Balboa Bids Tourists Adieu

It’s the best time of year in Balboa, with the summer over, the summer tourists gone but the summer weather continuing. The sign I saw on local bar landmark Mutt Lynchs, shown above, said it best. “The Nightmare Is Over. Welcome Back Locals.”
The tourists aren’t really a nightmare. After all, they’re part of Newport Beach life too. A busy Saturday in summer sees the boardwalk crowded with tourists, but it’s a good crowding — a feel of being in the middle of something happening, something about to happen and hey look over there! People are turning out having fun, often smiling at each other and everyone sharing a group day out at the beach.
Still, when the summer tourists go, it’s great. The entire area changes, slows down and calms. You get the boardwalk to yourself. The beach is peaceful; it’s easy to be reflective or just relaxed, enjoying it as if it belongs to you alone.
The sunsets are nice, too.