On Hwy-1, 7 miles South of Huntington Beach. Anyone who doesn’t own a yacht, drive a sports car, or drink champagne for breakfast is likely to feel out of place in Newport Beach, a securely bank-rolled community sometimes referred to as Beverly Hills-by-the-Sea. Unsurprisingly, the town doesn’t gladly open its arms to tourists, although plenty arrive for the three miles of stunning sands that line The Balboa Peninsula. Elsewhere, the Orange County Museum of Art (www.ocma.net), 850 San Clemente Drive, merits a call for its excellent temporary exhibitions and permanent selections of contemporary Californian art, and the high-fashion clothing outlets of the stultifying landscaped Fashion Island (off Hwy-1) are where you’ll find the locals nonchalantly exceeding their credit limits.

Detour – Corona Del Mar

Off 1-5, 2 miles South of Newport Beach. Palm-tree-lined Corona Del Mar State Beach is a lovely place in which to picnic, sunbathe and swim. While in this small ocean-side community, find time to tour the Sherman Library and Gardens (www.slgardens.org), 2764 E. Coast Highway, where 2 bright acres of sub-tropical plants surround a library devoted to the history of the American South West.

Detour – Crystal Cove State Beach

On 1-5, 5 miles South of Newport Beach. The undeveloped coast is a rare sight in this part of California, which makes the rough-and-tumble greenery of Crystal Cover State Park a welcome sight. Pick through the scruffy vegetation to reach the beach – seldom holding more than a few souls – or venture inland on one of several hiking trails into the San Joaquin Hills and ascend the slopes once grazed by the cattle of Mission San Juan Capistrano.