I've been coming to Inspiration Point for many years, and I still enjoy it every time I visit…read more I usually bring my dog here for a walk so She can enjoy the ocean breeze and watch the sunset with me. Sometimes I bring a blanket, sit on the grass, and bring some food to have a little picnic. It's a simple thing, but I always enjoy spending time here with the ocean view and the sound of the waves. I also like that they have bags available the area in case you need to clean up after your dog. I noticed there is a one of stations near the end of the street where you can grab them. From here, you can walk down toward little Corona del Mar and get closer to the beach. You can also walk on the sand, but personally I prefer staying up here because it feels cleaner and more convenient when I don't need to go down to the beach. Street parking is available nearby, but you may need to drive around a little to find a spot for parallel parking.

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.

Wonderful summer spot for families with YOUNG KIDS!!!…read more Lots of different ways to play: Large grass area Lagoon/bay with sand and seashells Playground with lots of slides There are also lots of PICNIC TABLES at this location so it's easy to set up for breakfast or lunch. It's a very fun and safe environment for our kids and makes our summers days more fun! Our 3 year old enjoys the playground and the lagoon too. You have to PAY FOR PARKING but that's pretty normal for Newport Beach. We usually find parking very easily near here. Also, there are PUBLIC RESTROOMS and showers to rinse off available inside & next to the "lighthouse" - another thing that makes this spot easier with kiddos!

I enjoy walking through this park near the marina in Newport Beach. Parking can be a hassle in…read moreNewport Beach and I always get lucky and find a spot near this park. Marina Park is a community and sailing center. It is a great spot for kids to play or for walking your dog because of its large grassy area. I enjoy looking at all of the boats docked in the marina when I walk through the park. There is a mini decorative lighthouse in the park that has restrooms and a tube slide for kids to slide down. Marina Park offers many amenities like kayak and stand-up paddle boarding rentals. There is a playground, basketball court and an outdoor fitness area. Lighthouse Bayside Café is a restaurant in the park that has great views of the marina. There is a on-site pay lot for parking at Marina Park or park at a nearby street meter. Newport Pier and the beach are just a short walk away.

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

My hubs and I visited the Sherman Gardens during the first week of March. It was our first time…read morethere even though I grew up in SoCal and fly back every year to visit my parents. Wish I had visited earlier because it is truly a gem of a garden! Due to construction, we were only able to visit about half of the garden. That was a bummer, but what was available for viewing was gorgeous. From the cactus and succulent garden to the tropical banana trees to the seasonal flower beds and shade garden, it was all really beautiful. Also, there was an ikebana show and demo happening that day for free as part of our admission fee. It was a really cool show, the demos were super interesting, and my hubs won one of the pretty arrangements they raffled off! Such a great way to spend a morning.

Participated in their Yappy Hour event this past Friday. Lovely crowd and vibes. Half of the…read morelibrary is under construction for their new project, so we didn't have full access to everything but we still enjoyed the live music and company. We brought our little pug as well. He had a fun time barking at all of the other four legged friends while exploring the grounds. They also had water bowls around the gardens as well as free treats for the furbabies. Lots of shade after 5pm! Overall fun experience. The tickets for Yappy Hour are a bit pricey considering how little of the gardens we got to see because of the construction. Still a fun experience seeing our little pug socialize with other dogs. Our tickets each came with a free drink voucher. They had a good selection of beers and wines. We'll definitely come back for the next Yappy Hour!

It's a great place for running or walking. It's not shaded, so bring a hat. The trails are wide…read moreenough for traffic both ways. It can easily be finished in an hour or two depending on your pace. There is a designated parking area or you can find street parking too. There are a few ways into this trail.

so glad I found this trail to skate at!! Views are…read morebeautiful and I'm moving to the area in 2 years and needed to find a new spot to skate. And parking is freeeeeee YERRRRRRRR

What a fun day with family. My son is going 1/2 day fishing with Davey Lockers and me and my girl…read morehaving a blast brunching, shopping, tanning. Lots of stores with reasonable prices.

Large and beautiful grassy area just steps away from the sand and a nearby restroom. Lots of room…read moreto frolic and play all day!

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

I discovered this park during my stay at Newport Coast during the Memorial week holiday. I used my…read moreAI Grok in my Tesla guided me here for places to go on Memorial Day. I was pleased to get there just in time to enjoy the 250th anniversary celebration, music, a fith grade drawing competition and American flags lining the trailways of the entire hiking trail. It was a beautiful site to see and experience. The event also set up a temporary memorial area which honored California Veterans who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. Beautiful views of the back bay, so I'll be returning in the future for a hike.

Castaways park is a special park. This is the epicenter for magnificent events in Newport Beach…read more Nothing good happens in Newport Beach until it happens at Castaways park! And the views of Backbay, the harbor, and the ocean are the best around. There is a story about how many years ago when Newport Beach was under water, sailors would dock at Castaways Park for that 360 degree view looking for pirates. And a ship carrying the affluent from another continent crashed and everyone onboard became a castaway at what is now called Castaways Park.