Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Orange County Museum of Art
MUSEUM
under 12yr $10/8/free; 11am-5pm Wed-Sun, to 8pm Thu)
This engaging museum highlights California art and cutting-edge contemporary artists,
with exhibitions rotating through two large spaces. There's also a sculpture garden, eclect-
ic gift shop and theater screening classic, foreign and art-related films.
DON'T MISS
BALBOA ISLAND
www.balboaislandferry.com
; 410 S Bay Front; adult/child $1/50ยข, car incl driver $2; 6:30am-mid-
night Sun-Thu, to 2am Fri & Sat) leaves from the Balboa Fun Zone about every 10 minutes. It's
tiny, holding just three cars packed single file between open-air seats for the 800ft, sub-
five-minute trip.
GOOGLE MAP
;
www.balboa-island.net
). It's lined with beachy boutique shops, cafes and res-
taurants, and old-fashioned ice-cream shops vending Balboa bars (vanilla ice cream
dipped in chocolate, peanuts, sprinkles and crushed Oreo cookies on a stick).
For close-ups of the island's beautiful, well-maintained homes, take a stroll along its
shoreline. It's only about 1.5 miles around. Then catch the ferry back.
You can also reach Balboa Island by driving south of Pacific Coast Hwy along Jamboree
Rd to Marine Ave. But what fun is that?
Activities
Balboa Peninsula
BEACHES
Four miles long but less than a half mile wide, the Balboa Peninsula has a white-sand
beach on its ocean side, great people-watching and countless stylish homes.
Hotels, restaurants and bars cluster around the peninsula's two famous piers:
Newport
Pier
near the western end and
Balboa Pier
at the eastern end. Near Newport Pier, several
shops rent umbrellas, beach chairs, volleyballs and other necessities. For swimming, fam-
