Newport Harbor is full of stories about Hollywood legends and a 45-minute cruise that has a bit of fun unlocking the history of the homes and yachts where the stars lived and celebrated.
The Fun Zone Boat Company offers daily cruises around the harbor which is a barrage of celebrity homes, hangouts, and history.
Henk Wisner, who has co-owned the company with his brother since 1997, said: “We try to take a historical tour, but we’re not a museum. As long as people have smiles on their faces, that’s what it is all about.”
Shirley Temple is connected to a property in the harbor, according to Colin Scott, a cruise narrator.
The $5,000 he paid in the 1930s for one home on the peninsula translates to about $95,000 in today’s dollars, he tells those on his tour.
John Wayne also had property on the bay, although he doesn’t live in the house you see there now.
One place in the harbor where he spent a lot of time, was on his yacht. Originally a minesweeper, Wild Goose has been refurbished into a yacht that he has owned for the last 17 years of his life.
Still moored in the harbor – the public can hang out as the Duke has booked a cruise or special event.
Over the years, performers George Burns, Gracie Allen, Roy Rogers, Peter Falk, Vanna White and Charles Bronson have had properties in the harbor, tour guides told passengers.
Nicolas Cage lived on the mainland side of the harbor until a naked man entered his house and ate a fudge, wearing nothing more than the actor’s leather coat.
Cage confirmed the novel, and that he could not continue to live on the property, during an interview in 2011 to promote his film “Infringement”. Cage sold the mansion for $35 million.
Tour guides point out another viewpoint that may be familiar: One of the opening scenes from “Gilligan’s Island” shows the SS Minnow heading out to sea—Newport Harbor quay with peg in the background.
And if you know exactly where to look, you might see a contemporary celebrity.
if you go
what: The Fun Zone Boat Company has been running harbor tours since 1948. Its four boats offer options from a 45-minute Sea Lion Tour to a private charter cruise for 120 guests.
where: Look for the Fun Zone Boat Company at the water’s edge next to the Fun Zone on the Balboa Peninsula.
Tours: 45 min “Celebrity Homes, Palaces and Yacht Tour” 45 min “Sea Lion Tour, The Wedge and Pirates Cove”
Hours: Every hour from 11 am to 6 pm
rates: Adults: $15 for one or $25 for both rounds; Children under 12 cost $5 per tour; Children under 5 years old are free.
