The Best Marina Towns in the US

Newport Beach, California, is best known for its luxurious aura and first-class dining, shopping, and hospitality offerings — but it’s also the epitome of a classic sailing town, with a marina that’s home to roughly 9,000 boats (the largest recreational harbor on the West Coast). Its harbor once supported more “traditional” maritime activities like boatbuilding and shipbuilding, and the commercial fishing industry, but it can today be enjoyed as a hub for outdoor recreation. Explore across the city’s 10 neighborhoods, like Balboa Village, to feel a sense of nostalgia playing arcade games at The Fun Zone, or indulge in upscale, al fresco shopping and dining at the charming Lido Marina Village. But your time in town won’t feel complete without sightseeing, and people watching via a Duffy boat ride through Orange County’s most affluent enclave, Mariner’s Mile, which is home to seemingly countless dazzling million-dollar yachts and sports car collections.