Just like staying at friend's designer beach home!
House in Balboa Island, CA
6 guests · 3 bedrooms · 3 baths
Reasons to book
Guests love it hereGuests give this property a top rating
Free cancellationFull refund if you change your mind
Great for petsBring all your friends and family, even the furry ones
About this house rental
Enjoy our cottage by the sea! This lovely home has been completely renovated to its charming 1920s roots but updated to include all modern conveniences. From the hardwood floors to the black and white checked tile baths, you will feel like stepping back in time while enjoying a clean, charming Cape Cod/Nantucket-style retreat.
This is a wonderful place to entertain family and friends, enjoy downtime while away on business, or curl up with a book in one of the many nooks and take advantage of some private time.
We have three bedrooms (A king bedroom, a queen bedroom, and another with a double and a twin) and three bathrooms split into three powder rooms with a sink and toilet, then three showers private to each bedroom (one with a small bathtub).
You can gather or relax with plenty of places to spread out (bedrooms, living room, dining room, breakfast room, television room, patio). The patio area is spacious, sunny, inviting, and private.
We provide numerous amenities to make your stay as relaxing as possible.
-High-speed Internet access.
-A spacious living room for relaxing, gathering, and entertaining.
- A separate den with a smart TV with DirecTV and streaming services.
-All three bedrooms each have a private shower.
-Both the master suite and the living room have stereo systems for enjoying music.
-Our dedicated laundry room has a full-size washer and gas dryer.
-The water heater is a top-of-the-line tankless unit that allows several showers to run simultaneously.
We are foodies, so our fully equipped kitchen has gourmet amenities, including:
- Viking gas range,
- Microwave,
- Dishwasher,
- Refrigerator and automatic icemaker with water and ice in the door,
- Keurig coffee maker with drip or pods,
- Vitamix blender,
- Cuisinart food processor,
- Viking toaster,
- professional cookware,
- plenty of dishes, serving items and barware for all occasions!
- Our private, sunny, spacious patio has a table, six chairs under a market umbrella, and a propane Blackstone griddle.
- Our private driveway provides up to three parking spots, so you'll never have to worry about finding street parking.
We are two doors down from a sandy bay beach (not all Balboa Island bayfronts have a beach) and just three short blocks from the main street, Marine Avenue, where you will find restaurants, gourmet coffee, pastry stores, iconic frozen banana shops, legendary donuts, shopping boutiques, and groceries.
A short walk to the other side of the island puts you on the historic ferry running over to the Balboa Peninsula, where you will find more restaurants, the 'Fun Zone' of arcades and rides, the oceanfront, and piers.
Balboa Island is an ideal location for vacationing or staying while on business. It is conveniently located but feels far away from the ordinary. Once over the short bridge, you need never get in the car again. Restaurants and groceries are steps away. Much of the charm comes from strolling along the bayfront sidewalk along Balboa Island's perimeter, which is also ideally suited for those who like a more vigorous walk or jog.
Within walking distance, you can rent a boat, take a harbor tour, walk along the surf, take the boat/flyer to Catalina Island for the day, scuba dive, deep sea fish, surf, windsurf, bike along paths, grocery shop, swim, kayak, pier fish, choose from a variety of restaurants, snorkel, sail, Jet Ski, body surf and more.
Southern California offers many different activities within a day-trip visit. Theme parks are plentiful (Disneyland, Universal Studios, Knott’s Berry Farm, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Lego Land, and several water parks), as are many other wonderful activities, including some of the best golf courses in Southern California located only a short drive away. If you have exhausted the many boutiques on Balboa Island, then Newport Center/Fashion Island is a five-minute drive (stores, restaurants, movie theaters), and the world-famous South Coast Plaza is just a 15-minute drive. Popular beach destinations are within 20 minutes North and South, including Huntington Beach (Surf City) and Laguna Beach, Dana Point, and San Clemente.
There are also plenty of hikes (such as Crystal Cove State Park), parks and nature experiences. World-class plays and art are 15 minutes drive at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts.
This is a wonderful place to entertain family and friends, enjoy downtime while away on business, or curl up with a book in one of the many nooks and take advantage of some private time.
We have three bedrooms (A king bedroom, a queen bedroom, and another with a double and a twin) and three bathrooms split into three powder rooms with a sink and toilet, then three showers private to each bedroom (one with a small bathtub).
You can gather or relax with plenty of places to spread out (bedrooms, living room, dining room, breakfast room, television room, patio). The patio area is spacious, sunny, inviting, and private.
We provide numerous amenities to make your stay as relaxing as possible.
-High-speed Internet access.
-A spacious living room for relaxing, gathering, and entertaining.
- A separate den with a smart TV with DirecTV and streaming services.
-All three bedrooms each have a private shower.
-Both the master suite and the living room have stereo systems for enjoying music.
-Our dedicated laundry room has a full-size washer and gas dryer.
-The water heater is a top-of-the-line tankless unit that allows several showers to run simultaneously.
We are foodies, so our fully equipped kitchen has gourmet amenities, including:
- Viking gas range,
- Microwave,
- Dishwasher,
- Refrigerator and automatic icemaker with water and ice in the door,
- Keurig coffee maker with drip or pods,
- Vitamix blender,
- Cuisinart food processor,
- Viking toaster,
- professional cookware,
- plenty of dishes, serving items and barware for all occasions!
- Our private, sunny, spacious patio has a table, six chairs under a market umbrella, and a propane Blackstone griddle.
- Our private driveway provides up to three parking spots, so you'll never have to worry about finding street parking.
We are two doors down from a sandy bay beach (not all Balboa Island bayfronts have a beach) and just three short blocks from the main street, Marine Avenue, where you will find restaurants, gourmet coffee, pastry stores, iconic frozen banana shops, legendary donuts, shopping boutiques, and groceries.
A short walk to the other side of the island puts you on the historic ferry running over to the Balboa Peninsula, where you will find more restaurants, the 'Fun Zone' of arcades and rides, the oceanfront, and piers.
Balboa Island is an ideal location for vacationing or staying while on business. It is conveniently located but feels far away from the ordinary. Once over the short bridge, you need never get in the car again. Restaurants and groceries are steps away. Much of the charm comes from strolling along the bayfront sidewalk along Balboa Island's perimeter, which is also ideally suited for those who like a more vigorous walk or jog.
Within walking distance, you can rent a boat, take a harbor tour, walk along the surf, take the boat/flyer to Catalina Island for the day, scuba dive, deep sea fish, surf, windsurf, bike along paths, grocery shop, swim, kayak, pier fish, choose from a variety of restaurants, snorkel, sail, Jet Ski, body surf and more.
Southern California offers many different activities within a day-trip visit. Theme parks are plentiful (Disneyland, Universal Studios, Knott’s Berry Farm, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Lego Land, and several water parks), as are many other wonderful activities, including some of the best golf courses in Southern California located only a short drive away. If you have exhausted the many boutiques on Balboa Island, then Newport Center/Fashion Island is a five-minute drive (stores, restaurants, movie theaters), and the world-famous South Coast Plaza is just a 15-minute drive. Popular beach destinations are within 20 minutes North and South, including Huntington Beach (Surf City) and Laguna Beach, Dana Point, and San Clemente.
There are also plenty of hikes (such as Crystal Cove State Park), parks and nature experiences. World-class plays and art are 15 minutes drive at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts.
Amenities
Pets allowed
Kitchen or Kitchenette
Internet / Wifi
Parking
Laundry
Balcony or Patio
Dishwasher
TV
Wheelchair accessible
Family friendly
Map of Balboa Island, CA
$$$$
Reviews
5.0
Terrific house; just as advertised. Great location and was perfect for our needs. So close to the beach / bayfront and just a short walk to the main street. We will be back!
5.0
All the other reviewers spoke the truth! This little house is such a gem. We enjoyed a weeklong stay during my daughter’s graduation from Chapman University. My in-laws flew in and my both of my adult daughters stayed with us as well. Plenty of room for everybody and everything was thought of that we might need. Keep in mind this is a vintage house not a modern mansion. It has a few quirks, especially with the bathroom arrangements, but it all worked out for us.
5.0
My family enjoyed our stay at this home. The location is great, and the house has a lot of charm. The driveway is a great feature—no street parking or tight turns into a garage located in a narrow alley like a lot of houses in the area.
5.0
Great location. Close to bay beach. Close to Marine shops, restaurants and grocery store. All the amenities including RO system for filtered drinking water. No adjoining units. Very comfortable. Slept great. The owner was available and nice. I will stay here again.
5.0
Charming, convenient to beach and amenities, on-property parking, and a friendly and communicative owner. Thank you again, Julie!
5.0
This is a lovely cottage with lots of character and cute decor. Very comfortable, plenty of bathrooms, and a few steps from the beach. We truly enjoyed our stay, and Julie was very kind and helpful when we had a flight cancellation and arrival delay.
5.0
Ten day stay with 2 of my siblings & our spouses. A daughter & 2 grandchildren plus dog. Perfect for everyone. Well stocked kitchen, great location, comfy beds. Highly recommend. Plus owner was very accommodating & personally came to batten down become Hilary hit.
5.0
Loved every minute of our stay in this very quaint, extremely charming home! We had a lot of space and it was great having our own bedrooms. The patio was amazing… secluded, lovely, roomy, and peaceful! In addition, it was truly a plus to be able to park in our very own driveway and not have to battle alleys and street parking. Exploring Balboa Island, the bay, walking to the store, riding the ferry was so easy and convenient from this location. It was a super experience! We’ll be sure to return!
0.5
My husband and I, along with our two toddlers, booked a 2 week vacation on balboa. Unfortunately, the pictures and condition of the home were completely misleading.
We have pictures and documentation of all the issues below.
•Exposed, what looks like black mold growth on the wall next to the back door
•Nearly half of the windows did not open. (I did not get video of this)
•8inx8in hole in the drywall of one the bedroom closets with exposed plumbing
•tankless water heater being held up by black tape
•Large patches of green moss that we almost slipped on several times in the courtyard
•Exposed termite damage in a bathroom door jam
•large chunk of paint peeling off the wall
•holes in the screen door
We checked in Sunday night and I called Julie the next morning to let her know our concerns. Her initial response was, "Then just leave, if you don't want to be there, we do not want you here." I said ok and asked about refunds....she told me the right thing to do was to charge us a cleaning fee plus the nights we were there. We found a new place the next day and informed Julie, she then put in WRITING that we would only be charged cleaning fee plus the nights we stayed.
She took about a week to respond to us and then she said the issues were considered minor and that we would only receive a partial refund. We brought it up to VRBO and they kicked it back to us to deal with.
We are obviously very upset and are now having our CC company dispute the charges.
4.0
We are locals who stayed in this property in between living in a long-term rental and moving into our renovated home. The house checked many boxes that are difficult to find on Balboa Island: private parking for 2 cars, indoor laundry, single home on the lot, and a large outdoor patio. The owner was super kind and quick to respond and resolve any issues that came up. There are things that could use some upgrading, a friend said it reminded her of the funky little beach cottages in Maine she visited as a child. Overall we had plenty of space for our family of 5 and stayed cozy through a very stormy week in January. It is a quick walk to the main drag, the location was great.
5.0
Great location, old-school feel with today’s needs fulfilled. Would return again. Thank you to the owners for sharing their special property.
5.0
Julie's home was great! The location is ideal for walking everywhere (restaurants, shopping, beautiful waterfront homes & people watching ) as well as quick drives to explore the surrounding area. So much to do and see!! Julie's home was beautiful and very comfortable. We had everything we needed to feel right at home. Julie was easy to get in touch with and quick to respond to any questions or issues. I would definitely recommend her property!
5.0
Great eclectic cottage decorated and furnished like a proper home. Host was fabulous to deal with and responded promptly to questions. Had a great 4 night stay and will definitely be back.
5.0
Home away from home
Staying here feels like you are on vacation away from your vacation. The proximity to the water and the calmness of the harbor are fantastic. There are great restaurants and shops around. It was a nice getaway from going to the parks each day. Commute is easy and the home is very inviting. Great communication! We will stay here again when we are in the area.
5.0
Fabulous location
This house is in a great location and is super quaint and original. If you love classic, older homes with unique style, this place is for you. We loved the patio, kitchen and having two seating areas inside. The owner was easy to work with as well.
5.0
BALBOA ISLAND VACATION
We have stayed at this property 7 times over a 13 year period. This vacation rental is perfect for our family. Our grandkids hope to one day be able to bring their family to this property. It is at a great location. We all have had a wonderful time here over the years. Thanks You Julie
5.0
Incredibly cozy getaway
We absolutely loved Julie's beautiful house. We were 5 adults all with plenty of room for our own privacy in a fabulous location for morning walks by the water and strolls down the main street for coffee and boutique browsing! Her kitchen is completely stocked with everything you need to make a nice meal to enjoy together around the table at the end of a leisurely day. Absolutely loved it, cannot recommend it enough.
5.0
PA totally quirky lovely house. Every time you turn around you find something new and fun
Great house to entertain in or to just relax. Big pluses for me was the kitchen and outside patio. Double Dutch doors are fun. And helps with the airflow and adds a sense of privacy
2.5
Our family thoroughly enjoyed our stay earlier this month. This home had everything we needed, it was nice and clean and the owner was extremely responsive and easy to work with. The location was fantastic if youre looking for a low key locals vibe. We walked downtown almost everyday and enjoyed visiting the little restaurants and ice cream shops. Thank you for everything Julie!
5.0
Charming Home - Great Aura - Close to Everything!
Our family thoroughly enjoyed our stay earlier this month. This home had everything we needed, it was nice and clean and the owner was extremely responsive and easy to work with. The location was fantastic if you're looking for a low key locals vibe. We walked downtown almost everyday and enjoyed visiting the little restaurants and ice cream shops. Thank you for everything Julie!
5.0
Wonderful place, perfect to relax in
What a wonderful place! Perfect to relax in.I really enjoyed the walks around the Island and the beautiful area. Hope to see you next year!
FAQs
How much does this house cost compared to others in Balboa Island?
The average price for a rental in Balboa Island is $750 per night. This rental is $63 above the average.
Is parking included with this house?
Yes, parking is listed as an amenity at Just like staying at friend's designer beach home! . For more information, we encourage you to contact the property about where to park.
Is there a pool at this house?
We didn’t find pool listed as an amenity for this house. It may be worth double checking if a pool is important for your stay.
Is Just like staying at friend's designer beach home! pet friendly?
Yes! This house is pet-friendly. For more information, we recommend contacting the booking provider about animal policies.
What amenities are available at Just like staying at friend's designer beach home! ?
We found 10 amenities for this rental. This includes pets allowed, kitchen or kitchenette, internet / wifi, parking, and laundry.
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