Getting To Newport Beach By Air
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