On the harbor side of Balboa Peninsula, the Fun Zone has delighted locals and visitors since 1936. There’s a small Ferris wheel (where Ryan and Marissa shared their first kiss on The OC), arcade games, touristy shops and restaurants, and frozen banana stands (just like the one in the TV sitcom Arrested Development). Nearby the landmark 1906 Balboa Pavilion is beautifully illuminated at night.
The Fun Zone is also the place to catch a harbor cruise, fishing or a whale-watching expedition, or the Balboa Island Ferry just across the channel.