Things to Do in Cypress

Located at a private patio and dock upon the 880-acre Newport Harbor, Newport Fun Tours launches self-guided or escorted jaunts that allow customers to explore the harbor’s sandy beaches, gentle surf, and varied marine life. Guests ride down the beachfront boardwalk on bicycles, tandem bikes, and surreys, taking in the sights of moored yachts and million-dollar mansions with moored yachts on their roofs. Chatty, knowledgeable Newport natives lead segway tours on land, and water excursions depart via kayaks, electric loungers, and 10-person electric boats. As days on the water conclude, numerous dockside dining establishments tend to appetites, all offering parking for boats and passenger whales.

Devoted surfers, sailors, and wine connoisseurs Nate and Shane channel their passions for sea waves and sips into scenic beverage cruises offered by Corks Away. Together they pilot the vintage 1961 sailboat, Wildflower, which they refurbished themselves, and its sister vessel, the Sunflower, through the waters surrounding Long Beach. Though the content of the cruises varies by season, past voyages have included mimosa flights, wine tastings, and pairings of gourmet appetizers. The duo can even accommodate large groups with their 72-foot 1920s wooden schooner, the Dirigo II, which stays docked to board 25 passengers comfortably.

"The thing I like most about pottery is that it's a learned skill," says Clay Wood, the owner of the pottery studio that bears his name. "It's something you can just sit down, and practice, and just learn it. You don't have to be innately artsy or creative, it's just something that's learnable and fun for everyone."

It's true that Clay has had a bit of a head start in the art form: he began developing his classically harmonious ceramic forms starting at age 12. But he also knows what it's like to be just another weekend hobbyist. Before starting the shop, he had established a career managing high-rise condos while dreamily spinning his desk chair like a pottery wheel. Now that he's dug his hands back into the clay, he and his fellow instructors design adult and children's classes to meet the needs of aspiring ceramicists and more casual crafters alike.

All the throwing, glazing, and hand-building goes down in a colorful creativity zone bursting with incandescent designs. The studio is equipped with eight electric pottery wheels, two large hand-building tables, an entrancing in-wall kiln, and a wellspring of stunning glazes for both handmade projects and prepared forms awaiting only a painter's brush.

On Fridays, Frank Sinatra songs drift amid skeins of yarn. On Saturday mornings, The Beatles harmonize over a community table spread with coffee, tea, and British breakfast treats. Located in Newport Beach, Knit Schtick is a meeting place for knitters of all experience levels to hone their skills in good company. In Knitting 101 classes, beginners learn basics such as how to purl and how to produce a full-body cocoon out of three feet of thread. In general classes, those who already possess a solid knowledge of knitting techniques work on individual projects, looping yarn into scarves, wraps, socks, or blankets.

Tucked away in a refurbished 1940s barbershop, Studio DeLucca founder Khobe DeLucca and her team of jewelers festoon baubles of recycled silver and gold with gems sourced from artisans and fair-labor suppliers. Collections of stackable jewelry, such as amethyst bracelets and turquoise-drop necklaces, add a subtle sparkle to wrists and décolletages. Cocktail rings decorate favorite fingers with stones such as ocean jasper and green chrysoprase, and diamond-paved cigar-band rings exhibit old-world craftsmanship that hearkens back to the sparkling sidewalks of ancient Rome. A workshop series teaches novice lapidaries basic techniques to craft their own necklaces, earrings, and enamel jewelry.