Balboa Bay Resort sits directly on Newport Harbor, putting boating at the centre of its identity. The water is part of the daily scene, with moored vessels and passing boats giving the waterfront a gentle sense of movement. It is easy to understand why a visit here can revolve around the harbour, with meals and outings connected by the same view.

The accommodation offers different ways to enjoy that setting, with bay facing options alongside rooms overlooking other parts of the property. If the waterfront outlook is central to your trip, choosing the appropriate room category is worth doing carefully. A view over the harbour gives a stay a different character from a courtyard retreat, even within the same resort.

Beyond the rooms, the spa, pool and recreation programme give guests plenty of freedom over the pace of their visit. Kayaks, paddleboards and electric Duffy boats are among the options for exploring the water. You can build a day around an activity or leave most of it open for a leisurely meal and time by the bay.

Dinner with live music was one of the defining moments of our time at the resort. A+O Restaurant & Bar brings California coastal cooking to a waterfront setting, with outdoor seating that keeps the harbour in view. The restaurant makes particular sense on an evening when you want the meal and the setting to carry equal weight, with enough time to enjoy both.

We also visited Bar nineteen48, the intimate lounge whose name recalls the 1948 opening of Balboa Bay Club. It gives an evening at the resort another setting, with a drinks menu and small plates suited to a relaxed stop after dinner. Readers planning around live entertainment should check the current programme, as music is scheduled on selected days.

The yacht cruise gave our visit its most direct connection to Newport Beach. Once you take to the water, the harbour becomes somewhere you are exploring, and the relationship between its homes, boats and waterfront venues becomes easier to appreciate. It is a rewarding way to add an experience to a hotel stay without filling the day with a complicated itinerary.

For guests arranging their own outing, the resort offers private charters aboard Host of the Coast, with different routes and durations. The appropriate choice depends on how much time you want on the water and whether your priority is the harbour or a longer coastal journey. Together, a cruise and an evening back at the resort make a strong case for giving Balboa Bay a generous share of your Newport Beach visit.