Balboa Island Welcome


Official visitor's guide to Balboa Island in Newport Beach on the west coast of California. Offering listings of accommodation, activities, festivals, maps, travel information and more. Stop by and stay a while, and see why many refer to this beautiful island as "The Host of the Coast".

photo gallery

Images of Balboa from Marine Ave. Business Improvement District

The following images are available in high resolution formats for non-commercial use. Our aim is to promote Balboa to a range of audiences, and these images are offered to publishers who also target these audiences. Applications for use will be assessed on an individual basis. Images are not available for private purchase or for resale.

A newly formed Balboa Island Museum and Historical Society has a goal of preserving Island history and restoring the Old Balboa Fire Station to its original glory. Efforts are underway to acquire the historic building which you can see on Marine Avenue, not far from the base of the bridge which leads to mainland Newport Beach and Pacific Coast Highway. Information: (949) 675-9019.

Balboa Island Parade. Started as a parade to commemorate the resotration of the Fire Station on the island, the parade continues to delight every year.

The seawalk on Balboa Island. A pleasant stroll at any time of day, at any time of year. Many celebrities have spent many summers here growing up. Once you visit, it is clear the reason why.

Boats in Balboa Bay. The bay (technically an estuary, coming down from the brackish San Joaquin Marsh further up by Irvine) is a broad, well-protected harbor, with many mudflats in it that over the years have been turned into low islands crowded with houses. The sheltering arm of the Balboa Peninsula, itself not much higher than a sandbar, keeps ocean waves from the harbor, leaving room for thousands of boats to anchor safely. This picture looks across the tip of Little Balboa Island toward the harbor entrance.

The Grand Canal Bridge, which connects Big Balboa Island to Little Balboa Island. The islands, collectively referred to as Balboa Island, are the first ones you pass as you sail into Newport Harbor. In the background you see the bluffs that overlook the bay.