North Star Beach

Located on the Balboa Peninsula in the city of Newport Beach, North Star Beach is a small beige sand beach.  The beach is adjacent to Newport Aquatic Center and has a beautiful backdrop of many oceanfront buildings on the shores of Back Bay, which together provide incredible views, especially during sunsets.

North Star Beach does not have lifeguards or any other amenities except a fishing pier and kayak and canoe rental facility.

North Star Beach offers many fun activities, including swimming, sunbathing, fishing, picnicking, kayaking, and canoeing.  If you are planning to go into the water, the waves are usually calm.  The water near the beach is shallow, which is ideal for canoes, kayaks, and small boats.   Visitors can rent kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards from the nearby Newport Aquatic Center.  If you enjoy fishing on this beach, visitors have to obtain fishing permits.  However, this beach is ideal for visitors seeking a more quiet experience, as it sees fewer visitors than other nearby beaches.  Dogs are not allowed here, and the beach is open from sunrise until sunset.

North Star Beach does not offer an access path for people with disabilities.

Getting to North Star Beach is easy - the beach has a small paid parking lot located at 1 Whitecliffs Drive, and provides easy access to the beach.

North Star Beach is considered an ideal spot to launch kayaks and canoes.

There are many attractions near North Star Beach.  TeWinkle Park is a dog-friendly neighborhood park spread over 49 acres that offers many amenities, including restrooms, a large playground with swing sets, a baseball field, tennis courts, softball fields, basketball courts, an amphitheater, picnic areas, picnic tables, a water fountain, electricity, a barbecue grill facility, and a lake.  Balboa Pier is a popular spot for recreational fishing, positioned on the Balboa peninsula, and offers many amenities, including a bait and tackle shop, seafood restaurants, and shops.  Boomers Irvine is a family-friendly amusement park that features mini golf, go-karts, bumper boats, and a gaming arcade.  Heritage Museum of Orange County is a villa turned into a museum that aims to provide interesting insight into the history, culture, and natural heritage of Orange County through exhibits, artifacts, and related memorabilia.  In addition, it hosts interesting events and educational programs throughout the year.   If you are looking for another nearby attraction, Crystal Cove State Park is a nature reserve that features a diverse ecosystem including wetlands, mudflats, steep hills, and a three-mile-long rocky coastline.  Visitors can enjoy many fun activities, including hiking, swimming, camping, boating, fishing, snorkeling, boogie boarding, scuba diving, tidepooling, picnicking, watching wildlife, and guided tours.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants within an eight-minute drive of North Star Beach.  Bayside Restaurant is an upscale seafood restaurant that serves incredible shellfish, sandwiches, oysters, salads, steaks, seafood, meat, poultry dishes, and desserts.  Nguyen's Kitchen serves amazing Vietnamese cuisine, including salads, soups, burgers, sandwiches, steaks, seafood, and poultry dishes.  Pom & Olive serves amazing Mediterranean cuisine.  Olea serves incredible beef, pork, meat, and poultry dishes.  If you are looking for another good and affordable nearby restaurant, SOL Mexican Cocina serves chili rellenos, burritos, fajitas, salads, tacos, quesadillas, nachos, and enchiladas.

If you are looking for a hotel near North Star Beach, there are many great options nearby.  If you are looking for an upscale hotel, the 5-Star Montage Laguna Beach is 32 minutes away by car and offers many amenities including three pools, a spa with 21 treatment rooms, hot tubs, a fitness center, boutiques, and many restaurants.  A more affordable hotel is the 4-Star Hyatt Regency Newport Beach, which has many amenities, including three outdoor pools, hot tubs, a spa, tennis courts, a golf course, and a seafood restaurant.  Another moderately priced option is the 4-Star VEA Newport Beach, A Marriott Resort & Spa, which has many amenities including two outdoor pools, a spa, hot tubs, a fitness center, and a restaurant.  A more reasonably priced option is the beachfront 3-Star Holiday Inn Express Newport Beach, an IHG Hotel, which offers many amenities including an outdoor pool, a hot tub, a fitness center, and complimentary breakfast.  If you are looking for another good and affordable nearby hotel, the 3-Star Ayres Hotel Costa Mesa/Newport Beach has many amenities including two outdoor pools, a fitness center, hot tubs, and a French restaurant.