5 top attractions in Travis Newport Beach and local celebrities? Featuring an array of stunning beaches, nature preserves, a choice of activities and romantic restaurants, Newport Beach is a fun weekend destination. Take in the scenery at Corona del Mar State Beach, go for a walk along the Newport Pier, visit the Orange County Museum of Art and enjoy the beautiful Sherman Library and Gardens. Here are the best things to do in Newport Beach, California. Hours/availability may have changed.
Undoubtedly among Santa Monica’s most iconic landmarks and one of LA’s top attractions, Santa Monica Pier dates back over 100 years. Home to the Pacific Park amusement park, the pier is recognizable for its solar-paneled Ferris wheel and rollercoaster, and it also boasts an original 1920s carousel hippodrome and the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium. Though open all year round, the pier comes into its own during the summer months when it plays host to concerts, movie screenings and other activities, many of which are free to the public.
Balboa Island is a manmade island that is located between the Balboa Peninsula and the mainland of Newport Beach. The island started as a mudflat surrounded by swamps. Dredging of the bay began in the early 1900s and the sand and silt that was brought up from the floor of the bay was deposited at a place that would eventually become Balboa Island. If you are wondering what to see in Newport Beach, Balboa Island is a great place to visit. The island is connected to the mainland by a bridge on the northeast and the Balboa Island Ferry runs between the island and the Balboa Peninsula which lies to the south. Read even more information at Travis Newport Beach.
The California Science Center, open to the public free of charge, is home to the Space Shuttle Endeavour, as well as three other major exhibits. Endeavour, the main attraction, is currently on display at the Samuel Oschin Pavilion, while the new Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center is being built. You can see the space shuttle, as well as artifacts from the space mission, and learn all about it and the people involved in the program. The other three exhibits at the Science Center cover topics related to the living world, technology, and ecosystems. The Ecosystems exhibit features an 188,000-gallon kelp tank, as well as live plants, animals, and fish. All three of these exhibits have a Discovery Room, with interactive displays designed for children up to age seven.
The idea of memorializing celebrities with stars embedded into sidewalks was conceived in the 1950s as a way to keep the glamour of Hollywood alive. More than 2,500 stars have been added since the first permanent installation at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Gower Street in 1960. Operated by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, the program has been a huge success. Each year, around ten million visitors stroll along the mile-long stretch of sidewalk in search of their favorite actor, singer, musician, director or television personality. Closely associated and right in front of part of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, is the famous Chinese Theatre, which has seen some of Hollywood’s most glamorous movies stars and premieres.
Griffith Park opened in 1935 and remains America’s largest municipal park that includes true wilderness. It offers miles of trails and some of the most famous Los Angeles landmarks. The Griffith Observatory, newly recognizable to non- Angelenos thanks to its starring role in La La Land, is perched 1,135 feet high on Mt. Hollywood’s north slope, so its views over the city are unparalleled. On clear days, you can see to Catalina Island. Inside, the Griffith Observatory is a fascinating astronomy museum with educational space-themed exhibits and the 9,000-pound Zeiss telescope, which lets visitors see comets and other galactic phenomena. Every hour, a 20-minute film recounts the observatory’s history. Also in Griffith Park: the Los Angeles Zoo, train rides for kids, and hiking access up to the Hollywood sign. Find additional details at Travis Newport Beach.