★ Exploring the Beaches and Beyond ★

Newport Beach is a two-sided city. There's the high style, luxurious side of fancy shops, fancy restaurants and fancy homes. And there's the casual, affordable side of lazy days on the beach, paddleboarding in the harbor, grabbing a frozen banana before walking around Balboa Island and then watching the sun set over the ocean.

There are surfers and sophisticates, dive bars and wine bars, bicycles and Bentleys. Some residents wear no shoes; others wear Jimmy Choos. Some people kayak around the harbor. Others let the captains of their yachts do the work. You'll see charming beach cottages (an endangered species), some large and beautiful homes and some large and "less tasteful" homes.

There is plenty of the old beach town left in Newport Beach. You just need to know where to explore. And that is where this app will guide you.

Here are some press reviews of this app:

Westways--
"'Newport Beach Insider' by Mary Ann Hemphill covers Newport Beach and much of Orange County in detail. You couldn't have a better guide to this seaside community than long time resident Hemphill, whose expertise shows."

Los Angeles Times--
"O.C. Insider: 'Newport Beach Insider' serves up the O.C. when you interact with its map, slideshow or lists. Attractions range from Disneyland to Santa Catalina."

Multiple features of this interactive guide allow you to plot your own path through Newport Beach and surrounding areas.

•Filters sort entries by local hangouts, hidden gems, beach fun, neighborhoods, family fun, price and more
•Slideshows for previews of sights and activities
•Maps tell you how to get there, by foot and by car
•Interactive highlights in the text lead to related entries and websites
•Easy one-tap phone connections

This app will always be a work in progress, with updates and new entries being added. Buy the app once and all subsequent upgrades are free.


★ About the Author ★

Having lived in Newport Beach for more than 30 years, Mary Ann Hemphill certainly qualifies as an "insider." She has seen the city morph from a quiet beach town to a city by the sea. But she knows where to go behind the urban, sometimes glitzy facade, to find the barefoot-in-the sand fun, the restaurants, hangouts, shops and entertainment that attracts the locals. In this app, she covers both the sandy side and the sophisticated sides of the city, sending visitors on a kayak tour in the serene Upper Newport Bay, and then to spots for splurges. Mary Ann has contributed to several Fodor's Guides, and her travel articles and photographs have appeared in magazines, newspapers and on several websites.


★ About Sutro Media ★

This guide is published in partnership with Sutro Media. By enabling local writers to share their expertise on mobile phones, Sutro Media is making it easier and more fun to explore the world!

If you have any problems, comments, or suggestions for improvement, we'd love to hear from you - letusknow@sutromedia.com