Newport Beach has long been a popular destination for the holidays. So, if you’re thinking about visiting during this festive time of year, consider a stay at one of the numerous beachside rentals or vacation getaways available everywhere from charming Balboa Island to exclusive Pelican Hill.

Encompassing cottages, high-end homes and everything in between, they come with short walks to the beach (not to mention nearby restaurants and shops); great viewing vantage points for all of the holiday eye candy (from the beautifully decorated homes to the world-famous Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade Dec. 17-21), along with all of the comforts of home (think spas, fire pits and more cozy amenities). Many even decorate for the holidays, with twinkling lights, poinsettias and trees.

While many of the dates for the local rental homes are booked far in advance, there still are plenty of options to be had (be sure to check with each rental company for availability). Some examples include:

• Casa de Balboa, which offers a hotel-like experience in four five-star homes — all decked out for the holidays — right in the heart of the Balboa Peninsula. Just steps away from the beautiful large bay beach, Mothers Beach, as well as the boardwalk, Newport Pier, shopping, dining, and local activities from biking to fishing, each home offers its guests first-class services and amenities, as well as the best views of the Boat Parade and annual 4th of July Old GloryBoat Parade. “It doesn’t get better for views,” says Casa de Balboa’s Pam Murray. “It’s a very festive area for the holidays.”

The two- and three-bedroom, two-bath properties are adjacent to each other and each sleep five to eight people — perfect for larger parties and families needing to book multiple rentals simultaneously. Rates are seasonal and range from $320 a night to $5,295 weekly; call (888) 983-8973 or visit casadebalboa.com.

• Newport Beach Vacation Properties Inc. provides options from quaint two-bedroom, two-bath Corona del Mar cottages for as little as $2,100 to $2,300 a week all the way to palatial 10,000-square-foot estates in Pelican Hill for as much as $30,000 to $60,000 a month. The company currently offers 40 mid- to high-end vacation-rental properties for short-term rental throughout the various upscale communities of Newport Beach, including Corona del Mar, Newport Coast, Pelican Hill, and Balboa Island and Peninsula. For additional details, call (949) 444-3321 or visit nbvacationproperties.com.

• Best Laguna-Newport Beach Vacations LLC is all about serving up a resort-style experience at one of four upscale, fully furnished homes, all situated within a half block of the beach. Accommodations range from the Balboa Pearl — a lovely single-story Spanish-style cottage on the highly desirable Upper Peninsula with three bedrooms, two baths and four flat-screen TVs) — to the Elegant Newport Villa — a posh two-level three-bedroom, three-bath Mediterranean-style residence also in the Upper Balboa Peninsula area and featuring designer furnishings and accessories. Rates are seasonal and run from $495 a night (with a three-night minimum stay required) up to $5,000 for a week’s stay; call (949) 310-4161 or visit bestlaguna-newportvacations.com.

• At Burr White Realty, visitors can find more than 200 vacation rentals to choose from, including some of the finest oceanfront homes in Newport Beach in communities like Balboa Peninsula. The company has been providing vacation homes for families for more than four decades (and, in some cases, generations of families). There’s a home to suit everyone’s taste, with rates ranging from $1,500 weekly up to $12,000 a week; call (855) 675-4630 or visit burrwhite.com.

Yet other local companies offering seasonal, monthly and furnished weekly rentals include Associated Realty Service of Newport Beach Inc. (associatedrealtynb.com); Cannery Rentals Inc. (canneryrental.com); and Villa Rentals Inc. (villarentalsinc.com). Happy Holidays!