Updated on: February 10, 2026 / 10:42 PM PST / CBS LA
Newport Beach city leaders are set to implement stiffer fines and add extra police to crack down on the spring break partiers this year after receiving complaints of underage drinking and unruly parties from residents.
Years ago, Fourth of July events drew large crowds to the idyllic beach community, but at the time, city leaders took a series of measures that made the holiday much calmer. Now, about a decade later, they say they're dealing with similar circumstances and have once again decided to impose stricter control on parties.
"Yeah, this is, like, the place to be," said Matthew Duplissey, who has seen the scale of the parties firsthand. "I mean, I've gotten out of hand. People get kind of brazen here."
In response to the new wave of ragers, city leaders unanimously voted to crack down on partiers, starting with spring break in March.
During the weeks of March 14 to April 12, people can expect more police patrols and heftier fines in the city's popular neighborhoods like the Balboa Peninsula and parts of Corona Del Mar.
"For those that want to come here for clicks on social media, throwing things on officers on the beach; that will not be tolerated," said TKTKTK
Last year, Newport Beach police said that they arrested nearly 500 people during spring break weeks in March and April, saying that the majority of those people weren't from the area. Some of the crimes included curfew violation, overcrowding and large, unruly parties.
Residents believe that most of the people visiting are from different states.
"I think the idea of doing social media to tell people from Arizona, Nevada or Northern California, saying, 'Don't come here to party because we're going to have consequences,' is good," Duplissey said.
Other residents, like Carmen Rawson, said that the idea isn't as good as it sounds on paper, as the city leaders are also looking to revoke permits for short term rental owners if their renters cause problems.
"As a property owner, I can only control what goes on in the property, but if they are doing it at the beach, how do I know that they are the people staying in my unit?" Rawson said.
City leaders have already approved a similar plan for Fourth of July this year and are set to vote on another ordinance that would expand the stricter enforcement to the days leading up to and after Independence Day as well. If that ordinance passes, the spring break enforcement could become a permanent fixture.