Newport Beach is getting ready to welcome our neighbors to the north with open arms as Air Canada begins direct, non-stop service from Toronto beginning April 6, 2010. The flight is set to be the only international flight to and from Orange County and is surely to benefit our local Newport Beach tourism industry. The year-round service will operate on an Airbus A319. The daily flight will leave John Wayne at 8AM and arrive at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport at 3:41PM local time and the Toronto to Orange County segment will depart from Pearson International at 5:50PM, arriving at John Wayne at 8:01.
We can’t wait to welcome our Canadian neighbors to sunny Newport!
*Photo Credit to John Wayne Airport
The beginning of the new year brings many exciting things to Newport Beach’s never ending calendar of events including one of my favorites - Whale Watching Season!! From January through April, thousands of people flock to the local whale watching/sportfishing vendors (including Davey’s Locker Sportfishing, Newport Landing Sportfishing & Whale Watching, and Paradiso Yacht Charters) for their chance to see one of the approx 26,000 majestic gray whales that travel past the Newport Beach coastline annually. The whales take a 10 mile voyage from the Artic Sea to Baja which allows visitors and residents several months to enjoy the show! Everyday sightings are reported and the pictures capture the excitement of the crowd. Jump on the next boat - I’m sure you won’t be disappointed…Bon Voyage!!
Before the yachts - before the homes - before Newport Beach existed as it is known today, the Back Bay existed in primordial splendor - the original historic landscape of Alta California. Renowned for being one of the most critical stopovers for migratory birds on the Pacific Flyway and a sanctuary for many endangered species, this 900-acre nature preserve and marine estuary was recently featured on Huell Howser’s PBS series California Gold.
To fully comprehend the importance of this magnificent estuary in a heavily populated urban environment, take yourself and the family to visit the amazing hands-on Interpretive Center at the North end of Back Bay. Located at the intersection of Irvine Blvd. and University Drive, just south of the airport, this is the best kept secret not only in Newport, but probably most of the OC. You won’t see the building from the street, all you’ll see is the earth-colored triangular concrete sign indicating this is the Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve. Park the car, or tie up the bike and walk the dirt trails that lead down to the water. Built from recycled materials (including melted-down handguns confiscated by local law enforcement), this uniquely-designed “earth shelter” is built right into the bluffs with natural vegetation as its roof. Viewing the 7-min. film Life in the Salt Marsh contributes immensely to your understanding of the importance of these coastal wetlands. Open free to the public, 10:00 am-4:00 pm, every day of the week except Mondays, this unique and creative center even has a special kids’ room so young explorers can get close up and personal with all kinds of creepy, crawly things. 
And you thought Disneyland had the best parade on the planet – not even close! Every 1st Sunday of June, Balboa Island launches the single, greatest “epic” parade on the planet! Generations of Island residents are either in the parade, or watching from the sidelines. Locals compete with float entries from the various gemstone streets – everyone gets in the act!
