NEWPORT BEACH

Newport Beach offers all the finer things in life to those urbanites who like to live along the shore. I was struck by the cleanliness and friendliness of this upscale city; this is the Best City Beach in the Southwest. The amenities include excellent meals at seaside restaurants and accommodations in luxury hotels. Newport, named after its twin sister in Rhode Island, is also a yachtsman paradise; it is the second largest pleasure-craft harbor in the country, with over 10,000 berths. That's a lot of sails flapping in the breeze.

The municipal beach at Newport Beach is six miles long, terminating southward at The Wedge; this is a great body surfing spot, but for experts only on big wave days. The beach width is plentiful for all sorts of fun in the sand, and the water is good for swimming. The only problem is that everybody here loves the beach, and crowds are the norm. The promenade parallels the beach, providing a paved boardwalk for walkers, joggers, bicyclists, and rollerbladers. This is a great place to see the human parade march by. On the bay side is Balboa Pier and Pavilion; this Victorian landmark is definitely worth a visit. You can also take a whale-watching boat ride during the season or catch a ferry to Catalina Island about 20 miles offshore for a diving excursion.

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