Carousel and play areas for children on site.
Christmas is my favorite time to visit this mall with my kids. The largest (or near largest) tree is in the center court and is eye popping. A train ride is great fun, and you can always visit Santa. We like window shopping, riding the train, looking at Santa's house and then stopping at Restoration Hardware for our annual picture frame ornament for our tree. A stop at the cookie shop rounds out our visit, and our tummies.
Luring you away from the Newport Beach and harbor area, but with the ocean firmly in sight, the 600-acre Newport Center, just above the Pacific Coast Highway between MacArthur Boulevard and Jamboree Road, is an office, luxury hotel, and entertainment complex built in 1967. It hosts a must-stop shopping center—the trendy Fashion Island. Call (949) 721–2000, the concierge contact number, or visit www.shopfashionisland.com for schedules of children’s activities, fashion shows, and great promotions.
Containing more than 200 major chain stores and regional specialty shops, Newport Center is also home to the luxurious Island Hotel (949–759–0808; www.islandhotel.com), as well as forty restaurants in the Atrium Court. This is where you and the kids can chill out after a hard day at the beach!
The stores at Fashion Island are on the high end, but it is still fun to go walk around and window shop. There is a Build-A-Bear workshop so you can take the kids in if they love stuffed animals. I recommend Wahoo's Fish Tacos for lunch/dinner...that is one of the restaurants I miss from living in and traveling to CA! The kid's menu is a bit limited if your children only eat chicken nuggets.
Great pet store, nice place to take the family and the puppy, fountains to play in, lots of places to window shop, organic food options. We enjoy strolling around and riding the carousel. Also enjoyable is when the annual playhouse competition is on display! http://www.projectplayhouse.com/
Newport Beach is like Beverly Hills for the Yacht Club set. Fashion Island is their mall. Its got great stores and is in a nice location - just don't expect any cheap steals or deals. Home of the original California Pizza Kitchen. Nice place to go and even just window shop.