Lucky you if you will be visiting Newport Beach soon. That is the land of the lovely temperate climate there in those zip codes 92658, 92659, 92660, 92661, 92662, and 92663. (I’d take one of those zip codes for my address any day! Newport Beach is like a magical Camelot.)

Before you leave, pack wisely. If you will be visiting the famous beaches of North Star, Little Corona del Mar, or China Cove, be sure to remember your swimsuit and beach towel.

If packing for a shopping excursion, you can either choose the dress for success look (dress shoes or heeled sandals), or plan for a shopping marathon (sport shoes or tennis shoes). You will have your choice of shopping centers. Fashion Island is an icon, so that would be a good one for your to-do list. If you have time, you could also go to Bayside Center, Westcliff Plaza, Lido Village, Newport Hills, or Harbor View. You might also really enjoy shopping on Balboa Island and in Corona del Mar.

If you are traveling to Newport Beach because your boss wants to transfer you, bring some bags of money in your suitcase, too. Since it’s paradise, there is a price tag attached– over a million dollars for condos, and over $2.1M for a single family detached home. Even rentals are more than $1,500 per month.

Which airport you fly into for your Newport Beach visit will be your choice. You might get a cheaper fare flying into LAX, but oh the traffic! Los Angeles International is 34.5 miles away, but it could be slow-going to get down to Orange County after arrival. Other L.A. area airport options include Long Beach, Ontario, and Burbank.

Another possibility is to fly to an airport further away, and then make the drive into Newport Beach part of your visit. Las Vegas sounds like it’s far away from the California coast, but it’s really only 231.5 miles. Even scenic Santa Barbara is only 122.9 miles of a drive after arrival towards the south. Palm Springs might be another choice, particularly if you want to play golf there first. San Diego is an excellent choice, as you can then drive the 74.9 miles north to Newport Beach.

By far the most convenient option is to arrive only 4.8 miles away at the Orange County Airport. Be careful as you board your plane to California. Sometimes they’ll say your flight is leaving for Santa Ana, sometimes they’ll say John Wayne Airport, and sometimes they’ll say Orange County or SNA. It’s all the same place.

If you are renting a car for your visit, beware. Some rental companies have offices in the terminal and some car rental firms are off-site. If you are a smart shopper, you can get your car from one of the in-terminal companies at no added cost. From the baggage area, walk through on the same level to where the rental companies are. This is a beautifully tiled area with large tan tiles. Atop a grand foundation of tiles you will see the statue of the Duke himself, John Wayne. (This is a great spot for a photo!)

Now, in order to get to your rental vehicle, you will have to cross the street and go to the parking garage. Wow- check it out– the street crossing has audio as well as visual “walk” and “don’t walk” instructions. This is fantastic if you are visually impaired.

The adventure of getting to your rental car continues on the other side of the street. You have to go down the elevator to the lower level. This is where the chaos begins. It’s a noisy, densely packed area of several rental companies. When you exit in your rental vehicle, just go very slowly, as you may be asked to make your way through tight spaces with sharp turns.

As you leave the airport on Airport Way, you may be taking MacArthur Blvd next– watch out! If your Mapquest directions say to turn right on MacArthur, be sure to do that. There are two lanes of traffic that go off to the left there; it would be easy to follow the crowd and end up miles and miles and miles from the beach! If this happens to you, simply turn around. Retrace your way back to the airport and you will now be going in the proper direction.

The nice thing about the Newport area, is that everything is relatively close once you arrive. In no time at all, you will be at your hotel enjoying the best of California weather and scenery. Have fun!

Tags: Balboa, balboa island, California, california coast, Corona Del, corona del mar, Fashion Island, Newport, newport area, newport beach, Newport Beach Vacation, newport hills, orange county

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In addition to being a great vacation spot, Newport Beach is a great place to own a vacation condo or rental, but only if you can afford it. Even in the face of the recent recession, beachfront property prices in most neighborhoods have held up relatively well for several reasons, but there are still other storm clouds that could affect them in the near future. Despite this, if you have the extra cash and long to live the good life in a chic neighborhood, it doesn’t get much better than Newport Beach.

Newport Beach is one of the most exclusive areas to live in Southern California. It’s home to almost any different water activity that you can think of and the weather is great year round. There are hundreds of restaurants that you can choose from to eat at and many high end realtors that make for great shopping. The most popular neighborhoods to own property include Corona del Mar, Mariner’s Mile, Balboa Island, and the Balboa Peninsula. However, the great weather and atmosphere will set you back a pretty penny. Beachfront condos and homes range anywhere from $700,000 to $17 million.

While it is incredibly expensive to get into Newport Beach, the fact that it is home to some of the richest people in the area makes the property prices relatively stable overall. While you might find a few, you won’t find large-scale foreclosure that you will in other communities.

But this isn’t to say that there won’t be problems affecting Newport Beach property prices in the near future. Because the homes are so expensive in the area, most people that are going to buy them need to qualify for jumbo loans from lending institutions. However, these have gotten increasingly difficult to obtain since the beginning of the credit crunch. Buyers may have to wait longer to buy because they will need a larger down payment or might not even qualify because of stricter lending practices. This will put a damper on the amount of people able to buy and affect property prices at least somewhat.

If you think you want to buy property in Newport Beach, the best thing that you can do is to get in contact with a realtor in the area that can be trusted. A realtor should help you with their knowledge of the area and which neighborhoods are the best ones to buy in and also should be able to help you understand your financing options. Realtors also have a lot of resources that they can use to put you in touch with sellers and provide some due diligence

If you can afford it, Newport Beach is a great place to own property. The market is stable and the atmosphere the area offers is unmatched. Just make sure that you know what you are doing and get in touch with a trustworthy realtor first.

Tags: Balboa, balboa island, balboa peninsula, beachfront condos, beachfront property, California, Corona Del, corona del mar, Newport, newport beach, Southern California, vacation condo, vacation spot, water activity

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Just off Pacific Coast Highway, Balboa Beach in Newport is one of my favorite beaches to visit on a Newport Beach vacation. I love the village setting with all the cafes and shops and the endless selection of things to do. You can eat at “21″ and have an Oceanside view.

The pier has amusements and rides, and of course games and prizes. You can relax at the local coffee shop and if you surf, it’s a surfer’s paradise offering equipment and supplies and reports of how the surf is doing. One of my favorite places to eat and just hang out is the Cannery. But the best attraction for me is the Wonderland Bakery! Just so much fun to look at and everything is always good.

I enjoy a long walk on the pier as the sunsets, smelling the fresh sea air. You can rent boats of all kinds, so if you are set on some water fun, they have it there for you. This is a great vacation spot. With waterfront lodging, a quaint shopping village. Plenty of dining choices. You can whale watch during spring and fall.

Newport is located within an hour or so drive to Disneyland, or Hollywood and Beverly Hills. It’s a beautiful place to visit. Family friendly, pet friendly. The sky’s the limit. Accommodation’s include hotels, rental homes, luxury rentals. Beachfront property, in town property. You can rent a row boat to a yacht! There is plenty to see and do in Newport. I suggest a minimum of a one week stay, but can tell you even 2 weeks is not nearly enough time, there is that much to see and do.

Don’t miss out on the Ferry, Corona Del Mar or if you golf, remember to hit the greens!and of course, Fashion Island is a must for you avid shoppers! they have a great koi pond there and great shops!Be sure to take a dinner cruise or enjoy one of the many concerts and entertainment provided!

You are sure to enjoy your stay and will remember it for a long time to come.

Tags: Balboa, balboa beach, beachfront property, Corona Del, corona del mar, Disneyland, Fashion Island, newport beach, Newport Beach Vacation, pacific coast highway, vacation spot

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