This seaside community, sometimes referred to as the American Riviera, is famous for elegant waterfront villas, smart shops and restaurants, and beautiful Pacific Coast scenery. With a 6-mile-long beach and a fine harbor, it offers a variety of water activities. Vacation attractions are largely clustered around the Balboa peninsula, a 6-mile finger of land running east and west. Behind it is Newport Harbor, with 12 miles of waterways and eight islands.