Balboa Island is Not Balboa Peninsula

I have owned and operated www.balboa-island.com for approximately 15 years. Since my friend Summer Bress had to relinquish her ownership when she was pregnant with Nigel and Mathilda. I mentally thank her every day when I update the website and when I get an inquiry from someone who wants to know about Balboa Island.

The most common questions I get are "when do the boat rides open?"; "what time is the Ferris Wheel open?" "When does the Catalina Flyer leave for Catalina?" and how much are the rentals on Balboa Island on the Ocean Front. As you can see I spend a lot of time explaining the difference between Balboa Island and Balboa Peninsula.

Balboa Island is an Island in the middle of Newport Harbor. We are 90 percent residential with two small commercial areas. One is Marine Avenue and the other is Agate Avenue. Marine is really an extension of Jamboree Road. Jamboree crosses Pacific Coast Highway, goes down a hill, crosses the Balboa Island Bridge and voila - you are on Balboa Island's Marine Avenue. Two blocks of shops and restaurants. Everything from the Famous Sugar and Spice where you can get a Balboa Bar and Dad's Donuts where you can also find the same thing. There is an ongoing debate as to which location "invented" the Balboa Bar. (And I think there were contenders on the Balboa Peninsula at one time - which really mucks things up!) Included in the retail Mix are apparel shops like Persimmon Tree, Even Sisters and Alex's and CandlEssence my favorite candle store. All these and more can be found on www.balboa-island.com under "What's on the Island".

Then there is Agate. We have our restaurant here - the Park Avenue Cafe, Agate 108 where cottage plates originated and Island Flooring/Island Style. There are plenty of services on Agate - a Spa, a dentist, a computer tech, a chiropractor and coming soon a facialist. Agate is also where the Ferry lines up to go to the Balboa Peninsula and the Fun Zone. The Peninsula is where the ocean, the pier, the Fun Zone, the boat rentals and the Catalina Flyer all reside. Along with other shops and restaurants.

I am not familiar with too much on the Balboa Peninsula because, although it is only a Ferry ride away, the demographics are quite different. I jokingly call Balboa Island "Leisure World by the Sea" and the Balboa Peninsula is a much younger crowd and contains an area called the "war zone" where most of the resources of the Newport Beach Police Department are consumed.

As Newport Beach becomes more visible through tv, movies, newspapers and magazines I am sure the confusion between the two areas will go away. Right now I do spend a lot of time telling lost souls that, "No, the rides and the ocean are on the other side of the Ferry ride :)". You are actually ON Balboa Island right now - take a walk on the Boardwalk and enjoy it.