Blog

Rolling Back Prices at Balboa Fun Zone!
09.23.11
To celebrate the Balboa Fun Zone's 75th anniversary this Saturday, the nostalgic Newport Harbor tradition is rolling back its prices to 1936 levels.
From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sept. 24, the fun zone will be offering carousel rides for five cents, ferris wheel rides for 10 cents, Harbor Cruise rides for 25 cents and admission to ExplorOcean/ Newport Harbor Nautical Museum for only five cents.
Besides spending a day in the sun for less than a dollar, be sure to check out the display of vintage Fords at the corner of Balboa Boulevard and Palm Avenue, a well as the live music, discounts on food and merchandise, free activities for children including model ooat building at the Nautical Museum and full beverage service and a special taco bar at the electric riverboat Angela Louise that will be docked near the ferris wheel.
This may be the last time you and your family can enjoy the historic carousel, which has stood on the island since the Balboa Fun Zone opened in 1936. The lease on the carousel expires on Sept. 30 and will not be renewed.
A raffle drawing to support Newport Elementary School in Balbooa will occur every half an hour and prizes include free boat rentals, Sea Doo rentals, Whale Watching cruis passes, gift certificates to Newport Landing and Harborside restaurants, Segway tour of the Balboa Peninsula for four, Balboa-themed artwork and much more.
The Balboa Fun Zone is located at 600 East Bay Avenue on the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach. Parking is available in municipal lots located next to the Balboa Pier. For more information, please visit www.TheBalboaFunZone.com.
Dining

Gluten-free at Pelican Hill!
09.23.11
Considering how it seems like food allergies are so prevalent, we’re always on the lookout for menus that cater to special diets.
So we just found out that Chef Luca Cesarini at Andrea at Pelican Hill Resort in Newport Beach has introduced a new gluten-free menu. The dishes include pastas made from flour alternatives, such as corn, chick peas, rice, soy and flax-seed bases. The items available at lunch Wednesday through Sunday and at dinner daily.
Gluten-free options include potato gnocchi, with butternut squash and wild mushrooms; rigatoni with roasted eggplant, tomato, basil and pine nuts; saffron spaghetti with seafood guazzetto; codfish fagottini, and heirloom tomato coulis; or gramigna, pork sausage ragout and olives. Also choose from pipette, pancetta, English peas, Mascarapone sauce; and beetroot risotto with gorgonzola fondue.
Open for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday; and for dinner 6 to 10 p.m. daily.
22701 Pelican Hill Road South at Newport Coast. 949.467.6800.
Follow Greer on Pinterest
from the blog
- 06.08.25 – Topside Roof Deck Launches Sunday Brunch Club
- 06.08.25 – RJB Restaurant Group Expands Parlor and Olea Footprints
- 06.08.25 – Father’s Day Weekend at The Ranch: Steak, Lobster, Bourbon
- 06.03.25 – VEA Newport Beach Partners with Orlebar Brown for Stylish June Pop-Up
- 06.02.25 – Coming Soon: Miami City Ballet’s Swan Lake June 20–22 at Segerstrom Hall
- 06.02.25 – Open Studios at Cannery Artist Collective This Weekend
- 06.01.25 – Celebrate Juneteenth at Musco Center
- 05.30.25 – Newport Beach TV Fest Awards ‘Landman’ Outstanding Drama
- 05.25.25 – Beckman Arts and Science Family Festival Returns to Segerstrom Center
- 05.25.25 – Woody’s Wharf Marks 60 Years with Music and Giving
- 05.24.25 – Chef-Driven Farmhouse Opens at Descanso Gardens
- 05.24.25 – Georgia’s Introduces New Weekday Lunch Specials
- 05.21.25 – CasaDamí Introduces Weekend Brunch and Golden Hour in Newport Beach
- 05.20.25 – HomeAid OCLA Hosts Annual Diaper Drive May 30 at The District at Tustin Legacy
- 05.20.25 – Sammy Hagar Day Hits Cabo Wabo Beach Club in Huntington Beach
- 05.14.25 – Summer Starts May 17 at Wild Rivers With New Mermaid Cove
- 05.14.25 – Adam Brody, Kate Hudson, Jason Segel, and Sam Rockwell to Be Honored at Inaugural Newport Beach TV Fest
- 05.13.25 – Trevor’s at the Tracks Launches Farm-to-Table Program with Two Local Farms
- 05.13.25 – The Ranch at Laguna Beach Introduces Ceramic Collaboration With Isa Carr
- 05.12.25 – LAWineFest 2025 – Celebrating 20 Years of Wine, Community, and Fun
More Daily Doses
- 06.03.25 – Hilbert Museum and Pageant of the Masters Partner for 2025 Celebration of California Art
- 06.02.25 – Cirque du Soleil’s ECHO in Laguna Hills – Free Kids Tickets This Week
- 05.26.25 – Chef Jason Yamaguchi to Debut Konpa Nikkei in Corona del Mar This Summer
- 05.25.25 – Lido House Launches ‘La Dolce Vita’ – A Taste of Europe in Newport Beach
- 05.21.25 – A Catalina Day Trip: Ocean Views, Island History, and Memorable Stops
- 05.20.25 – Pendry Newport Beach Kicks Off Summer with New Experiences
- 05.15.25 – Cinq à Sept Opens First California Boutique at Fashion Island
- 05.14.25 – Meet Atome Bakery: Sourdough Without the Stress
- 05.14.25 – Newport Beach TV Fest Launches June 5-8, 2025
- 05.11.25 – Cozy Earth Opens Flagship Store in Corona del Mar
- 05.09.25 – Celebrate Mother’s Day at Wild Strawberry Café in Newport Beach
- 05.08.25 – Mom-Worthy Dining in Orange County
- 05.05.25 – Celebrate Mother’s Day in Style Across Orange County
- 04.29.25 – Mother’s Day Dining and Experiences in Orange County
- 04.24.25 – Monaco Italian Kitchen Brings Neapolitan Pizzas and Housemade Pastas to Irvine
- 04.23.25 – South Coast Plaza Celebrates 35 Years of Southern California’s Premier Garden Show
- 04.20.25 – The District at Tustin Legacy Hosts Earth Day Celebration
- 04.17.25 – California Wine Festival Returns to Dana Point
- 04.15.25 – Easter Hoppenings in Orange County
- 04.11.25 – Fashion Island Welcomes a New Season of Style