Balboa History

Named after the Spanish explorer, Vasco Nunez de Balboa, this small island town has been a popular spot for tourists and locals alike. You reach the island by taking an old-fashioned ferry which runs day & night between the island and the Balboa Peninsula.

Historical Sites:

Rendezvous Ballroom Site (historical marker #35)-
For 38 years, the sounds of dance music echoed from the block-long ballroom, which was destroyed by fire in 1966. The music and dancing have ended, but the memories linger on....

Balboa Pavilion - 400 Main St, Balboa
This is one of California's last surviving examples of the great waterfront recreational pavilions from the turn of the century. Built in 1905 by the Newport Bay Investment Company, it played a prominent role in the development of Newport Beach as a seaside recreation area. In 1906, it became the southern terminus for the Pacific Electric Railway connecting the beach with downtown Los Angeles. The railway's Red Cars connected the beach with Los Angeles in only one hour.

The Balboa Fun Zone
Was built on Abbott's Landing in 1936 where Mr. Abbott brought soil from the mainland and planted the Peninsula's first trees. At one time, the then miniature amusement park covered the entire block between Palm Street and Washington Street. The ferris wheel and the merry-go-round remain today.

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