Field Guide · 7 min · May 2026
Best Ice Cream & Late-Night Sweets in Newport Beach
Six Newport Beach stops for ice cream, shakes, candy, donuts, and a late-night Peninsula snack — organized by neighborhood so you can build an easy coastal crawl.
Newport Beach spreads its best sweet stops across the Peninsula, Balboa Village, Corona del Mar, and Newport Coast. This route groups six currently operating spots into one practical crawl instead of pretending they are all next door.
Hours and menus can change. Check each linked business before making a special trip; this guide was reviewed in August 2026.
1. Seaside Donuts Bakery — The 24-hour Peninsula stop
Seaside Donuts Bakery lists 24-hour service at 2108 W Oceanfront, making it the useful late-night or pre-surf stop on this route.
Best use: start here before a morning on the sand or end here when most daytime dessert counters are closed. Its location beside the pier also makes it the easiest stop to pair with a Peninsula walk.
2. Balboa Bakery & Donuts — Balboa Village
Balboa Bakery & Deli & Donuts is the bakery option near the Fun Zone, with donuts plus savory breakfast choices when the group does not all want dessert.
Best use: combine it with the ferry, harbor, or Fun Zone rather than making a second cross-town trip.
3. Crystal Cove Shake Shack — The PCH stop
The yellow stand sits above Crystal Cove on Pacific Coast Highway. Its official site lists the Newport Coast location and current hours.
Best use: choose this when the view is as important as the shake. The current menu includes classic shakes, malts, and a banana-date option.
4. B.CANDY — Corona del Mar
B.CANDY's Corona del Mar flagship combines candy, baked goods, and house-made ice cream in one very bright stop.
Best use: take the indecisive group here. It has a wider sweets mix than an ice-cream-only counter and sits on East Coast Highway in Corona del Mar.
5. Cowafornia Ice Cream — Balboa Village
Cowafornia serves ice cream, house-made cookies, coffee, and light snacks at 600 E Bay Avenue, according to its current Visit Newport Beach listing.
Best use: pair it with the Fun Zone and harbor. The shop is steps from the Ferris wheel, so it works naturally in a Balboa Village loop.
6. Gelato Paradiso — Corona del Mar
Gelato Paradiso identifies Corona del Mar as its original Newport Beach home. Choose this stop when gelato — rather than candy, donuts, or a diner-style shake — is the point.
How to turn the list into one route
Do the Peninsula and Balboa Village together: Seaside first, then Balboa Bakery or Cowafornia around the harbor. Put B.CANDY and Gelato Paradiso into a separate Corona del Mar walk. Save Crystal Cove Shake Shack for a PCH drive or beach day farther south.
If you are driving between stops, use our Newport Beach parking guide for the official city map, pier lots, Corona del Mar access, and Crystal Cove details.
Newport plans stretch. Wear something that works for the sand and the next stop, keep keys and cards secure, and bring one layer for the coast after sunset. Our Newport Beach men's style guide covers the simple version.
Build the route by neighborhood and you will spend more time near the water than in the car.