Your Car is a Boat; The Strangely Magical Experience of Riding the Balboa Island Ferry
As you pull up to the dock in your car, a gate lifts, and a man slowly waves you forward. You gently apply the gas, and your car slides onto the flat deck of the waiting boat.
A few other vehicles, along with a handful of pedestrians and cyclists, hop on as well. In a minute or two, the gate closes, and your journey begins.
Looking out from the front seat of your car, it feels as though you’re at the helm of a ship. It’s a strange and magical experience—sitting in the familiar setting of your vehicle while crossing the water in such an unusual way.
This is the experience of riding the Balboa Island ferry, which runs between Lido Key in Newport Beach, California, and Balboa Island.
The Balboa ferry has been operating for over 60 years. It’s a small car and pedestrian ferry that saves about 15 minutes of driving between Lido Key and Balboa Island, located in the middle of Newport Harbor.
The crossing itself is incredibly short. When I visited recently, it took about five minutes for the ferry to pick us up, cross the harbor, and drop us off on the other side.
It’s also an affordable ride. Crossing with a car full of people costs around $10, while pedestrians and cyclists pay even less.
The ferry offers a convenient way to access Balboa Island, one of the ritziest enclaves in Southern California.
On the island, you’ll find remnants of a former artist colony, with charming New England-style bungalows now worth millions. The quaint main street is lined with restaurants, tourist shops, saltwater taffy stores, and more.
Locals zip around in golf carts, but once your vehicle reaches Balboa Island and pulls off the ferry, you’ll need to find parking on a side street. The good news is that parking turnover is frequent, so with a bit of patience, you should find a spot.
While on the island, be sure to check out the iconic banana stands, which have been operating for generations and even inspired the TV show Arrested Development.
These classic stands sell chocolate-covered bananas dipped in a variety of toppings, as well as the famous Balboa Bar, an ice cream treat unique to the island.
This little slice of Newport Beach has been entertaining visitors for nearly a century, and the Balboa Island ferry has been an integral part of its charm for just as long. Everything about the ferry feels delightfully old-school, from the hand-painted black-and-white signs to the vessels themselves.
Although you could skip the ferry by taking the bridge that connects Balboa Island to the more central parts of Newport Beach, the ferry ride is well worth it. There’s nothing quite like a short boat ride to set the tone for a visit to such a magical, nautical destination. For just a few bucks, it’s an affordable and unique experience in an otherwise expensive area.
After exploring the island, take the ferry back and grab some food at the Bear Flag Fish Market on Lido Key, or rent a Duffy boat for a longer cruise around the harbor.
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