Santa Ana River West Trail

Newport Pier is located just south of Huntington Beach at the center of the Balboa Peninsula. Balboa Pier, the more crowded pier of Newport Beach, is nearby to the south. Thanks to the awesome weather of Southern California, there’s no reason this beach can’t be enjoyed all year long, which means the potential for stunning sunsets on the daily. Parking at the beach can be found in the nearby r...

The Huntington Beach Pier is a great spot for a multitude of activities. If you're looking to bodysurf, surf, swim, jog, or just chill, this is the spot for you. There's plenty of a restaurants nearby, making it the perfect weekday/weekend getaway.  I frequent this location to shoot sunsets by the pier. Overall, it's a nice clean beach thats great for hanging with friends and family. There ar...

Balboa Island, located in Newport Bay, is a fun destination on its own, but add a relaxing SUP to the mix and you’ve got yourself an adventure. There are two ways to get onto island: cross the Marine Avenue Bridge, or take the Balboa Island Ferry (directly inland from Balboa Pier and south of Newport Pier). I recommend the Ferry if you’re going for the full island experience. You’ll find severa...

The Newport Beach Back Bay Trail features beautiful wildflowers and is open for use year round. Very minimal elevation gain makes this hike food for all skill levels, but be mindful of the distance. Dogs are allowed on the trail but must be kept on leash.  Cooling sea breezes make this one of the few treeless trails that is hike-able in the summer months in SoCal. Keep your eyes peeled for bir...

Beginning at the east end of the Balboa Peninsula The Wedge's main power house is the Newport Harbor Jetty. When the right south swell hits the jetty it reflects back creating a massive back wash. When the back wash hits an incoming set you have the notoriously heavy wedge-like shore break thundering the shore line.The Wedge is home to bodyboarders, bodysurfers, skim boarders and surfers. You w...

This is a great spot for bouldering in Newport Beach, CA with really easy access from the parking lot at Big Corona Beach or street parking above on Ocean Blvd. There are not clear signs to follow, but it is easy to find from the parking lot at Big Corona - it is on the far west side toward the harbor entrance. There is a picture included here to show where the path starts to head over the rock...