Marina Park

When Newport Beach spends $36 million developing a park on 10.5 bayfront acres, you get something pretty magnificent to enjoy. This is the first time I have ever referred to a playground as magnificent. It’s also much more than a playground. I have a 1.5 and 3.5 year old and we have been there about 20 times. They are always wanting to go back. If you haven’t been to the new Marina Park in Newport, I would go immediately… unless it’s a weekend. It’s pretty crowded on the weekend. I withheld from writing about the park for months, because I wanted to enjoy it with my kids for as long as possible! We love to take lunch and sit in the big wooden lifeguard chair to eat it before exerting hours of energy at the park.

Amenities

What sort of amenities does Newport Beach’s Marina Park offer?
It’s loaded. There are multiple new-age, play structures for kids of all ages. Slides, climbing apparatuses, spinning, ships and other nautical themed equipment. You can search for sea shells, skip stones, chase seagulls and more. There are restrooms and a watering station for everyone (kids, adults, pets, and even adults wanting FILTERED water for their Hydroflasks) :o) That’s what $36 million gets you. There is workout equipment, basketball courts, sailboats passing, sandy beaches, large grassy fields, a 24,000 sq ft community and sailing center and a 23 slip marina. The large red and white lighthouse has quite the slide… be prepared to shoot out the end. There is also a lighthouse café if you walk south toward the slips. In the grassy fields we’ve seen soccer, Frisbee, muscle men, dogs, etc. My kids and I have flown kites, blown bubbles and launched water rockets (check out the video below).