Deodapper
Anaheim to Newport Beach: Disneyland to Balboa Island
Anaheim, California, US · 7 stops · 24.1 mi (39 km) · about 56 min driving · 10 spoken stories
Perfect for families wanting to escape the theme parks and hit the coast. Drive from Disneyland south through Orange County to the Balboa Peninsula, passing the iconic pier and Fun Zone with its vintage Ferris wheel, then ferry across to Balboa Island for ice cream on Marine Avenue. About an hour's drive with stops.
Photo: Don Ramey Logan, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
From Disneyland Hotel, Anaheim to Balboa Island, Newport Beach
The stops
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1
Newport Pier and McFadden Square
The Newport Pier is one of two municipal piers in the city of Newport Beach, California. The pier replaced the McFadden Wharf (1888-1939) and the site is registered as California Historical Landmark number 794. It is 1,032 feet long, built to a water depth of 25 feet.
“Here's Newport Beach at its most classic.”
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2
Balboa Peninsula drive
The Balboa Peninsula is a neighborhood of the city of Newport Beach, California. It is named after Spanish explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa, the first European to sight the Pacific from the Americas. Balboa is primarily residential with some commercial areas.
“Now we're cruising the Balboa Peninsula, named for the Spanish explorer Vasco Nunez de Balboa, the first European to sight the Pacific from the Americas.”
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3
Balboa Fun Zone
lunchThe Balboa Fun Zone is a family destination located on the Balboa Peninsula in the city of Newport Beach, Orange County, California. The Balboa Fun Zone offers both an ocean and harbor experience for an estimated seven million annual visitors to Newport Beach.
“This is the Balboa Fun Zone, and it's exactly the kind of place you hope still exists.”
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4
Balboa Pavilion
The Balboa Pavilion in Newport Beach, Orange County, California, is a California Historical Landmark and a National Historic Place. Established on July 1, 1906, the Balboa Pavilion played a prominent role in the development of Newport Beach by attracting real estate buyers to an area formerly designated as "swamp and o…
“That cupola on the waterfront belongs to the Balboa Pavilion, Newport Beach's most famous landmark and its oldest standing building.”
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5
Balboa Pier
The Balboa Pier is one of two piers in the city of Newport Beach, Orange County, California. The other ocean pier on the Balboa Peninsula is the Newport Pier.
“Balboa Pier is the quieter twin to all the noise across the street.”
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6
Balboa Island Ferry
The Balboa Island Car Ferry is a ferry service in Newport Beach, California.
“This little ferry is a Newport Beach institution.”
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7
Marine Avenue, Balboa Island
Balboa Island is a harborside community in Newport Beach, California, accessible to the public by bridge, ferry and several public docks. The community is surrounded by a paved concrete boardwalk open to pedestrian traffic.
“Welcome to Balboa Island, a harborside community reached by bridge, by ferry, or by one of several public docks, and ringed by a paved concrete boardwalk that's open to walkers the whole way around.”
How it works
Open the route on your phone, set the day and time you're driving, save it, and put the phone on the mount. Deodapper follows you by GPS and narrates each stop as you arrive, offline once saved. Free for saved routes like this one; creating your own around your interests is $1.99 to $4.49 a route.