Newport Harbor Nautical Museum afloat
the Ruben E. Lee boat which sits near the bridge passing
over Pacific Coast Highway (pictured above). In 1983,
Bettina Bents rallied Newport residents to organize a
nautical museum in the city. Just three years later in
1986 the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum opened its doors
on Balboa Boulevard. Dedicated to preserving and
promoting the special heritage of the area and interpret
its role locally, the small one room museum quickly
outgrew its facility.
In 1994 the museum moved quarters to the sternwheeler
Reuben E. Lee, a landmark in the Newport Harbor. Built
by Sturock and Associates, (architectural firm for the
Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa,) it was modeled
after a traditional Delta paddle wheeler. During its
formative years, the Ruben E. Lee was a landmark
restaurant in the Newport Bay owned by restaurateur and
businessman John McIntosh, owner of Family
Restaurants. Rechristened the Pride of Newport, the
former restaurant measuring 13,000 square feet, was
transformed into a museum with four galleries, a
classroom, conference room, library, gift shop and a
restaurant. The museum documents the history of the
Newport Harbor, models of ships of the Pacific and other
changing exhibits. Location: 151 East Coast
Highway, Newport Beach, CA 92660 Call: 949-673-7863
The Riverboat Restaurant Enjoy New Orleans cuisine with
true riverboat style. Open Tuesday through Sunday for
lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. Hold your private
party, wedding or special event in one of our banquet
rooms and experience the best view of the Newport
Harbor. Be sure to visit the Newport Harbor Nautical
Museum while on board. 151 E. Coast Highway, Newport
Beach. (949) 673-3425.
Newport Ecological Reserve in the Newport Back Bay for
bird watching.
Fashion Island shopping center with Atrium Court,
offering all kinds of gourmet foods and live piano
music. Upscale and chain department stores as well as
fine boutiques offer everything a shopper needs. Fashion
Island also includes a theater and numerous restaurants,
including Hard Rock Cafe. Summers bring outdoor jazz
concerts to the center. Next door, the Hyatt Newporter
plays host to an annual line up of jazz artists in
summer concerts and also hosts several tennis
tournaments.
