination for all boating activities, including sailing
Sailing employs the wind—acting on sails, wingsails or kites—to propel a craft on the surface of the ''water'' (sailing ship, sailboat, raft, Windsurfing, windsurfer, or Kitesurfing, kitesurfer), on ''ice'' (iceboat) or on ''land'' (Land sa ...
, fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment (Freshwater ecosystem, freshwater or Marine ecosystem, marine), but may also be caught from Fish stocking, stocked Body of water, ...
, rowing, kayaking
Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving over water. It is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle. A kayak is a low-to-the-water, canoe-like boat in which the paddler sits fac ...
, and paddleboarding.
The annual Christmas Boat Parade started in 1908.
Competitive sailing, rowing, and paddling events are common. The annual Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race is the largest sailboat
A sailboat or sailing boat is a boat propelled partly or entirely by sails and is smaller than a sailing ship. Distinctions in what constitutes a sailing boat and ship vary by region and maritime culture.
Types
Although sailboat terminology ...
race in the world.
Boating activities are organized by five private yacht clubs, along with Orange Coast College, UC Irvine, and the Sea Scouts, all of which have sailing, rowing, and water activity bases on the harbor. The Newport Aquatic Center allows public participation in competitive rowing, canoeing, kayaking, and outrigger canoe racing. The Orange Coast College School of Sailing and Seamanship offers recreational and professional sailing and mariners' courses and certifications, including United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and Admiralty law, law enforcement military branch, service branch of the armed forces of the United States. It is one of the country's eight Uniformed services ...
licensing. Weekly races take place during the summer including the Beer Can Races.
=Nautical clubs
=
* Newport Harbor Yacht Club
* Balboa Yacht Club
* Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club
* Lido Isle Yacht Club
Balboa
The historic Balboa Pavilion and Balboa Island Ferry are on the Balboa Peninsula and Balboa's most famous landmarks. The 500-passenger Catalina Flyer is adjacent to the Pavilion and provides daily transportation to and from Avalon, located on Santa Catalina Island. The Balboa Fun Zone is also home to the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum.
Balboa Island village draws many visitors. A waterfront path around the island attracts walkers and joggers and provides easy access from the ferry to the shops and restaurants.
Media
* Newport Beach Independent (newspaper)
* Newport Beach (magazine)
Culture and nightlife
Fashion Island at Newport Center is a regional shopping and entertainment destination.
Dining in Newport Beach tends to focus on seafood restaurants.
Parks and recreation
Upper Newport Bay, or the Back Bay, is ringed by Back Bay Drive and a network of trails and paths that attract bicyclists, rollerbladers, joggers, and walkers. Bird watchers and nature lovers are drawn to the Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve and Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center; and Crystal Cove State Park features tide pools at its beach, with backcountry hiking and mountain biking trails. Camping is available at Crystal Cove State Park and at the Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort and Marina. Whale watching is also popular in the area, with both scheduled and charter boats leaving directly from Newport Harbor. Whales and dolphins can often be seen from the Balboa and Newport Piers, as well as the shoreline during migration season.
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment (Freshwater ecosystem, freshwater or Marine ecosystem, marine), but may also be caught from Fish stocking, stocked Body of water, ...
is also extremely popular in Newport Bay, off the coast of Newport, and along the Newport Bay Jetty. Within the bay, there are multiple locations to purchase bait for dockside or spearfishing convenience. There are about 80 fishable species located in Newport Bay. A few of the most commonly fished species include the Gray Smoothhound Shark, Leopard Shark, Round Stingray, Shovelnose Guitarfish, Pacific Staghorn Sculpin, Silvery Mullet, Top-smelt, California Halibut, Spotted Sand Bass, Yellowfin Croaker, Bat Ray, Thornback Ray, Diamond Turbot, Shiner Surfperch, Corbina, Opaleye, Pile Surfperch, and Red Shiner. Commercial fishing is also prominent in offshore Newport Beach and Newport Bay. Lobsters are commonly fished in the reefs. However, the bright orange Garibaldi fish found offshore is a protected species.
On dark nights intense occurrences of bioluminescence can be observed when waves splash into the shore or when marine animals leave glowing traces in their wake.
Golf
The Pelican Hill area has two golf courses that rank among Golf Digest America's 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses.
Government
Municipal
The City of Newport Beach was incorporated on September 1, 1906 and adopted its charter on January 7, 1955. The city implements a council–manager form of government, directed by a seven-member council who reside in specific geographic districts, but are elected at-large. Council elections take place in even-numbered years, and council members serve four-year terms. The mayor is chosen annually by the city council.
Until 1927 the city's governing body was known as a board of trustees with a president as its head. An act of the Legislature in 1927 changed the board to City Council with a mayor as the head.
State and federal representation
In the California State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the bicameral state legislature of the U.S. state of California, consisting of the California State Assembly (lower house with 80 members) and the California State Senate (upper house with 40 members). ...
, Newport Beach is in , and in .
In the United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...
, Newport Beach is in .
Voting history
Newport Beach has supported Republican candidates for president consistently since at least 1964.
As of February 2020, the California Secretary of State reported that Newport Beach had 57,408 registered voters; of those, 14,097 (24.56% vs. 35.63% in Orange County) are registered Democrats, 27,472 (47.85% vs. 34.16% in Orange County) are registered Republicans, 12,996 (22.64% vs. 25.29% in Orange County) have stated no political party preference, and 2,843 (4.95% vs. 4.92% in Orange County) are registered with a third party. According to a March 2018 report by the '' Sacramento Bee'', Newport Beach has the second highest percentage of conservative voters among large cities in California.
The Republican candidate exceeded 70% of the vote in Newport Beach in all seven presidential elections from 1964 to 1988.
Although the politics of California have trended in favor of the Democratic Party, Newport Beach has remained Republican but has become less Republican over time. In 2016, as Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
became the first GOP presidential candidate to lose Orange County since Alf Landon in 1936, Trump won Newport Beach by a margin of 14 points. Trump also won Newport Beach by a margin of nearly ten points in the 2020
The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...
election, and nearly 17 points in 2024.
Education
* Newport Elementary School
* Corona del Mar High School
* Newport Harbor High School
* Sage Hill School
* Pacifica Christian High School
* Carden Hall
* Eastbluff Elementary School
* Ensign Intermediate School
* Harbor Day School
* Harbor View Elementary School
* Lincoln Elementary School
* Mariners Elementary School
* Newport Heights Elementary School
* Newport Coast Elementary School
* Our Lady Queen of Angels School
* Roy O. Andersen Elementary School
Infrastructure
Fire department
The Newport Beach Fire Department is the agency that provides fire protection
Fire protection is the study and practice of mitigating the unwanted effects of potentially Conflagration, destructive fires. It involves the study of the behaviour, Compartmentalization (fire protection), compartmentalisation, suppression and inve ...
, lifeguard
A lifeguard is a rescuer who supervises the safety and rescue of swimmers, surfers, and other water sports participants such as in a swimming pool, water park, beach, spa, river and lake. Lifeguards are trained in swimming and Cardiopulmonary ...
coverage, and emergency medical services.
Newport Beach has 8 fire stations spread across the city, as well as a Lifeguard Headquarters at the base of the Newport Pier.
Marine operations
The marine division of the NBFD is responsible for lifeguard
A lifeguard is a rescuer who supervises the safety and rescue of swimmers, surfers, and other water sports participants such as in a swimming pool, water park, beach, spa, river and lake. Lifeguards are trained in swimming and Cardiopulmonary ...
ing the nearly 10 million annual visitors to Newport Beach's of ocean and of bay beaches. In 2013 alone the marine division performed 3,811 water rescues. Newport Beach lifeguards are recognized as the top agency in the nation, considering their relatively small size. They are also recognized as an advanced agency by the United States Lifesaving Association.
Newport Beach lifeguards also hold an annual summer Junior Lifeguard program which is one of the nation's largest and oldest. The Junior Lifeguard program works closely with the John Wayne Cancer Foundation to spread skin cancer awareness.
Included in their area is The Wedge, a spot located at the extreme east end of the Balboa Peninsula that is known for its large wedge-shaped waves, which make it a popular spot for skimboarding, surfing
Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suita ...
, bodyboarding, and bodysurfing
Bodysurfing is the sport of riding a wave without the assistance of any buoyant device such as a surfboard or bodyboard. Bodysurfers often equip themselves with a pair of swimfins that aid propulsion and help the bodysurfer catch, ride, and kick ...
. During south or south/southwest swells of the right size and aligned in the swell window, the Wedge can produce huge waves up to high. Newport Beach has one of the most diverse coastlines in the world, spanning over . For this reason the NBFD Marine Operations Division requires its ocean lifeguards to be in top shape and to have years of local ocean experience.
Notable people
In popular culture
The city has figured into several television shows and movies:
* The music video for Childish Gambino's "3005" was filmed on the Ferris Wheel at the Balboa Fun Zone.
* The TV show '' The O.C.'' was based on the fictional lives of people living in Newport Beach.
* MTV replaced its hit teen-reality series '' Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County'' with a new show, '' Newport Harbor: The Real Orange County'', on August 15, 2007. Only the cast and location changed in the new series which was based on the lives of high school students living in Newport Beach.
* The TV series '' Arrested Development'' is set in Orange County and often features scenes at Newport Beach.
* Several scenes from the Disney Channel movie '' The Thirteenth Year'' were filmed at the Balboa Pavilion in 1999.
* The pop rock band Cute Is What We Aim For has a song titled "Newport Living".
* The TV series '' The Real Housewives of Orange County'' featured scenes of Newport Harbor.
* A guest on '' You Bet Your Life'' in 1954 was the mayor of Newport Beach noting that Balboa was a congregating point for southern California
Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural List of regions of California, region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Its densely populated coastal reg ...
n young people over Easter break, with 35,000 visiting the town of 18,000.
* The exterior of the Newport Beach Central Library appeared as the reunion venue in the 1997 film '' Romy and Michele's High School Reunion''.
* The music video for "Devil Inside" by the Australian band INXS was filmed around the Balboa Fun Zone.
* The 1917 film ''Cleopatra
Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator (; The name Cleopatra is pronounced , or sometimes in both British and American English, see and respectively. Her name was pronounced in the Greek dialect of Egypt (see Koine Greek phonology). She was ...
'' by J. Gordon Edwards was filmed in Newport Beach.
* The clothing brand Hollister Co. has featured many brands including clothing that says Newport Beach.
* The movie ''All Quiet on the Western Front'' (1930) was filmed at Fashion Island in Newport Beach before its construction.
* The movie ''The Boatniks'' (1970) was filmed in Newport Harbor.
* The TV series '' Speechless'' is set in Newport Beach, Orange County.
* '' The Reckless Moment'', a 1949 film noir
Film noir (; ) is a style of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood Crime film, crime dramas that emphasizes cynicism (contemporary), cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of Ameri ...
starring James Mason and Joan Bennett, filmed and set in Newport.
* '' The Breaking Point'', a 1950 film noir directed by Michael Curtiz.
Sister cities
* Antibes, France
* Ensenada, Mexico
* Okazaki, Japan
See also
* Communities of Newport Beach, California
* List of cities and towns in California
References
External links
*
Archival collections
Guide to the Collection on the Development of Newport Beach, California.
Special Collections and Archives, The UC Irvine Libraries, Irvine, California.
Guide to the Lars Labagnino Collection on Newport Beach Real Estate.
Special Collections and Archives, The UC Irvine Libraries, Irvine, California.
Guide to the Hugh R. McMillan Photographs.
Special Collections and Archives, The UC Irvine Libraries, Irvine, California.
{{authority control
1906 establishments in California
Cities in Orange County, California
Incorporated cities and towns in California
Populated coastal places in California
Populated places established in 1906
Populated places on the Santa Ana River
Surfing locations in California
Skimboarding locations in California
Places with bioluminescence