Newport Beach is a coastal city of about 85,000 in southern Orange County, California, United States.

Balboa Island draws visitors with a waterfront path and easy access from the ferry to the shops and restaurants.

Anglo-American inhabitation in the area grew substantially following 1870 when a 105-ton steamer named The Vaquero, captained by Captain Samuel S. Dunnells (against warnings posted by surveyors), safely steered through the lower and upper bay of Newport where it unloaded its cargo.

[11] In 1905, city development increased when Pacific Electric Railway established a southern terminus in Newport connecting the beach with downtown Los Angeles.

[2] In 2008, after a long battle with the city of Costa Mesa, Newport Beach annexed West Santa Ana Heights.

[14] The city is bordered on the west by Huntington Beach at the Santa Ana River; on the north by Costa Mesa, John Wayne Airport, the City of Irvine and UC Irvine; and on the east by Crystal Cove State Park.

[15] Newport Harbor once supported maritime industries such as boatbuilding, shipbuilding, and commercial fishing, but today it is used mostly for recreation.

[16] It is a popular destination for all boating activities, including sailing, fishing, rowing, canoeing, kayaking, and paddleboarding.

Commercial maritime operations today include the Catalina Flyer ferry to Catalina Island, harbor tours, sport fishing, whale watching day trips, and charters as well as a few small commercial fishing boats.

Newport Bay is divided by the Pacific Coast Highway bridge, which is too low for most sailboats and very large boats to pass under.

[17] The north end of the Newport Harbor channels surrounding Lido Isle has several small business centers and was at one time used as a home by the fishing fleets.

It also hosts the area boat show each year, and an organic "Farmers Market"[18] on Sundays, in addition to being the port for the local Gondola Company.

[22] Upper Newport Bay is an estuary that was formed by a prehistoric flow of the Santa Ana River.

In 2009–2013, Newport Beach had a median household income of $106,333, with 7.9% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

Housing prices in Newport Beach ranked eighth highest in the United States in a 2009 survey.

[53][54] Other companies based in Newport Beach include Acacia Research, Galardi Group (Wienerschnitzel), Chipotle Mexican Grill, The Original Hamburger Stand, Tastee-Freez, the Irvine Company, Jazz Semiconductor, PIMCO, and Urban Decay.

Fletcher Jones Motor Cars in Newport Beach is the largest Mercedes-Benz dealership in the world.

[57] The city's largest law firm is Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, with approximately 75 attorneys at its Fashion Island location.

Beachgoers have flocked to Newport Beach since the Pacific Electric Railway began bringing them in 1905.

A notable urban development project is proposed in Newport Beach, which involves converting a portion of a local golf course into a surf lagoon.

[61][62] The Newport Beach Surfing Lagoon Project, initiated by Back Bay Barrels LLC,[63][64] involves the creation of a 7-acre lagoon capable of generating waves mechanically, along with two buildings intended for dining, retail, fitness, and lodging.

The project has sparked debate among residents, with some viewing it as a progressive innovation and others as a potential disruption to the area's natural beauty and community character.

A waterfront path around the island attracts walkers and joggers and provides easy access from the ferry to the shops and restaurants.

Bird watchers and nature lovers are drawn to the Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve and Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center; and Crystal Cove State Park features tide pools at its beach, with backcountry hiking and mountain biking trails.

Camping is available at Crystal Cove State Park and at the Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort and Marina.

Whale watching is also popular in the area, with both scheduled and charter boats leaving directly from Newport Harbor.

A few of the most commonly fished species include the Gray Smoothhound Shark, Leopard Shark, Round Stingray, Shovelnose Guitarfish, Pacific Staghorn Sculpin, Silvery Mullet, Top-smelt, California Halibut, Spotted Sand Bass, Yellowfin Croaker, Bat Ray, Thornback Ray, Diamond Turbot, Shiner Surfperch, Corbina, Opaleye, Pile Surfperch, and Red Shiner.

On dark nights intense occurrences of bioluminescence can be observed when waves splash into the shore or when marine animals leave glowing traces in their wake.

The city implements a council–manager form of government, directed by a seven-member council who reside in specific geographic districts, but are elected at-large.

[83] According to a March 2018 report by the Sacramento Bee, Newport Beach has the second highest percentage of conservative voters among large cities in California.