Why go in spring: Locals come to this Southern California bay year-round to hike, bike, and escape the sound of freeway traffic. But with wildflowers like California sagebrush at their peak, the wetlands are at their best in April.
Regulars call it: The Back Bay.
Bragging rights: With about 1,000 acres of native habitat, the Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve and Nature Preserve is the largest natural estuary in SoCal.
Number of bird species: Nearly 200
Native plants to watch for: Cattails, cottonwoods, willows, and the endangered salt marsh bird’s beak.
Most scenic time: At high tide (check saltwatertides.com), only the tippy-tops of pickleweed and cordgrass mounds are visible on the water’s glassy surface.
What to bring: Comfortable walking shoes, binoculars, SPF 30, a water canteen, and snacks.
at North Star Beach and head out onto the glassy bay. Watch for birds, leaping mullet fish, sea lions, and the occasional dolphin.
It’s 30 minutes from the center south to Balboa Island, where you can pull in on a beach and treat yourself to the island’s namesake ice cream bar. From $14 per hour; 1 Whitecliffs Dr.
Next: A trail, brunch with a view, and more
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