Balboa Island sits in the middle of Newport Harbor and is reached either over the bridge from the mainland or on the small three-car ferry from the Balboa Pavilion. It is essentially a single dense block of cottages with a low boardwalk all the way around the perimeter — about a 1.5-mile walking loop with continuous views across the water to the moored yachts and the peninsula beyond.
The island has the friendlier, more village-like feel that the rest of Newport Beach has long since lost. Marine Avenue, the main street, is two blocks of cafes, ice-cream stands, gift shops and the frozen banana stands. The little Balboa Island Museum on Marine covers the resort history of the area in surprising depth. Park on the mainland and take the ferry — finding a space on the island itself is a daily ordeal.