For 120 years, Newport Beach has been defined by its coastal spirit—where timeless traditions meet effortless California cool. From sun-drenched shores and historic harbors to generations of makers, surfers, sailors, and storytellers, this is a place shaped by the sea and sustained by community. As we celebrate 120 years of Newport Beach, we honor the past that built us, the people who inspire us, and the laid-back luxury that continues to make this coastline unlike anywhere else. Here’s to the next chapter—rooted in heritage, carried forward by the tide.

 

Take a sail down memory lane with our timeline outlining 120 years of history. And be sure to stop by the Balboa Island Museum (210 Marine Avenue, Newport Beach) to view our historical exhibit, “120 Years of Welcome,” featuring a curated history of Newport Beach through the lens of tourism.

 

For more information about this timeline and all things Newport Beach, visit: visitnewportbeach.com/12-decades-of-newport-beach.

 

By a vote of 44 to 12, Newport Beach townsite residents agree to incorporate, mostly to attract tourists with the promise of alcohol in a dry county.

The tradition of the annual Christmas Boat Parade begins. On the evening of July 4, Italian immigrant Giovanni “John” Scarpa strings Japanese lanterns on his gondola in Newport Harbor, which started a tradition of lighted boat parades in Newport Beach.

The first Balboa Island ferry service begins, bringing potential home-lot buyers from the Red Car Trolley station on the peninsula to the under-construction island.

Real-estate speculators in Newport Beach continue to try to sell the dream of inexpensive summer houses by promoting developments in Corona del Mar, Balboa Island, Balboa, and West Newport.

Pioneer aviation pioneer Glenn Martin makes history with the first water-to-water flight in Newport Beach, flying from Balboa to Catalina Island and back.

Newport Beach’s undeveloped coast and bay serve as the backdrop to many silent films, including the blockbuster “Cleopatra.”

“Bathing Beauty” contests and parades on the streets of Balboa became a popular attraction in Newport Beach in the 1920s.

Coast Highway opens between Newport Beach and Laguna Beach.

Corona del Mar turns into the original Surf City USA when surfing pioneers—including legendary waterman Duke Kahanamoku—discover the near-perfect surf break at the entrance of the jetty-less Newport Harbor mouth.

The inaugural “Flight of the Snowbirds” sailboat race in Newport Harbor takes off. Today, the popular summer regatta is called Flight of Newport.

A revamped Newport Harbor opens after a $71-million (in today’s dollars) overhaul that included dredging the bay and building new jetties to tame the dangerous harbor entrance.

Balboa cements its reputation as one of Southern California’s premier playgrounds with attractions such as the Rendezvous Ballroom and Balboa Pavilion, the Fun Zone amusement park, and the beginning of Balboa (or Bal) Week.

The iconic Lido Theater opens with a beautiful Art Deco design. Lido Theater owner Fritz Duda Company meticulously restored the venue in recent years, reopening it in 2024.

Hollywood discovers Newport Beach, with A-listers from the Golden Age of Hollywood like Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Greta Garbo, James Cagney, and eventual resident John Wayne.

Newport Harbor transforms during World War II into a naval ship-building and repair port, and the U.S. Coast Guard takes over Collins Island as a base to patrol the harbor and surrounding waters.

Newport Beach employees spark the beginnings of the Christmas Boat Parade by decking out a barge with a lighted Christmas tree and singing carols to those onshore.

The private Balboa Bay Club opens, reflecting the promise of Newport Beach as an upscale community and tourist destination. Many Hollywood stars, following John Wayne’s lead, join the club over the years.

Commercial airline service begins at nearby Orange County (now John Wayne) Airport. Today, John Wayne serves over 11 million passengers annually.

Crystal Cove, with its rugged coastline, picturesque beaches, and 47 charming cottages, becomes one of the most charming seaside communities in California.

Newport Dunes opens with the lofty ambition of being the Disneyland of aquatic amusement parks before settling into the role of a laidback bayfront resort offering camping, water sports, live music, and events.

It’s generally believed the Balboa Bar—frozen vanilla ice cream on a stick that’s freshly dipped into chocolate and rolled in toppings—was invented this year.

The 410-room Newporter Inn (now Hyatt Regency Newport Beach) opens on Upper Newport Bay, bringing a new level of luxury accommodations to the city and attracting high-profile guests like President Richard Nixon.

Fashion Island opens and puts Newport Beach on the map as a shopping resort. The retail center featured 56 stores and two restaurants. Today, it has over 150 stores and 30 dining options.

Duffy Electric Boats opens its first shop, providing boaters with an inexpensive and environmentally sensitive way to cruise Newport Harbor. The vessels—which started with golf-cart engines—were invented by 17-year-old Marshall “Duffy” Duffield, a lifelong Newport resident.

After decades of protest against its development, Upper Newport Bay was saved in its natural state and turned into a state ecological reserve, preserving one of California’s largest saltwater estuaries.

Couture store Amen Wardy opens in Fashion Island, signaling a new era of luxury shopping at one of California’s largest retail centers.

Echo Beach becomes the home surf break for a new generation of surfers whose fashion style—neon colors, polka-dot prints, and checkerboard patterns—generates international attention and launches several major surf-wear brands.

Fashion Island’s three-story Atrium Court opens with 28 specialty stores as part of the retail and entertainment center’s evolution into a high-end shopping and dining destination.

Newport Center matches Fashion Island’s move to luxury with the opening of the 314-room Four Seasons hotel. Nearby, the upscale Ritz restaurant, which moved to Newport Center in 1982, hits its prime.

Construction begins on 10,000-acre Newport Coast development. Plans call for 2,600 Mediterranean-style residential units (down from the original plan of 50,000) and 72% of the land saved as open space.

The Wedge surf break—which generates some of the most dangerous waves in the world—further cements its reputation as one of Newport’s premier attractions.

The Newport Beach Film Festival debuts, an event that now shows over 400 films and draws nearly 60,000 attendees each year.

“The OC” and “Arrested Development” television shows—both set in Newport Beach—debut, boosting the city’s profile in the U.S. and abroad. Three years later, the “Real Housewives of Orange County” reality show airs with Newport Beach as its centerpiece location.

The Resort at Pelican Hill brings a new level of luxury to Newport Beach. The five-star property perched above the Pacific Ocean features 204 guest rooms, 120 private villas, and a 36-hole golf course.

The Christmas Boat Parade celebrates its 100th anniversary. The multi-evening extravaganza features over 100 vessels—from lighted kayaks to yachts—and attracts more than one million spectators annually.

The 10.5-acre Marina Park opens on the bayfront, featuring a nautical-themed park, wide swaths of open space, a café with bay views, a community and sailing center, and a 23-slip marina.

Lido Marina Village at the foot of the Balboa Peninsula unveils its multi-million-dollar redevelopment. Two years later, the luxury Lido House hotel opens in 2018, a few blocks away, cementing the area as a go-to tourist destination.

The popular Balboa Island Museum opens at its current location on Marine Avenue, bringing local history to residents and tourists alike. Nearly 400,000 people visit the museum annually.

Newport Beach reaches its population peak at 85,163 residents, a dizzying rise from the 206 citizens—mostly fishermen and wharf workers—at the time of incorporation in 1906.

Newport Beach continues to level up when it comes to luxury travel with the reimaging of two landmark hotel properties: VEA Newport Beach (2022) and Pendry Newport Beach (2023).

Newport Beach tourist destinations continue to be upgraded through significant investments, which include a multi-million-dollar restoration of the iconic Lido Theater by owner Fritz Duda Company.