Stand Up Paddle around Balboa Island, Newport Beach

Newport Beach, CA
5.0
6 Reviews
Stand Up Paddle around Balboa Island, Newport Beach
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About this place

Added by Travis Poulson

A smooth, relaxing paddle around a fabulous, upscale island. Stand-up paddleboards were made for locations like this.

Balboa Island, located in Newport Bay, is a fun destination on its own, but add a relaxing SUP to the mix and you’ve got yourself an adventure. There are two ways to get onto island: cross the Marine Avenue Bridge, or take the Balboa Island Ferry (directly inland from Balboa Pier and south of Newport Pier). I recommend the Ferry if you’re going for the full island experience.

You’ll find several shops where you can rent SUPs on Marine Avenue, which is the “main street” of Balboa Island. The rental places usually put you in the water near the bridge, then you’re free to explore.

There are several inlets and channels to discover around the island. I recommend heading east for a few minutes and then taking a right into Promontory Bay. Here you’ll find gorgeous homes with equally gorgeous boats. 

It will take you a couple hours to circle the island at a leisurely pace. You can also choose to cut through the Grand Canal on the eastern end of the island, which is fun. 

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Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and be sure to follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly.
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Siena Salvucci
6/26/2026
Easy and fun activity for whej you are bored.
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Caroline Burrell
3/31/2022
SUP around Balboa Island
Lots of fun. Be mindful of boat traffic, kayakers and the ferry crossing
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Andy
11/23/2020
Nice easy paddle
Paddling here is nice. It's an easy paddle and the houses are nice
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Crystal Sibson
8/14/2020
Nice Paddle
This is a nice place to paddle. The houses are fun to look at.
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Elena P
7/17/2020
Fun paddle
Fun place to paddle, while looking at all the houses you can't afford.
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Darin Tabor
12/29/2019
lots of fun on a sunny day
Awesome place to paddleboard. You get to see lots of boats and people, so it's far from boring. And if it's a ...
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