Newport Beach is home to the largest recreational harbor in the United States and some of the best weather in the world. Because of these two things, it makes Newport Beach, CA one of the best places to paddle board in the world. And for that reason thousands of people each year come to Newport Beach just for paddleboarding and want to know “Where To Paddle Board In Newport Beach, CA”
But since the harbor is so large and there is so much coastline in the area you need to know the right spots to paddle board for the best possible experience. But do not worry, we are here to help!
In this article we will show you where to paddleboard in Newport beach, CA and where not to SUP so that you can have a killer time paddling around the Newport Harbor or the ocean.
Where To Paddle Board In Newport Beach
Newport Beach has many locations where you can park and launch your paddle boards, but the trick is finding the spots with plenty of parking and easy access to launch your paddle boards. This is because in many locations around Newport Beach it can be difficult to find parking, especially free parking. And if you do find that perfect parking spot it might be a good distance to the water which can be a hassle when carrying paddle boards.
So in this section we are going to give you the local’s inside information on where to paddleboard in Newport beach so that you can find that free parking spot with easy access to the water.
Balboa Island
The first on our list is Balboa Island. Even though Balboa is more known for its cute shops and famous balboa ice cream bars there are plenty of great places to launch your SUPs since they have two small islands with tons of access to the bay and very few areas with paid parking.
With that being said, the struggle with Balboa is that you might have to circle around for a while to find a spot close to the water since it is a very popular spot for shopping and paddleboarding.
Lido Isle
The next spot on our list is Lido Isle. Lido is another small island in the Newport Harbor that can be a great place to launch your paddleboards. The reason why Lido is a great place to paddle board is that there are no parking meters on the island and there is not as much boat traffic around the island.
But there are a few major drawbacks to paddleboarding off of lido including: all the docks are private to residents, they have security guards that patrol the area and there is very little parking.
Balboa Peninsula
The most popular spot on this list has to be the Balboa Peninsula. The reason for this is that since the Balboa Peninsula is so large there are plenty of spots that you can launch your paddle boards including several public docks. Also, there are lots of places to rent paddle boards, kayaks, and find parking.
Newport Beach Back Bay
If you want to be a little more adventurous then paddleboarding in the Newport Beach Back Bay might be a good spot for you. This is because there are going to be very few boats and you can wind on through the nature in the back bay that you won’t see anywhere else in Newport.
Also, there are plenty of places to rent paddle boards in the Newport Back Bay.
The best place to launch your SUP for the Newport Beach Back Bay is at the Newport Dunes, there is plenty of parking and they even rent paddle boards and kayaks.
Blackies Beach
Paddleboarding around the Newport Harbor is not much of a challenge since there are very few wakes or waves on most days. But if you are looking for a challenge or to try SUP Surfing then you will want to try going to Blackies Beach by the Newport Pier.
Blackies Beach also known as Blackies is called this because it is the stretch of beach across from the most famous bar in Newport called Blackies. We recommend Blackies for SUP Surfing because the waves tend to be smaller and less steep which make it perfect for longboarding or SUP Surfing.
Where Not To Paddle Board In Newport Beach
Now that you know where you should paddle board in Newport, now you need to know some places that you should stay away from.
The Newport Harbor Entrance
The first place you should never paddle board is in the Newport Harbor Enterance. This is because it is the choppiest water in the bay and it has by far the most boat traffic. Which makes a bad combination for paddle boarding.
The Wedge
Some of you may have already heard of The Wedge before, if you haven’t, get ready to to blow your mind by checking out this video of pro surfer Jamie O’Brien at The Wedge. The Wedge is the most famous beach in Newport Beach and probably in all of Southern California. The reason for this is that the Wedge can produce some of the largest and most dangerous waves in the the country.
So it is pretty safe to say that this is not an ideal place to paddle board even if you are very experienced.
The Newport Turning Basin
The last place that we recommend to stay away from when SUPing in Newport is the Newport Beach Turning Basin. Unlike the last two on this list you might have to cross through here at some point paddling through the bay.
The turning basin is the largest part of the Newport Harbor that is always congested with sailboats, yachts turning around and boats tying up together to party. And because there are all of these different activities going on, it can make for some choppy water and some bad boat captains that you will need to watch out for.
Where Will You Paddle Board In Newport Beach?
When it comes down to it at the end of the day, Newport Beach is one of the most beautiful places in the United States that has some of the best paddle boarding locations in the world. But just like all places to paddle board, each spot will have their pros and cons. So, you will just have to try out a few different spots until you find the one that is best for you.
But if I had to tell you where to try first, I would recommend starting with the Balboa Peninsula and using one of the public docks to launch since it will the be the best place for beginners and not have to be yelled at by security and other locals.
