We’re all for outdoor activities but sometimes in the heat of the summer, sun blazing, toes scorched from too-hot flip flops you forgot to put under the umbrella at the beach, you just want to ride. To help out the walking-worn, a Balboa Peninsula Trolley service is available … and it’s free for all.
The trolley runs Saturday and Sunday during the summer beginning on May 26, 2018. It also operates on Memorial Day, (Monday, May 28) and on the Fourth of July, (which this year falls on a Wednesday) Regular hours of operation are from 9:30 a.m. until 9:30 p.m.
The trolley route is pretty all-encompassing, making a giant loop around the Peninsula, to ensure you’ll never be too far from wherever it is you want to go. You can view the entire, 22-stop route here. (All stops are clearly marked with signs on the side of the road.) The first stop is located next to the Avon Street Parking Lot, near the intersection of Tustin Avenue and Avon Street in Mariners’ Mile. Trolley drivers will provide riders with a code to cover the cost of parking in the lot.
Trolley Tip via the City of Newport Beach: Download the ParkMobile app and set up your profile (vehicle make, model and license plate) in advance. Then, apply the code when you board the trolley.
A total of four trolleys run each day. While the City of Newport Beach estimates a trolley will stop at a given location every fifteen minutes during regular hours of operation, Balboa Peninsula traffic can get heavy in the summer, so the whole 15-minute may be a bit, err, extended. Sit tight, this thing is free.
Every trolley has a bike rack in front that can accommodate two bicycles, so if the trolley isn’t packed with cyclists, there’s a chance you’ll be able to stow your cruiser. Riders must hold surfboards in an upright position and according to the Balboa Peninsula Trolley site, surfboards can be no longer than six feet. Of course, luggage and beach gear are welcome aboard because that’s kind of the whole point of the free transportation.
To track the Balboa Peninsula Trolley online, click here.
For questions about the trolley, contact the City of Newport Beach during the week (949) 644-3311 and the Balboa Peninsula Trolley operator on weekends (562) 888-2497.