We’ve been going to Newport Beach, California, ever since I was a little girl. I have vivid memories running on the Crystal Cove beach, splashing in the waves with my grandparents, and now it feels surreal to watch my kids fall in love with all the same places I did at their age.

I’ve traveled to Newport throughout all of the different months of the year, but summer is our favorite. It’s my version of Belly’s Cousins Beach (iykyk). Yes, it can get crowded (increasingly so in the past 10 years or so!) but it’s a great place for us to escape the Utah heat for some salty air, and we love it in July & August.

If you’ve never traveled to the area before, I am going to attach a map below so you can get familiar with the different areas. Essentially, there is Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach, and Dana Point from north to south. All are accessible along the Pacific Coast Highway. You can easily get to all of these different areas in a day, but this is a trip you will definitely want a rental car for!

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TO STAY:

There are soo many great AirBnb’s and VRBO’s in these areas! So be sure to look on those sites as well!

Marriott Newport Coast Villas: my family has had timeshares here for about twenty years, and this is where we stay every year. It’s located up on the hill between Newport and Laguna Beach, so it’s a great central location to both “happening” areas! If you do not have a timeshare, we have found weeks on Redweek in the past.

Lido House: Will and I spent our babymoon (with June in my belly!) back in 2022 and stayed at Lido House and loved it. It’s very central to all the action in Newport and very close to the beach. They have complimentary bikes you can use and this is probably the only area I’d recommend staying in if you won’t have a rental are on the trip. There would be so much to do and see all around you that you could probably get away with no car here.

Le Petit Pali: this is a new hotel located right on Pacific Coast Highway in Laguna Beach (right across from the Montage!) and looks so adorable! I know of a couple of friends who have stayed here, and they all loved it.

*when we’ve stayed for multiple weeks the past couple of summers, we’ve stayed at our friend’s house that she rents out in the Port Streets in Newport, but 90% of the time, we are staying at the Marriott Coast Villas!

TO EAT:

We have so many food spots we love when we travel there! As with all places, I am sure there are so many places that I am missing, but here are the places we personally love to frequent while down there!

Baja Fish Tacos: (multiple locations) hands down our favorite spot! This is Will’s favorite meal on earth, and we have to go AT LEAST twice every time we go to Newport. We love their shrimp tacos the most!

Bacio di Latte (Fashion Island Mall. Newport): this gelato spot at Fashion Island Mall (Newport) is SO good! Every flavor is insane and some of the best gelato I’ve ever had

Gelato Paradiso (Laguna & Fashion Island Mall): another great gelato spot that we love! The one in Laguna is so cute

Rose’s Bakery (Corona del Mar): I dream of their chocolate croissant and California burrito

The Crab Cooker (Newport): this used to be my grandpa’s favorite restaurant and it always makes me think of him when we go there!

A Market (Newport Beach): my friend who is a local told me about this spot and we love it! Great spot to grab a quick sandwich or salad. Filled with locals inside!

C’est si Bon (Newport Beach): a great spot to grab a sandwich and pastry. You can order

Truly Pizza (Dana Point): this restaurant is viral right now and for good reason! It is truly some of the best pizza I’ve ever had. You need to make reservations about a month in advance to eat there and I don’t think they’ll seat parties over 10. We have always ordered it to-go and eaten it at the beach close by and it’s been great.

Sidecar Donuts (Newport/Costa Mesa): we always love going to grab a donut while we’re in town!

Cava (Costa Mesa): please disregard this one if you already have a Cava where you live! We don’t have any in Utah and I LOVE it so much. It’s fast casual Greek food!

Kit Coffee (Costa Mesa): try their cilantro fried rice. It sounds random but I promise you it is soo good! I’ve heard their coffee is incredible as well

Mama D’s (Newport Beach & Corona del Mar)

–TruBowl (Newport Beach): my personal favorite place to grab an acai bowl! I prefer TruBowl over Banzai bowl in my personal opinion!

Bear Flag (multiple locations): this is my parents favorite spot to go to while we are in Newport! Really delicious fresh fish and poke bowls

Nick’s (multiple locations): a really popular spot!

South of Nick’s (multiple locations): similar to Nick’s but Mexican food!

Restoration Hardware (Fashion Island Mall): We went here for Will’s birthday, and it was so much fun! It is a new restaurant and is right on the roof of the mall. Definitely an experience!

Javier’s (Newport): Will surprised me with a date here on my birthday this summer and we loved it! Great view of the ocean and really delicious Mexican food

BEACHES:

There are so many beaches along the coast that you can stop at!

-Newport Beach (park anywhere and walk out! Big surfing waves you can watch on the very south end called The Wedge)

Corona del Mar State Beach

-Three Arch Beach (private beach. Need an owner to get you in)

-Thousand Steps Beach (yes, there’s a ton of steps! But it’s a great beach once you get there!)

-Crescent Bay Beach

-Laguna Beach

TO DO:

There is so much to do while you’re there!

NEWPORT:

-Take the ferry over to Balboa Island

-Rent Duffy boats and boat around Lido/Balboa island (we usually find great Groupons for this!)

-Go shopping at Fashion Island

-Walk the streets of Corona del Mar

-Go shopping at South Coast Plaza (Costa Mesa)

-Walk/shop around Lido Marina Village

-Grab donuts from Seaside

-Go to Jack’s Surfboards to shop

-Walk to the lookout point at Crystal Cove State Park! Just walk as north as you can on the paths by the parking lots and you’ll see it!

LAGUNA:

-Laguna Beach Farmer’s Market on Saturdays in the summer!

-Just walk around Laguna Beach! So many cute shops

-Grab a donut from South Swell

-Shirley’s Bagels

-Go to Laguna Surf & Sport for a tee

-Bluebird Park

DANA POINT:

-Pines Park

-Guicho’s Eatery

ANAHEIM:

-Go to Disneyland! It’s not far at all from the beach!

Don’t you love the feeling when you know you have for sure forgotten things? That’s how I feel right now! Oh well, I’ll add them if I remember! And if you have any Newport favorites, comment them below so we can all see!

-Liv