COSTA MESA TRAINS ON THE TRACKS On...

COSTA MESA

TRAINS ON THE TRACKS

On the third weekend of each month, engineers climb aboard their

trains and travel on three miles of track at Fairview Park to display

their steam and diesel engines. The public is welcome to join them at

the park at Placentia Avenue and Estancia North. The Orange County

Model Engineer program started in 1989 when engineers wanted to

display their engines and educate and entertain the community about

the past. (949) 548-7246.

MOBILE SKATE PARK

The Recreation Division’s Mobile Skate Park travels to various

parks throughout the city three days a week to provide skateboarders

and in-line skaters a state-of-the-art skate park. The mobile park

consists of two quarter-pipes, three wedges, two spines, a fun box

and a rail. Participants are required to have a signed waiver and

release form to use the park. Appropriate safety equipment, including

a helmet, elbow and kneepads, are required at all times. Visit the

city’s Web site at www.ci.costa-mesa.ca.us to get a form. Call (714)

327-7560 for a schedule of days, times and locations of the skate

park.

NEWPORT BEACH

BALBOA FUN ZONE

Children can ride the Ferris wheel, the merry-go-round and the

bumper cars, as well as play video games, pose for a portrait and

browse through souvenir shops along the boardwalk at the Balboa Fun

Zone, which has been attracting businesses since 1936. The fun zone

offers many eating choices, including Balboa Bars --

chocolate-covered ice cream bars sprinkled with toppings. The Fun

Zone is open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. 400 E. Bay St., Balboa

Peninsula. (949) 673-0408. www.Balboa NewportBeach.com.

UPPER NEWPORT BAY ECOLOGICAL PRESERVE

AND NATURE PRESERVE

Canoe and kayak tours are available to experience six diverse

habitats for more than 200 bird species that either live there or

visit during the birds’ Pacific flyway migration. Campfire programs

are also offered, as are free two-hour walking nature tours departing

from Shellmaker Island every first and third Saturday at 9 a.m. Call

the Department of Fish and Game at (949) 640-6746, or the Friends of

the Newport Bay at (949) 646-8009.

UPPER NEWPORT BAY

PETER AND MARY MUTH INTERPRETIVE CENTER

Adults and children can explore 15 hands-on interactive exhibits

and communicate with the Newport Bay Naturalists and Friends through

interpretive educational opportunities or watch a “visual poem” of

Upper Newport Bay presented on five monitors, showing such acts as

birds in flight and the flow of running water in an estuary. The

10,000-square-foot interpretive center offers hands-on opportunities

to experience the inner workings of an estuary. 2301 University

Drive, Newport Beach. The center is open daily, except Mondays and

major holidays, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (714) 973-6820.

SHERMAN LIBRARY

& GARDENS

More than 2,000 plant species, from desert cactus to tropical

flowers, can be found in the gardens at this educational and cultural

resource center dedicated to the study of the Pacific Southwest. The

conservatory on the two-acre parcel has tropical plants and a koi

pond, and the Discovery Garden, specifically designed for those with

impaired vision, appeals to the sense of touch and is accessible to

wheelchairs. Docent tours are available. The gardens are open daily,

and the library is open on weekdays. 2647 E. Coast Highway, Corona

del Mar. (949) 673-2261.

LIDO MARINA VILLAGE

Boutiques, gift shops, custom jewelry stores, art galleries,

boardwalk cafes and restaurants featuring continental, Mexican,

Italian, Greek and California cuisine can be found on the tree-lined

cobblestones paths of Via Oporto in Newport Beach. 3400 Via Oporto,

Newport Beach. (949) 675-8662.

CANNERY VILLAGE

A historic village tucked away on the upper Balboa Peninsula,

Cannery Village offers an enclave of shops containing anything from

French provincial furniture to sand sculptures and sterling silver

items. The village is bounded by Newport Boulevard, 31st Street,

Lafayette Avenue and 29th Street. Parking is available on 30th Street

between Villa and Newport Boulevard.

SUMMER CONCERTS

AT FASHION ISLAND

The summer concert series at Fashion Island will begin at 6 p.m.

Wednesday and continue each week through August, offering a variety

of music, including jazz, rock ‘n’ roll and country. Seating for the

free concerts is available on a first-come, first-served basis, but

preferred seating can be purchased from the concierge. (949)

721-2000.

NEWPORT LANDING SPORTFISHING

Open party or private charter trips to local waters or Catalina

Island are available, including harbor cruises aboard the Newport

Landing Belle, an authentic stern-wheeler built in 1993. The vessel is available for special events, such as weddings, rehearsal dinners,

bar mitzvahs, anniversaries, graduations, meetings and cocktail

parties. Open party summer fishing is available from 6:30 p.m. to

midnight. Boats depart from 6 a.m. to noon and 12:30 to 5:30 p.m.

daily. Passage for a half-day costs $26 or $19 for children 12 and

younger and people 60 and older. Newport Landing rents rods and

tackle packs and sells fishing licenses. Packages that include a

ticket, rod, tackle and license are available. Charter boats have

various occupancies: The Patriot can hold 76 passengers; the

Nautilus, 72; the Amigo, 48; and the Ultra, 30. Prices vary for

holidays, weekends and weekdays and according to length of trip.

Newport Landing Sportfishing is at 309 Palm St., Suite F, Balboa

Peninsula. (949) 675-0550 or www.newportlanding.com.