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!

Once you sit in the black yet sleek gondola, you’ll be steered into the fairy-tale setting of the hidden canals beyond Newport Beach.  Most of the time, the individual steering the gondola will appear discreet yet mysterious, hearing nothing and saying nothing.

With this sense, the boat will almost appear to be moving by magic, gliding along with nothing to disturb the soft music.  Occasionally, you can hear the splashing of a fish breaking the surface of the water, which actually adds to the music and the tempo of the gondola ride.

With the gondola floating so close to the surface of the water, you’ll feel as if every sense you have is being tapped.  The warmth of the sun, the smell of the water, and the lapping of the waves will set your mind off like never before.

As you travel through the canals, you’ll find yourself wondering if the houses are deserted and just how romantic the atmosphere and setting make you feel.  Even though you may have the urge to dangle your fingers in the water, the relaxing feel of the gondola will make you feel as if you are too relaxed to move a muscle!

When the sun sets, you’ll pass other gondolas as they travel through the canals.  On a couple ride, the gondola can help to rekindle the flame or just take you to a whole new world.  Once you return to the docks, you’ll probably find yourself wishing that the ride would never end.

If you’ve never experienced a gondola ride, it’s one thing that you simply must try.  As a wedding ride, honeymoon ride, couple ride, or just a couple of friends, the gondola ride is something that will make you feel as never before.

While there are a few providers of gondola rides in Newport Beach, each one offers you the ride of a lifetime. The gondola ride brings a touch of romance to Newport Beach, which is something each and every couple should have the pleasure of experiencing.

If you plan on visiting Newport Beach or if you already live in the area, a gondola ride is something you shouldn’t hesitate to try.  It brings a whole new sense to the word romance and can easily make you forget everything that has troubled you in life – if even for a brief moment.

(This post has been included in the Carnival of Cities.)

In the morning, the inn allows you to customize your own continental breakfast from a variety of possibilities, such as muffins, cereals, and juices – delivered to your hotel room along with the morning paper!

Along with the morning paper and a continental breakfast, the Little Inn by the bay also provides beach cruisers. There’s no sense in walking when you can use the bikes they provide to explore the miles and miles of beaches and boardwalk that Newport Beach and peninsula has to offer.

Located very close to many restaurants and shops, the Little Inn makes it easier than ever. You can step out of the Inn and enjoy many great tasting restaurants and California shops. Being relatively close to the beach, you can go out at night and enjoy romantic walks on the beach with the one you love.

The nearby restaurants to the Little Inn by the bay include Blue Water Grill, Billy’s at the beach, Rusty Pelican, Charthouse, and many more. Offering everything from seafood to Japanese food, the Little Inn ensures that there is food in the area for many different tastes.

Along with being a great location, the Little Inn also offers you spacious rooms with cable television, nice views, and even beach rentals. During the day you can see everything that Newport Beach has to offer then at night you can enjoy winding down and relaxing in one of the many excellent rooms.

When the time comes to take off to Newport Beach, you should make sure you book your room in advance. The Little Inn by the bay is one of the best hotels in Newport Beach, making it very crowded during the summer months. The last thing you want to do is wait until the last minute then arrive in Newport Beach and find that there are no rooms left!

Booking in advance can save you a lot of headache, and provide you with a great place to stay once you arrive in the area. Once you have stayed a few nights at the Little Inn by the bay you’ll know what true Newport hospitality is all about. Then, when you return to Newport Beach – you’ll want to ensure that the Little Inn is where you stay.

Although you won’t need martinis at the festival, you can bet on some of the best wineries in California being on hand to pour their distinctive wines. You should also come hungry as well, as the food is to die for.

On a typical night, you can find mounds of shrimp, a variety of oysters, fish, pasta, and many other types of seafood and exotic treats. Along with the wine, this festival is a great attraction to Newport Beach.

A highlight for the festival is the cognac and cigar seminar, provided by Martel Cognac and Hamilton Cigars. During the seminar you can sip superb cognac while learning all about them. Also, you can learn all
about fine cigars as well.

During May, the Newport Beach Food and Wine Festival is reason enough to visit the area. There are plenty of other things to do and see as well. If you love food, wine, and the water – Newport Beach is the place to be in May. Even if you’re going to travel to San Diego, you don’t want to miss it.

If you think that a pier isn’t a romantic place to go to, then just go down there and see for yourself. Balboa Pier in Newport beach is one of the most romantic places to go when in California.

When you walk along the 920 foot pier you will see how incredible it is any time of the year, especially at night when taking a moonlit stroll. You will see why honeymooners and married couple find the pier beckoning romance.

You will also find that many fisherman love to spend their days on the pier. The atmosphere is something that needs to be experienced. When the average fisherman leaves after night fall, you’ll see how the darkness adds to the karma of the area.

You can see the lights from Ruby’s Diner lighting up the night sky. Walking along the pier you can see many different lights illuminating the sky. The Balboa Pavilion can be seen as well, adding to the already magical time that the lights help to add to the pier.

Just south of the pier, you can see the Newport Jetty and the bay entrance. With Main Street right around the corner, you have even more things to do while at the pier.

Balboa Pier is open from 5am to midnight everyday. Restrooms are located near the entrance with lights and fish cleaning stations right on the pier. There’s even a small restaurant at the end of the pier.

So when your on your Newport Beach vacation, the Balboa Pier is a must visit for anyone who loves fishing. Even if you don’t like fishing, the pier is great to walk at night or during the day.