This is a truly beautiful place to stop by. We came here on a Friday closer to sunset and we had…read moreluck finding parking near by. From the main lookout, there's a downhill path that leads you to another scenic viewpoint. It's a great place to slow down and enjoy nature.

How could Inspiration Point be anything else besides five stars? One of the most scenic spots in…read moreOrange County. I love catching the sunset from here, especially when the clouds are just right. Gorgeous for strolls overlooking Corona Del Mar/Newport Beach. Generally can find some street parking, as long as you're OK walking, or, you can park in the state beach parking lots and walk up (good workout). 2025: 74/100

the place to go with small kids! mix of beach, playground, and garden area to play soccer!…read more be sure to go early because parking can be a challenge. the light house is currently under renovation but will be available by april. i love this place

This is one of the best kid friendly beaches because the beach faces the harbor so there aren't any…read morewaves. You can also do a short walk (literally across the street) to get to the "real beach". There is a great play structure for kids with a lighthouse and big slide. There is also a restaurant here called The Lighthouse that has great views and good food. If you come here during Christmas time this is a great location to watch the boat parade if you're lucky enough to find parking!

This spot is a serene retreat that offers panoramic vistas of the city and coastline. for those…read moreseeking tranquility and natural beauty. Highlights: * Stunning Views: The park's elevated position provides visitors with breathtaking views of Newport Beach and its surroundings, making it an ideal spot for photography and relaxation. * Peaceful Atmosphere: Nestled in a residential neighborhood, the park offers a quiet environment, perfect for unwinding away from the city's hustle and bustle. * Amenities: Visitors can enjoy benches, a parking lot, water fountains, and the option to picnic in designated areas. * Ideal for Walks and Picnics: The well-maintained paths and grassy areas make it suitable for leisurely walks and family picnics. * Parking: A parking lot is available for visitors' convenience. Whether you're a local resident or a visitor this spot is a must-visit destination to experience the natural beauty and tranquility that Newport Beach has to offer.

Galaxy View Park is a local neighborhood park tucked in a residential area. It's a small park that…read moreoverlooks the Newport Bay Reserve with street parking only. There's just mostly grass and some benches and doesn't have many other amenities. It's not big but it's peaceful and is a great place for a blanket on sunny days.

Really cute small park near Balboa and Fashion island. There is one patio area with a couple of…read moretables and two play areas, one for small kids and one for big kids. The restrooms are on the other side of the park. The restrooms are a bit far from the play area, but were very clean. There's a small area where there are some statues. It's almost like a miniature Japanese garden area. There's one large grass area for soccer. Overall, nice small park. The only con would be if someone had a party here, it would pretty much take up the entire park because it's so small.

Cute, fairly big park with an amazing view of CdM (Corona del Mar) and an ocean 'breeze' befitting…read morean albatros. There's a large grassy area w/ soccer goals. 2 play structures, for different age groups. Clean, public park style restrooms. Park your car in the street along the park.

I feel a little bit bad not giving this beautiful park five stars, but I'll make my reasons clear…read morebelow. Still, compared to most parks of this size in the US, this is probably a five-star park. And yet. Wow. I just can't believe Newport Beach had the foresight and wisdom to allow this little plot of prime real estate to be a wonderful park for the entire community to use rather than some multimillionaire's hillside estate. When I came and took my photos, I only explored the southern side of the park, which is separated from the northern side by a steeper part of the hill and some shrubbery. It's easy enough to get from one side of the park to the other, but from the bottom, where I started, I couldn't tell there was another half of the park. Most of the southern side is on a hillside that steepens as you walk away from Carnation Avenue. In addition to small grass areas, there are a playground, some picnic tables, and only a few shade trees. Those trees are important, though, because when the weather is beautiful and there's not a cloud in the sky like when I came in August, you probably don't want to be totally exposed. I had walked here from where I parked about three-quarters-of-a-mile away. When I drove back, I noticed on my GPS that the park continued, so I turned left onto 1st Avenue, and who knew? Begonia Park is actually named after Begonia Avenue, which is its northern/western border. This northern part of the park comprises a much larger, flatter grassy area. However, the only trees up here are at the very eastern corner of the park, so again, if you're picnicking on the grass up here, bring something to shade yourself with. At the westernmost corner of the walkable part of the upper park, there are two benches that face the ocean. There was a man sitting at one, so I didn't get out of my car to try the benches, but I could tell that they have a lovely ocean view. These benches are definitely five stars. My quibbles with Begonia Park may be minor, but if the City of Newport Beach fixed them, I'd gladly re-review and bring this rating up to five stars. The first problem is a big one. Despite Bayside Drive being a fairly busy street and despite the fact that two separate concrete walkways go right up to Carnation Avenue right across from Begonia Park's own concrete path to the playground, there are no marked crosswalks at or near the corner of Bayside & Carnation. This just feels like feckless indifference on the part of city planners. In addition to crosswalks, there should be those blinking yellow lights that flash when people are in the crosswalks. The top half of the park has a lovely view, and I like all the open space, but there should be more shade trees and especially benches all around the edges of the park, not just right where the best view is.

Lovely spot to picnic. Kind of tucked out of the way, so always easy to park along the, ha, well,…read morepark. Umm... one thing that I'd like to see? Bathrooms. Bit challenging to "hold it" if you're having a leisurely picnic, curled up with a good book, or catching up with a friend. Sometimes you just don't want to get up and leave the moment. Nice views from the top of the park. 2022: 60/100

Bonus they have two free parking lots. Note that this year, 2026, they are doing some major…read moreupgrades and renovations so some areas are closed. We look forward to visiting again.

They're open in limited capacity so it's not going to take longer than an hour to tour the grounds…read more Parking was $6.50 Not sure when construction finishes but it shouldnt take long because we spoke to someone there who said the city will want to expedite construction to open the restaurant. Beautiful still. We came the day before Mother's Day for the rose show. Looking forward to coming back when construction completes because at $5 admission that is kind of a rip for how much is there. It took us longer because I recognized someone at the rose show and my son is really into plants but for an average person I'd say 30-45 min is really how much is there right now until they finish the remodel

Beautiful day. The only problem is not a lot of to have a water refill also trash bin until 2…read moremiles.

The Back Bay Loop Trail is one of the best spots in Orange County for scenic views and outdoor…read moreactivity. Whether you're into hiking, biking, or running, this trail is a great option for all levels. It's especially beginner-friendly since there's very little elevation gain or loss. However, it is on the longer side, so I recommend coming prepared for a bit of distance. The views definitely make it worth it though. You can always ditch and go back to your car at any point if you find the hike too long. One of my favorite parts is that there are some great coffee shops you can stop by near different access points along the loop. The area also feels very safe. Overall, this is a perfect go-to trail if you're looking for something scenic and easy.

This is our favorite place! My in-laws were coming from Texas and we suggested to meet at Newport…read moreBeach to enjoy the fireworks show and beach together. The weather was perfect the entire time we were there. It was really nice to get away from the heat. The beach and the water was clean. The waves were a bit high which was perfect for boogie boarding for the kids and some of us adults. (I am totally sore from boogie boarding and maybe broke something... but totally worth jt!) There was a bit of traffic around the beach area when we first arrived in the morning (9 am). Some streets were small so you have to be extra careful driving because pedestrians darted into the street whenever they wanted to... We were able to find parking in the parking lot and we got charged around 32 for the entire day. 6 hours was the max before having to add more money to our parking pass but easily done by using our phone, just remember your car license plate number and zone number. The area was very nice and got front row on the sand. We had 16 people in our group, we all got to have our space. But as people started coming they started crowing around so it was tent to tent next to each other around noon. So make sure you get there early if you want a nice view. There was a bathroom close by with washing stations and even swings and playground for the kids to enjoy. We were able to take a short walk (5-7 minutes toward the fun zone and ferry area). We left our stuff on the beach for a few hours and it everything was still there when we returned. We just love Newport and wish we weren't four hours away but we do not mind the drive. It truly is relaxing when we get there. We spent about 12 hours on the beach and enjoyed every moment. Can't wait to go back!

Really nice, relatively new park. Located in the perfect location right next to the showers,…read morebathrooms, parking lot, and the lifeguard HQ. The park has swings, slides, tic-tac-toe, and a wall climbing area. The kiddos really enjoyed it and it's about a one minute walk through the sand to the ocean.

I was looking for the perfect entertainment for my son's 2nd birthday party and I didn't want to…read morehire the usual balloon artist or bouncy house. I saw the blue blocks at some shopping malls and parks (not only in US but other countries) and my son loves it so I knew it would be perfect for my party since I had a limited space as well. I looked online and found very few people in US who works with the blue blocks and luckily one of the people was Becky in Orange County. How lucky! She was very professional and attentive to all my messages concerning my event. All kids enjoyed the blue blocks and they had to use their imagination to build whatever they want and it kept them really busy all afternoon!! Perfect!! We just put the blocks in my garage and voila! It became a simple, safe, educative and fun playground. I highly recommend OC Imagination.

My daughter had seen these at an outdoor shopping mall and just loved them. We rented these for her…read more3rd birthday party to entertain the kids and they loved it! Such a great safe way to keep them entertained while also allowing them to learn and nicely play together. Absolutely love these for events. Rebecca was great with communication, on time, helpful, flexible and accommodating! Highly recommend for any kids friendly event

One of my absolute favorite trails! The path is paved, easy for a nice walk or perfect for running…read more There is no incline and mostly straight. How can you not love these views of the harbor!! Absolutely obsessed!

Castaways Park is one of the most beautiful tucked away trails in Newport Beach. Easily accessed…read morefrom Dover, with a great parking lot that's never full. It's a lovely walk with spectacular views of the harbor. There's tons of greenery, beautiful flowers, and of course, the tributes and monuments to those who have served. It's a great trail to walk alone and collect your thoughts. Go on a nice dog walk, or catch up with a friend. Whether you go during the day or around sunset, it's always beautiful and very enjoyable. I highly recommend to go there for a personal reset... be present. No phone, no audio, and just connect to nature & the outdoors. The blooming flowers are absolutely stunning, as are the views of the sparkling ocean water, the best of Newport Beach.