Mariners Park in Newport Beach

Mariners Park in Newport Beach is conveniently located behind the Donna and John Crean Mariners Branch of the Newport Beach Public Library.

This park is not to be confused by Marina Park! (That’s the one with the lighthouse slide down on Balboa Peninsula.) Mariners Park (this one!) is behind Mariners Elementary School and the Crean Mariners Branch of the public library with all the library/school/playground bordered in a triangle made by Irvine Avenue, Dover Drive, and Mariners Drive.

Directions to Mariners Park in Newport Beach: You might have driven by this many times going by the library on Irvine Avenue? The park is at the corner of Dover Drive and Mariners Drive! The address listed on all the websites about the park is: 1300 Irvine Avenue (but that doesn’t get you to the parking lot closest to the playground!). I would enter this park address into your maps app to get here: 2005 Dover Drive, Newport Beach. Turn off Irvine Avenue at Dover Drive to reach the parking lot along Dover Drive. MAP TO MARINERS PARK IN NEWPORT BEACH

Highlights:

I have fond memories of one of the parks I went to as a child having a sea lion that I could climb on. This park has a dolphin that reminds me of that sea lion!

This park is likely to be frequented by neighborhood families and elementary school kids or their siblings. It is definitely designed more for the 5-12 year old age group.

One curved slide and smaller double slide are the main attractions on the bigger playground with lots of ladders and climbing apparatus to reach them. There are also monkey bars at one end of the equipment.

There is a very small toddler area, though. It has a bench so you can sit between the play area and the street corner traffic, but it is mostly just a play house.

And there are also lots of swings! There are 5 bench swings, 1 accessible swing, and 2 baby swings.

The coolest thing is that the library is within walking distance! You just follow the sidewalk around past the handball courts and you end up at the library.

Be Aware:

Traffic and parking can be impacted by school hours, after school activities, and weekend sports. The playground is at a street corner, there is always the danger of nearby traffic.

Combo of recycled rubber and sand can make for a slippery play surface.

There are openings and drop points if your younger child attempts to navigate the big kid playground. For instance, there is one section which requires walking over a rope bridge to get to the other side of the equipment.

And, of course, all the openings to allow ladder climbing to reach different points in the equipment.

Remember how I warned about this park being busy during sports games? There is a prominent sign posted about watching for foul balls or bats that might leave the ballfield area!

Checklist:

• Dedicated parking along Dover Drive
• Restroom building near playground
• Play surface is recycled rubber and sand
• Baseball field
• 2 handball courts
• Half basketball court
• 2 tennis courts
• Picnic tables and barbecue near the playground
• Official City of Newport Beach page about Mariners Park
• Nearby library: Crean Mariners Branch of the Newport Beach Public Library system is within walking distance!

Parks and Family Activities Nearby Mariners Park:

• Bob Henry Park
• Castaways Park
• Environmental Nature Center

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