Newport Beach, the stunning coastal town in Southern California, is full of beautiful views, delicious restaurants, and fun activities. The weather and beaches draw tourists from all over the world and locals love it enough to stay and live here for their whole lives. It is full of history that dates back to the 1800s and now is a staple of Southern California. From Balboa Island to Big Canyon, Newport is the perfect beachy town with a rich history.
In the 1830s, Newport Beach was a rancho called Bolsa de San Joaquin, and home to cattle and horses. Then, in 1870, Captain Samuel S. Dunnells sailed into Newport Bay to establish a port between San Diego and Los Angeles. He established Newport Landing, which was given to James and Robert McFadden. The McFadden port area was extremely successful in shipping, and the town began to grow, but it was sold in 1899, and stopped its commercial shipping. In 1902, the name “Newport”, its original name, was changed to “Newport Beach”, and it officially became a city in 1906. World War I and economic depression thwarted the construction of harbor projects, but they were soon carried out in the 1920s, and the Newport Harbor opened in 1936.
Corona del Mar was originally a part of Spanish land grants. It was sold to James Irvine in 1875 for $150,000, which would now be worth about $4,405,200. When he died, it was put into a trust for James II to inherit when he was 25. George E. Hart bought it from him in 1904 and called it “Corona del Mar,” which means crown of the sea. The first houses in Corona del Mar were built in 1910. The town’s oldest restaurant, Five Crowns, was built in 1936 by Matilda Lemon MacCulloch. It was modeled after Ye Olde Bell in Hurley-on-Thames in England. Its purpose was to be an inn, but the MacCullochs used it as their home. It was turned into a restaurant in 1965, and it still stands today on East Coast Highway as a very popular restaurant. The Port Theater was opened in 1942, and neighborhoods like Irvine Terrace and Bayside were built in the 1950s. CDM now has a population of 13,000 people enjoying all of its beauty.
Newport Beach has so many things to offer, like sunsets, surfing, and scenery. Ava Amini, a 10th grader, said her favorite part about Newport Beach is “the people – everyone is really welcoming”. Amelie Chisholm, a 9th grader, loves “the beaches because they are pretty”. According to Visit Newport Beach, some of the best beaches in Newport are Pirates Cove, Little Corona, and Crystal Cove. Amelie’s favorite beach is L Street. Mr Reynolds enjoys “the thick morning fog” as it’s the “best temperature in the morning, then it burns off and it’s a beautiful day”. Our CDM community loves Newport Beach and all of its outstanding features.
Newport Beach has come a long way from when it was a rancho to now. Land has been bought and sold, and even gambled like Collins Island was in 1938. It now has many schools, ocean activities, roads to watch the sunset, and trails to hike. It has parks to play fetch with a dog, beaches to enjoy the bright sun, and shopping malls to buy the cutest clothes. Newport Beach is the best place for a combination of boat and beach, with history and intrigue.
