Balboa beach play area Newport

Balboa beach play area

If you had only an hour or two to spare at the beach and you happened to be at the Newport Peninsula we’d highly recommend that you head out to the Balboa pier with your kids. This is California’s ultimate playground on the beach! There are slides, swings, a climbing wall and all the sand in the world.

Besides the iconic azure-tinted clear waters and pleasantly warm sand this spot has an amazing playground, a green loan(for Yoga with babies?), a soccer field and several fire pits (perfect for a breakfast on the beach).

Plenty of free parking on the street and spacious parking lots near the pier will leave you pleasantly satisfied.   

There are great concrete fire rings situated to the left of the pier. You can actually cook a meal on the beach for brunch. We had a great time throwing a bon fire party at the Dockweiler beach. It feels as if you’re camping right on the sand a few yards away from the Ocean – kind off surreal.

Don’t forget to take an advantage of the amazing seascape for that perfect family picture. A blue sapphire colored water splashing near the pier makes for unrealistically vibrant shots.  

Parking at the balboa pier playground

1. You can actually park for FREE on the Balboa Pier Blvd or any other streets running perpendicularly

2. The municipal parking lot immediately adjacent to the pier is reasonably priced and is exceptionally convenient. There are even some spots just a few feet away from the playground.

You can actually rent out one of the front row houses with a beach view. There are many more locations you can snag through a Air B&B.

What else is there to do nearby?

Check out the Balboa island ferry with your child – it’s a short $1 / ride fun thing to do while in the New Port beach. Additionally you will find a playground with a Lighthouse slide. If you proceed all the way to the end of the peninsula you should check out the Wedge for some insane surfing