Newport Beach, California // Travel Guide

This post is long overdue, but who's keep tracking except Hannah and I ? (and my mom, probably!). We ventured back to the beautiful state of California for our baby moon--and spent a week at an incredible AIRBNB in Corona Del Mar, walkable to coffee, restaurants, shops, and most importantly, the pacific ocean! We walked all over Corona Del Mar (CDM is a neighborhood within Newport Beach), choosing a slower paced vacation than usual--featuring a lot of beach time, walking every neighborhood we could, and trying a plethora of new coffee shops and eateries. The sauntering was just what we needed to gear up for the super busy summer season which commenced right upon our return.

What To Do:

Balboa Island: A quaint and charming island attached to Newport Beach, Balboa has beautiful homes, views, and boats. The "downtown" strip has restaurants and eateries galore. The MUST do in our opinion? Grab a frozen chocolate banana from Dad's Original Frozen Banana Stand and take a stroll on the path that surrounds the island.

Crystal Cove State Park: There are many beautiful beaches nestled all along the California coast. One of our favorites is Crystal Cove. It is less crowded than other nearby beaches (perhaps in part due to the $15 a day parking fee).

Corona Del Mar State Park/Little Corona: While slightly more crowded, these beaches are also surreal in their beauty. Little Corona has a path which rides the coastline and holds stunning views.

LIDO: This eating and shopping district is first-class--and features some of our favorite things. Faherty brand, Herst Coffee, NOBU, Malibu Farm Restaurant, and more.

Fashion Island: Whole Foods, medium and high-end shopping options, and eateries (such as True Food Kitchen).

Good Eats + Coffee

Summer House in Corona Del Mar: great environment, and well-crafted American food.
Bearflag Fish Co: Hannah's favorite spot for seafood on the California coast, Bearflag is a popular local joint with locations in Newport and Laguna Beach.
NOBU: World-famous sushi worth the price of admission, located in LIDO.
Malibu Farm: farm to table food from Southern California served right on the marina.
Earth Bar: Breakfast and smoothies. The best smoothies in the game!
Reborn Coffee: The best almond croissant we have literally ever had. Delightful coffee, too!
Herst Coffee: A charming location and setting (located in Lido Marina),
KIT: A popular local spot a few miles inland, KIT has a great environment for getting work done!
Succulent: Located on Balboa Island, these relatively new guys on the block are friendly, and serve up some killer coffee.