Balboa Fun Zone facts for kids
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| Location | Newport Beach, Orange County, California, United States |
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| Coordinates | 33°36′10″N 117°53′56″W / 33.60278°N 117.89889°W |
| Opened | 1936 |
The Balboa Fun Zone is a popular spot for families. It is located on the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach, Orange County, California. This fun place offers a mix of ocean and harbor experiences. About seven million people visit Newport Beach each year, and many of them enjoy the Balboa Fun Zone.
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History of the Fun Zone
The Balboa Fun Zone was first built in 1936 by Al Anderson. It had a small beach and a large 45-foot Ferris Wheel. These were the main attractions. In 1986, Jordan Wank rebuilt the whole area and opened it again.
Later, in 1994, Joe Tunstall bought the Balboa Fun Zone. He used to work there. At that time, the Fun Zone had a newly fixed Carousel. It also had a Ferris Wheel, bumper cars, and a ride called the Scary Dark Ride. There were also shops for souvenirs, places to eat, and boat companies. These companies offered boat rides and tours of the harbor.
Today, visitors can still enjoy boat trips and old-fashioned arcades. The Ferris wheel is a famous landmark on the Balboa Peninsula, especially at night. In 2005, a company called NHNM Property Holdings, LLC bought the Balboa Fun Zone. They planned to update the buildings, boardwalk, and waterfront.
What to Do Today
The area around the Balboa Fun Zone is also called Balboa Village. It has more shops, restaurants, and a small hotel. You can also find the Balboa Pier, the beach, and boardwalks along the beach and harbor.
In 2013, the Balboa Fun Zone got a big update. Three new rides were added by a company called Fun Zone Entertainment. These rides are Ocean Motion, Fish Pipe, and Burt the Bull Shark.
- Ocean Motion is an 18-foot tall bungee ride. It lets people jump and flip safely in the air.
- Fish Pipe is an 11-foot wide plastic sphere. Riders slide inside it while it spins at 45 rotations per minute. Fresh water makes it a fun waterslide.
- Burt the Bull Shark is a 12-foot long mechanical bull. It weighs 2,000 pounds and tries to buck riders off its back.
The Balboa Fun Zone also has a raised patio. It is open to everyone and offers great views of Newport Harbor. The patio is easy to access for people with disabilities.
Famous musicians have also used the Fun Zone for their videos. In 1998, Japanese musician hide filmed his music video for "Hurry Go Round" here. In 2013, American hip hop artist Childish Gambino filmed his music video for "3005" entirely on the Ferris wheel.
The Fun Zone has restaurants, like the historic Balboa Pavilion built in 1905. There are also many souvenir shops and a boardwalk.
Getting Around
The Balboa Fun Zone is a hub for transportation.
- Catalina Flyer: The 130-foot long Catalina Flyer ferry leaves from the Pavilion. This ship can carry 500 passengers. It travels at a top speed of 32 knots. The Flyer reaches Avalon on Catalina Island in just 75 minutes. It is the largest passenger ferry on the west coast.
- Balboa Auto Ferry: This small ferry carries people and cars 900 feet from nearby Balboa Island to the Fun Zone. It runs 20 hours a day in the summer. It carries about 1.6 million passengers each year. The ferry can transport three cars and up to 100 people in a three-minute trip.
ExplorOcean: Learning About the Ocean
The Balboa Fun Zone is also home to ExplorOcean. This is a California nonprofit organization. ExplorOcean's goal is to teach children about the ocean. They focus on seven key principles of Ocean Literacy. They do this through hands-on activities, summer camps, and field trips.
At the Ocean Literacy Center, visitors can build and control underwater submarines in an aquarium. They can also touch sea creatures from tide pools, like starfish and sea cucumbers. The Ocean Literacy Center is a place to learn about the ocean using science, technology, engineering, and math skills.
