With some of the priciest real estate in all Orange County, Newport Beach CA represents the stereotypical Southern California city. Sandy white beaches, multi-million dollar homes, and ultra-high-end luxury cars are plentiful. But Newport Beach also offers something Hollywood and the media never seem to show: a low-key friendly vibe and laid-back atmosphere that is hard to find anywhere else.
Newport Beach real estate is consistently ranked as some of the most expensive in America. The median home price in Newport Beach exceeds $1.3 million and the median household income is over $100,000 a year.
The palm tree-lined community boasts one of the most temperate climates on the West Coast with average temperatures in the high 60's all year round. The dense seaside community has a population of more than 87,000 residents, a significant portion of which (45 percent) are renters. Newport Beach has one of the lowest levels of owner-occupied homes in California.
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Healthy living goes much further than Newport Beach’s near perfect Mediterranean climate. Residents here have access to affordable, high quality doctors and medical services as well as a surplus of healthy dining options. With 89 percent of adult residents reporting that they do not smoke and 84 percent reporting they live active, healthy lifestyles, Newport Beach ranks as one of the healthiest communities in Southern California.
There are 125 hospitals within 60 miles of Newport Beach, including 3 Veteran hospitals and two children’s hospitals. Average emergency room wait times in Newport Beach are under 40 minutes. There is one doctor for every 45 residents in Newport Beach.
The city is also packed with natural and healthy restaurants and grocery stores. Eateries such as True Food Kitchen and Pita Jungle and grocery chains like Whole Foods and Mother’s Market make Newport Beach a premier destination for health-crazed locals and tourists alike. Two separate farmers markets operate successfully in Newport Beach, one in Corona Del Mar on Saturday mornings and another on Sundays in Lido Village.
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Newport Beach has been a dream destination for beachgoers since the Pacific Electric Railway started bringing people here in 1905. Unmatched surf conditions make the beaches here, from the Balboa Peninsula to the beaches at Crystal Cove State Park, the perfect place for outdoor activities. From beach volleyball and world-class surfing to bodyboarding and bodysurfing, Newport Beach has it all.
The Newport Harbor offers all sorts of recreational activities, including competitive and amateur sailing, fishing rowing, kayaking and paddle boarding. The harbor is home to the largest sailboat race in the world.
If walking, hiking or cycling is more your speed, the Upper Newport Bay, or Back Bay as locals call it, is ringed by Back Bay Drive and provides a winding network of trails and paths that keep walkers, joggers, bicyclists and roller bladders busy for hours. The area is also prime bird watching territory. Crystal Cove State Park features tide pool at the beach and hiking and mountain biking in the back country.
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Newport Beach has several entertainment hubs, including Balboa Island, Balboa Peninsula and Fashion Island, an upscale open-air mall that is home to high-end retailers such as Bloomingdales, Neiman Marcus and Brooks Brothers. The bars and restaurants located steps from the Newport Pier, including Sharkeez, Malarky's Irish Pub, Woody's Wharf, Rudy's Pub and Grill, and The Newport Beach Brewing Company, are a regional nightlife destination.
Newport Beach is a popular destination for college students and area youth, who flock here on weekends for live music, dining and dancing. Many music clubs, including Ten Nightclub, often offer live musical acts. Like most seaside towns, restaurants in Newport Beach tend to focus on seafood, but there’s a wide variety of restaurants in all categories and price ranges.
Newport Beach was home to Native Americans long before Spanish settlers claimed the California coast in the 1800's. Native American shells and relics can still be found today scattered throughout the area. The area was named after San Francisco resident James Irvine, for whom which the nearby City of Irvine is named, discovered that a 105-ton steamer named The Vaquero, against warnings posted by surveyors, safely steered through the lower and upper bay and unloaded cargo. Irvine decided the new port should simply be called “Newport.”
The addition of the railway in 1905, which connect the town to downtown Los Angeles, turned Newport into a booming tourist attraction.
