Harbor Island Neighborhood Guide

Researching Harbor Island neighborhood in Newport Beach California? Here is a complete guide with the most up to date information about Harbor Island neighborhood!

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Overview

ABOUT Harbor Island

The Harbor Island neighborhood is a beautiful semi-artificial island in Newport Beach. It is small as it only as 30 single-family homes on the island. This island was created when dredging a delta in the beginning of the 20th century. This gated community has amazing waterfront and harbor views as well private boat docks for each home.

The homes in this area were originally built between the 1940s and 1950s. Harbor Island is within the Newport-Mesa Unified School district so parents in this area can enroll their students in those schools or opt to enroll their students in a private school nearby. Also, this community is surrounded by exciting and action-packed activities, places to go, and sights to see.

There are many restaurants in the area with popular Asian, Italian, American, and Mexican dining spots. Harbor Island is only minutes away from Newport Beach’s historic landmarks, parks, clothing stores, and movie theaters.

This community is filled with wealthy families who enjoy the island life. They appreciate the exclusivity of their neighborhood because it make them feel protected against unwanted traffic. Many of the residents of the Harbor Island area love to go boating and participate in different water sports activities.

It is like living in paradise in Newport Beach. Although there are no parks on Harbor Island, there are parks nearby. Families will travel to the mainland on the coast and take their children to enjoy the playground or play sports together. The majority of the activities are on the mainland of the Newport Beach.

TOP Harbor Island HIGHLIGHTS

Island-based neighborhood
Expansive waterfront properties
Beautiful ocean views
Popular among retirees
Affluent neighborhood
Gated community
Small-town atmosphere
Peaceful and quiet setting

Natural Disasters

Harbor Island’s location along the Pacific Coast gives residents great ocean views alongside expected hazards like high surf conditions, heavy precipitation levels, and serious flooding. Additionally, weather moving in from the Pacific Coast can lead to other serious emergency conditions.

Supercell thunderstorms and hail storms can quickly shift into tornado activity. Ongoing trends and recorded events mean this residential area has a higher tornado index than the majority of neighborhoods across the state.

Additionally, Harbor Island residents are familiar with seismic activity. While most recorded earthquakes only reach lower magnitudes, this area of California has also seen its fair share of earthquakes reaching magnitudes of 3.5 and greater.

Commute

Because Harbor Island is an island off the coast of Newport Beach, it is only a few minutes away from the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). PCH is a major state highway in the city that runs north-south and starts at San Francisco to San Diego.

Harbor Island Road is a major street in the neighborhood. You can get to this highway by traveling on Harbor Island Road, connecting with Bayside Drive, and driving north. Bayside Drive will connect with PCH. If you travel on Bayside Drive, the street will eventually turn to Jamboree Road, which is another major road in Newport Beach.

Crime Rate

Harbor Island residents have an estimated 1 in 40 chance of experiencing a type of violent crime or a property crime. Considering ongoing trends, this neighborhood can be seen as safer than about 46% of residential areas in the country.

Local violent crime rates track more than 60% under the national average. The estimated chances of experiencing a violent crime in Harbor Island are roughly 1 in 690, which stacks favorably against California’s same 1 in 224 odds.

Overall crime rates fall 10% below statewide averages. Reported year-over-year rates in this area of California show there is a steady decrease in crime, which bodes well for the neighborhood’s future.

Education

SCHOOLS IN Harbor Island

Harbor Island families have several options in what schools they want to enroll their students in. In terms of public schools, the only school district for Newport Beach is the Newport-Mesa Unified School District. This public school district also serves students in the city of Costa Mesa. Newport-Mesa is not the largest school district in California, but it is one of the best.

It only has 32 schools including four high schools, two middle schools, and twenty-two elementary schools. There are only just over 22,000 students. The school officials and staff members are continuously challenging its students to go above and beyond and become successful scholars. Many of the Newport-Mesa schools offer extracurricular activities and clubs, which enriches students’ experiences.

The district also has an alternative education center and an adult education center. There are a few private schools near Harbor Island that are known for providing some of the best curriculum and programs.

Schools

ELEMENTARY
Harbor View Elementary School at 900 Goldenrod Avenue: Harbor Island students in grades kindergarten through fifth grade can attend Harbor View Elementary School. Teachers and faculty members encourage the students to reach for the stars and achieve success in their school work and their personal endeavors as young individuals. They want students to care about their school work as much as they do about their clubs and activities. Students learn subjects such as basic math, science, technology, social studies, reading, and writing. Harbor View Elementary School has fun clubs available for students to participate in and learn about responsibility. These clubs include theater, band, choir, and student council. Newport Elementary School at 1327 W Balboa Blvd: Newport Elementary School is within a four mile radius of Harbor Island. Students who attend this elementary school grow as learners and critical thinkers. This school has teachers who ensure that students are in a safe environment and that no one is being left behind. While Newport Elementary School has a few after school clubs, the main focus for teachers is to teach and nurture students' academic progress. Among the enrichment programs this school has, Newport offers a Gifted and Talented Education Program (GATE), which identifies students who are gifted and talented so they can be placed in accelerated courses.
MIDDLE
Ensign Intermediate School at 2000 Cliff Drive: This middle school is less than two miles away from Harbor Island. Ensign Intermediate School is a great school that serves middle school and junior high school students. Teacher and staff members have the task of getting their students ready for their high school years and more responsibilities. Students are only allow to participate in extracurricular activities and clubs if their grades meet the proficient standards. This teaches students the importance of self-accountability. Ensign Intermediate School has different world languages that students are taught. They learn Spanish and French languages. Athletic students can sign up for different sports teams too. Corona del Mar Middle School at 2985 Bear Street: Corona del Mar Middle School is a popular school in Harbor Island because it has great teachers, instruction, and a wide variety of after school sports teams and clubs. School officials stands by a grade policy, in which only students who are passing their classes can participate in extracurricular activities. Students' learning and grades are a top priority to the teachers at Corona del Mar Middle School. Some of the sports teams at this school include track and field, volleyball, basketball, and soccer. Also, the school has a cheerleading team. Students are able to learn languages such as Spanish, French, and Mandarin.
HIGH
Corona del Mar High School at 2985 Bear Street: High school students in Harbor Island can enroll in Corona del Mar High School. This school and the Corona del Mar Middle School are within the same building. Students are challenged to take their studies to the next level. This high school is considered a college preparatory school. Teacher and faculty members have the responsibility of preparing the high school students for graduation and college. Corona del Mar High School has college preparatory classes such as Advanced Placement (AP) and Career Technology Education. Students can earn college credit towards their degrees if they pass the AP assessments with a certain score. Newport Harbor High School at 600 Irvine Ave: Newport Harbor High School was founded in the early 1930s. Ever since then, this school has been a parent favorite because it offers so many extracurricular activities and enrichment programs for students to grow. Students can even earn scholarships that will assist with college tuition. Newport Harbor High School officials strive to make sure their students graduate with a better understanding about themselves and the world around them. Not only does Newport Harbor stick with the core curriculum and additional electives, but also it has activities in subjects such as student leadership, theater, computer technology, performing arts, and fine arts.
PRIVATE
Harbor Day School at 3443 Pacific View Drive: Harbor Island families can opt to enroll their kindergarten through eighth grade students in Harbor Day School if they choose not to enroll in a school within the Newport-Mesa Unified School District. This is a private school that is not affiliated with a specific religion. Harbor Day School is a great school to for getting your students excited about learn and interacting with others. Individuality are welcomed at this school. Students are welcomed into a safe environment where students can express themselves respectfully. They are able to learn Latin, Spanish, Chinese and take fine arts, computer, as well as other courses.

Real Estate

Harbor Island Housing 2020

The real estate in Harbor Island is mainly centered around single-family homes as this is the only type of residential buildings on this island. All of the homes are priced no lower than in the millions. Not only is the community exclusive and gated, but this island is surrounded by the ocean and the views are spectacular.

These homes are so luxurious and full of upscale features that make them worth every dollar. Single-family homes in Harbor Island are priced as high as $60 million. These homes, in particular, are as large as 14,000 square feet with many bedrooms and bathrooms. They have hundreds of feet of bay frontage.

The exteriors have milestones, elaborate landscapes, water features, and more. Homes on the lower end of the price spectrum can be as low as six million dollars. These properties have less square footage in living space and lot size but are still upscale.

Harbor Island Homes for Sale

This guard gated neighborhood consists of 30 private single-family homes. The estates and luxury waterfront homes have their own private docks. These docks are able to accommodate large boats and yachts. The majority of the homes have wonderful views of the Bay. Properties on Harbor Island can have different views of the main channel and Newport Harbor anchor basin.

These homes have a maximum of six bedrooms and a minimum of three bedrooms with as many as 5.5 bathrooms and as little as two bathrooms. Harbor Island single-family homes are great for larger families or individuals who do not want to live on the inlands. Despite its small size, this tranquil area is popular because of the upscale and sophisticated homes as well as the exclusivity of the neighborhood. While there are no city amenities on this island, Harbor Island is minutes away from the mainland, which has all the amenities you need.

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Things to do

Although Harbor Island has a small population and has only 30 homes, it is only minutes away from Newport Beach's fun activities, upscale shopping centers, and mouthwatering coastal restaurants. Exploring this is so exciting because there are too many choices of things to do. You will not get bored living in Harbor Island. Finding a quality restaurant is easy when you have choices like SOL Mexican Cocina, Bayside Restaurant, Galley Cafe, and Sapori. Also, when you want to take a load off and go out on a night on the town, Harbor Island is near a few of the most lively nightlife spots and bars in the city. Fun spots for quality family time include the Balboa Fun Zone, which has rentals for bikes, watersports, and Segways. It also has arcade games and sweet treats. If you want to just watch a movie with a few friends, you can head to Regency Lido Theater.
Fun Spots
For some family fun, you can go to Balboa Fun Zone which has been around since the late 1930s. It is only about four miles away on Balboa Peninsula. Balboa Fun Zone is a small amusement park has a ferris wheel, arcade games, food booths, and rental places for biking and Segway tours.
Recreational Fishing
Surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, residents of Dover Shores can fish with their friends or family members on their private docks. Newport Beach has so many fish in the ocean. From whitefish tuna to white sea bass to halibut, you will be surprised what you might find in your area.
Watersports
Watersports activities are popular in the Dover Shores community because the residents enjoy coastal living to the fullest. People participate in activities such as parasailing, jet skiing, kayaking, canoeing, skimboarding, and surfing. While some of residents have their own equipment, others rent at Southwind Kayak Center Rental Base or Balboa Water Sports.
Cruises
Watts on the Harbor Cruises, Hornblower Cruises & Events, and Cruise Newport Beach are several companies in the area that do cruises and hosts cruise events. Many people like to book these boats for proms, birthday parties, business conferences, retreats, and wedding receptions. These are mainly for Newport Beach cruises.
Historic Landmarks
Harbor Island is not far some of Newport Beach's historic landmarks including the Balboa Pavilion and Lovell Beach House. Founded in 1906, Balboa Pavilion is the oldest recreational water pavilion in California. Celebrations and weddings can be hosted there. Lovell Beach House was created by famous Austrian architect Rudolph Schindler in 1926.
Restaurants
One of the best arts about coastal living is the wide selection of delicious restaurants around Harbor Island. These dining options include SOL Mexican Cocina, Bayside Restaurant, Waterline, Galley Cafe, Basilic, and Wilma's Patio Restaurant. There is everything from authentic Mexican to Italian to American diner to Irish to seafood.
Shopping
Harbor Island residents and visitor has several retail shopping option including Lido Marina Village Mall, Bayside Shopping Center, as well as Fashion Island. They have upscale and affordable clothing and accessories. Some of the name brand and local stores include Alchemy Works Harbor House, Forever 21, Neiman Marcus, Alice + Olivia, Elie Tahari, and more.
Nightlife Spots
The Harbor Island neighborhood has nightlife spots and bars nearby that have great crafted beers, food treats, fine wine, cocktails, and music. Yard House, A&O Kitchen + Bar, 3 Thirty 3 Waterfront, Back Bay Tavern, and The Winery Restaurant & Wine Bar are several of the popular spots in the area.
Movie Theater
Within a three mile radius of Harbor Island, the area has movie theaters that show new releases as well as classics on certain days of the week. People normally travel to The Lot or to Edwards Big Newport 6 & RPX. There are comfortable plush seats and great movie treats.
Water Tours
Newport Coastal Adventure, Davey's Locker Whale Watching, and Newport Fun Tours are the top companies for water tours in the Harbor Island area. Even if you have been living in the neighborhood for years, whale and dolphin watching never gets old. The breathtaking views of the harbor add to the experience.

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