Fashion Island Guide
Fashion Island in Newport Beach is an open-air shopping center with designer boutiques, department stores, restaurants, cafés and outdoor gathering spaces. This visitor guide covers shopping, dining, parking, dog policies, entertainment and ways to enjoy Fashion Island without spending much. Store hours, dining tenants and events can change, so check the official Fashion Island website for the latest details.
Some might argue that you can't really call Fashion Island a mall (although we do), and it certainly isn't a real island. Fashion Island is a miniature city whose whole purpose is shopping, entertainment, relaxing, and enjoying yourself amid excellent company… a luxury retail oasis in the middle of posh Newport Beach.
Address: 401 Newport Center Dr, Newport Beach, CA 92660
Phone: (949) 721-2000
Website: https://www.fashionisland.com/
Pet Friendly: Yes
Opened: 1967
Hours: Store and restaurant hours vary; check the official website
Jump to: Stores | Restaurants | Parking & Directions | Dogs | Events | Hotels | Budget Tips | History.
Pet Friendly Fashion Island
As an open-air shopping center Fashion Island is pet friendly and some shoppers go as far to refer to it as "Orange County's Dog Mall." Dogs must be leashed and don’t forget to clean up anything they might leave behind.
Dogs should remain leashed in permitted outdoor common areas. Keep pets away from fountains, koi ponds and landscaped areas, and follow all posted signs. Confirm individual store, restaurant and event policies before visiting.
Fashion Island welcomes leashed dogs in many outdoor common areas. Restaurant patios and individual stores set their own policies; confirm pet access with the business before your visit. Service animals are subject to different rules.
Always call ahead to confirm, rules may change.
Outdoor Patios & Sitting Areas:
The Koi Pond area upstairs from the food court has seating areas. Outside the other side of the Food Court towards Dick’s Sporting Goods there is a hard to spot outside patio with umbrellas and tables for outdoor dining.
Non-service dogs are generally restricted from indoor restaurant dining areas. Some outdoor patios may allow dogs under applicable California rules; check with each restaurant. Service animals are subject to different legal requirements.
Fashion Island Stores
Fashion Island shopping has a world-class line-up of prestigious department stores, specialty boutiques, personal care services, jewelry stores and fitness studios.
Fashion Island is known for department stores, designer boutiques, specialty shops and home furnishings. Store openings and closures change the lineup, so use the official Fashion Island website to confirm a specific retailer before visiting.
Retail and dining tenants change over time. Check the official Fashion Island directory for current information about RH, restaurants and other businesses.
Fashion Island features luxury department stores, designer boutiques and specialty retailers. Because tenant lists change, check the official directory for current stores, locations and opening hours.
Fashion Island offers more than luxury shopping, including bookstores, beauty retailers and casual browsing. For a specific store, consult the current directory before visiting.
Fashion Island currently lists both Tesla Motors and the Lincoln Experience Center. The Lincoln location offers vehicle exploration and test-drive experiences; check each listing for current services and hours.
Fashion Island is known for its mix of established department stores, designer fashion and specialty retailers. For current brands and locations, use the official store directory; exclusivity claims and individual tenants can change.
As a full service retail experience, Fashion Island also has a robust personal shopping service, with highly-trained personal shoppers ready to guide you through whatever buying experience you desire.
One of the things that makes Fashion Island so special is its location within a stone’s-throw of the ocean. Soft Pacific breezes roll off the water to wind through the walkways of the mall, and you can see the ocean from most spots. The enviable location and Mediterranean-inspired architecture give Fashion Island a distinctly continental flair that you just don’t find anywhere else.
Fashion Island Restaurants & Dining
Fashion Island has a diverse mix of inside and outside casual and fine dining restaurants for brunch, lunch, happy hour, and dinner.
Outdoor dining: Several restaurants offer outdoor seating. Check the official restaurant directory for current options and confirm patio availability with each restaurant.
Fine dining: Explore the current restaurant directory for sit-down dining, reservations and seasonal menus.
Full-service dining: Options range from relaxed restaurants to special-occasion dining; check current tenants and hours before visiting.
Casual dining: The center offers cafés, quick meals and informal restaurants. Check the current directory for choices.
Quick-service dining: Food-court and grab-and-go tenants change; consult the current directory for open locations.
Desserts: Look for ice cream, chocolates and sweet treats in the current directory.
Coffee and drinks: Café, tea and beverage options vary; confirm the current lineup before visiting.
Fashion Island Entertainment & Events
Fashion Island has many events and promos throughout the year including in-store demos, sales, classes, workshops, fitness session, seasonal and holiday events and much more.
Fashion Island Events Include:
- Holiday Events
- Pictures with the Easter Bunny in his Spring Garden
- Easter Egg Hunt and Brunch at THE LOT
- Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony
- Visit with Santa Claus
- Menorah Lighting Celebration
- Halloween activities and special screenings when scheduled
- StyleweekOC
- Visit the Lincoln Experience Center and Tesla showroom; check their current listings for hours and activities
- Fitness and wellness classes when offered by current tenants
- Make-up & Hair Pampering
- Bookstore events and children's activities when scheduled
- Check the current Fashion Island events calendar for upcoming community events.
- THE LOT
- Sports Viewing Parties at the Bar and Restaurant
- Mother's Day, Father's Day and Easter Brunch
- Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Valentine's Day Dinners
- Live music nights like Jazz and Salsa
- Rent Out the Bar, Restaurant or Cinema for private event
- Walking the Grounds
- Dog & People Watching
- Celebrity Spotting
- Window Shopping
- Koi Ponds & Fountains
- Viewing the Mediterranean architecture and property grounds
Find a full list of events and entertainment places here.
Getting There
Fashion Island is an easy drive down the 73, but if you don’t want to drive, the center is served by OCTA transportation. Check the OCTA trip planner for current routes and stops before traveling.
If you are driving, please note that parking is free in both the lots and the parking garages. The parking garage has a handy electronic readout that will tell you what spaces are available and where, eliminating the frustrating drive around the parking structure ritual that sometimes comes with using a parking garage.
For those who wish to take extra care of their car, valet service may be available; confirm current rates and locations with Fashion Island before visiting.
Fashion Island Hotels
Fashion Island is more than shopping… it’s an experience of luxury, relaxation among its curated grounds and many fountains, and fine dining and entertainment within eyeshot of the beach. With all that at your fingertips, why wouldn’t you want to stay?
VEA Newport Beach - With VEA located across the street from Fashion Island you're steps away from the posh shopping and buzzy restaurants.
The Resort at Pelican Hill - Set by the Pacific Ocean this five-star resort offers inspiring architecture and ambiance, a magnificent natural setting, exquisite accommodations, spectacular facilities including 36 holes of championship golf and a world-class spa, unsurpassed pampering, comforts and service. It is a twelve minute drive to Fashion Island for upscale shopping.
Pendry Newport Beach, this stylish urban resort is situated directly across the street from Fashion Island and a very short walking distance. This is the former Fashion Island Hotel which is now closed.
Fashion Island Tips & Secrets
Tips
- When shopping at Fashion Island, or even going for a mall walk, wear really good shoes. 2.8 million square feet will definitely get your daily steps in, but if you want to be able to walk without wincing tomorrow, wear your most comfortable sneakers
- All that retail goodness is loosely organized in the three-story mall, and the sheer size of the place can occasionally make navigation tricky. The mall maps can be difficult to decipher, because it isn’t always clear whether the store you’re interested in is outside or inside. Keep the website map open and click the elevation button in the upper right corner to help you navigate. The zoom buttons will help you look for your target store with pinpoint accuracy
- If you’re still confused, don’t be afraid to ask the concierge desk for help. Fashion Island’s goal is to provide retail therapy, not retail frustration
- The online map has a lot of handy features, but you’ll want to pay special attention to the symbol buttons on the upper left of the screen. Clicking the icons for charging stations, valet, escalators, elevators, bathrooms, etc., will bring that icon up on the map in all available locations. This is especially important for things like escalators, which will affect your navigation through the mall.
- If you’re a visitor to Orange County, you’re eligible for an OC Stylish Savings book, with thousands of dollars in exclusive offers and gifts from participating shops and eateries in both Fashion Island and the Irvine Spectrum.
- For current offers, seasonal events and promotions, check the official Fashion Island website.
- If you fall in love and buy a Nespresso while tasting their free coffee samples be sure to get a free recycling bag. Once filled with used capsules, you can return the bag at no charge by dropping it off at any UPS drop off location.
- You can rent your own private cinema at THE LOT. The restaurant and bar is available for rent as well.
Secrets
- In 1978, the only Neiman Marcus store in Orange County was located in Fashion Island.
- A time capsule was buried in Fashion Island during the official groundbreaking, but currently, no one seems to know where it's buried or what was in the capsule!
- What does Fashion Island have in common with Starbucks? Mermaids. The original sign for Fashion Island had a multi-striped mermaid on it.
Fashion Island on a Budget
While Fashion Island is built as a retail experience par excellence, you don’t need to spend a fortune to have fun. For a great time on a budget, grab some free parking, score a coffee at Starbucks, and settle down for some prime people watching.
Want someplace new to take the kids? Fashion Islands many fountains and famous walk-through koi pond make wonderful interactive exhibits for your little ones. Visit during the Christmas season to see thousands of lights and ornaments and the 90-foot Fashion Island tree decked out for the holidays.
And yes, Fashion Island is pet-friendly. Dogs must be leashed, though, and don’t forget to clean up anything they might leave behind.
And don't forget to stop by See's for their signature free sample chocolate.
There really isn’t anywhere in Orange County like Fashion Island for shopping, eating, exercising or people-watching. Whether it's your first time there or you're a longtime aficionado, there's always something wonderful to see, do or dream at this retail experience by the sea.
Where It Started - Fashion Island History
In 1967, Fashion Island began its life as an upscale outdoor mall. Originally called Newport Town Center and aimed at attracting the wealthy Angelenos who summered in Newport Beach and surrounding areas, the high-end shopping extravaganza officially opened on September 9, 1967. At the time, the facility contained fifty-two specialty stores in elegant surroundings for shoppers' pleasure. The original anchor stores were the Broadway, Buffum's Department Store, Robinson's (later Macy's), and JC Penney.
Only one of those anchors still exists, but over fifty years into its reign as a premier destination for Orange County shoppers, Fashion Island still draws crowds for its broad range of shopping choices, unique offerings, and fantastic location.
Fashion Island Secret #1: In 1978, the only Neiman Marcus store in Orange County was located in Fashion Island.
Of course, like anything that's been around for a while, Fashion Island has a lot of history, some public and some forgotten. It's gone through facelifts, additions, expansions, and remodels in its decades of serving Orange County's shopping needs, but it has never lost sight of its mission to bring class and charm to your retail experience.
