NEWPORT BEACH
Corona del Mar
A seaside village of flower streets, bluff-top estates, and two of the best beaches in Orange County.
Corona del Mar occupies the bluffs south of the Newport Harbor entrance, where Pacific Coast Highway runs through a genuine village center rather than past it. It is walkable in a way most of coastal Orange County is not, and that fact does a great deal of work in the local market.
The village divides cleanly into two kinds of property. The Flower Streets form a compact grid running down to the water, where lots are modest and the appeal is location and walkability. The bluff communities — Shore Cliffs, Cameo Shores, Cameo Highlands — sit above the ocean on larger parcels with panoramic views, and trade at a different level entirely.
Corona del Mar at a Glance
- City
- Within the City of Newport Beach
- Sub-areas
- Flower Streets, Shore Cliffs, Cameo Shores, Cameo Highlands, Irvine Terrace
- Beaches
- Big Corona, Little Corona, Inspiration Point
- Character
- Walkable village center along Pacific Coast Highway
The Flower Streets
The grid is named alphabetically for flowers — Acacia, Begonia, Carnation, Dahlia, and so on down to Poppy — and runs from Pacific Coast Highway toward the ocean. Position within the grid matters: the closer to the water and the further from the highway, the stronger the location.
Lots here are generally narrow, and much of the recent activity is teardown-and-rebuild rather than renovation. What can be built is tightly governed, and understanding the buildable envelope before purchase is usually the difference between a good acquisition and an expensive lesson.
The Bluff Communities
Shore Cliffs, Cameo Shores, and Cameo Highlands sit on the ocean side of Pacific Coast Highway with larger lots and, in the front rows, unobstructed water views toward Catalina. Several are gated, and some include private beach access — an amenity that is genuinely rare in Orange County.
These are the addresses that set the top of the Corona del Mar market. Inventory is thin by nature: the communities are small, turnover is low, and the best view lots come available infrequently.
Beaches and Village Life
Big Corona is the main beach, with a parking lot, facilities, and a protected stretch of sand alongside the harbor jetty. Little Corona, further south, is reached by a footpath and is quieter, with tidepools at the south end.
Inspiration Point sits on the bluff between them and is one of the better vantage points on this stretch of coast. The village along PCH carries the restaurants and shops that make the neighborhood walkable — a meaningful part of what buyers are paying for.
Recently Sold in Corona del Mar
$38.5M closed across 3 transactions
Where Corona del Mar Sits
Common Questions
What are the Flower Streets in Corona del Mar?
The Flower Streets are the residential grid running from Pacific Coast Highway toward the ocean, named alphabetically after flowers — Acacia, Begonia, Carnation, Dahlia, Fernleaf, Goldenrod, Heliotrope, Iris, Jasmine, Marigold, Narcissus, Orchid, and Poppy. Lots are generally narrow, and the streets closer to the water command a premium.
Which Corona del Mar communities have ocean views?
Shore Cliffs, Cameo Shores, and Cameo Highlands sit on the bluff above the ocean and include the neighborhood's strongest view properties. Front-row lots in these communities look out over open water toward Catalina. Some Flower Street properties capture ocean views from upper floors depending on position in the grid.
Is Corona del Mar walkable?
Unusually so for coastal Orange County. The village center along Pacific Coast Highway carries restaurants, shops, and services within walking distance of most Flower Street addresses, and Big Corona beach is a short walk down the hill. The bluff communities are more car-dependent.