January Bargains on Balboa Island

Balboa Island, California is a compact area designed for pedestrians and tourists to enjoy. Homes and rental homes line the streets and the harbour.

The main street is packed with restaurants and boutique stores. Since my visit was in January, a slow season for them, there were bargains in every window. Many stores had their giftwares on sale 25% or greater. We also stopped to browse two ladies' clothing boutiques which were offering every item on sale for $15. Seriously. Nothing was more than $15! There were gorgeous dresses and work wear, regular priced at $100 or more, but on sale for $15. The store owner noted that they were just overstocked and wanted to clear everything out before the new season started. She had had much success with the same clearance last year.

Shopping with a 7 year-old boy has its limits. Like 5 minutes maximum per store. And any trip into the change room shall be immediately followed by an instant acquisition of ice cream or candy as a means of payment for his pain and suffering. Thus, I bought only one pair of jeans and a cardigan (that I didn't even try on.) But hey, at $15 can you really go wrong?

You can walk all of Main Street comfortably in an hour or so. Definitely save time for a walk on the boardwalk and photos on the harbour.

You can also take a ferry over to Balboa Peninsula for just $1, where there are more shops, an amusement park, a museum, tour operators (like Whale Watching tours) and more gorgeous homes.

Balboa Island also claims to be the home of the original frozen banana. Have it dipped in chocolate, nuts, sprinkles and more. Hmmm. Sounds like a good idea to me!

Flight to California

I chose to fly into John Wayne International Airport (SNA) rather than Los Angeles International (LAX) because it's smaller. Yep, my decision was that simple. As a small town gal, the big airport intimidates me.

Yes, indeed I have been through LAX before, (on my way to Maui) and I probably could do it, but why when there is a perfectly good, very convenient airport 30 minutes away in Orange County.

Actor, John Wayne, or The Duke as he was affectionately called was a long time Newport Beach area resident and is indeed buried there. He used to party with the Hollywood royalty and host them on his yacht and in his Newport home. John Wayne has a rich history with the area and they named this beautiful, modern airport in his honour.

On a practical note, it was very easy to navigate. Taxis and shuttles were mere steps outside the building. There were many area hotels offering free shuttles, so that was a bonus too. It is located about 20 minutes (or a $30 taxi ride) from Anaheim and the popular Disney attractions. It is about 10 minutes south to Newport Beach and the ocean areas.

Upon our departure, security lines took maybe 15 minutes from start to finish. There were a few airport shops, at least one full service restaurant near our departure gate and a Starbucks. All the typical conveniences were there. SNA hosts several airlines including Westjet, Delta, United and Alaska. I'm sure there were more, but I didn't pay particular attention.

The cost of flying into SNA was the same or slightly less than LAX. The convenience and ease made it a 5 star decision for me. I would do it again anytime.