Newbie Intro With Newport Harbor Question

[ROSSOLY]

Hi guys, just joined today and am eager to get with it. My ocean fishing experience includes a 10-day trip (224# YFT on 50W), a 5-day (70# YFT on modified Torium 20) and a few small 1 & 1.5 day trips with the wife, that's it. Last trip was in 2007, a bit expensive doing the long range stuff so I sold all heavy gear and am now looking to yak fish.

Got two questions regarding Newport Harbor, (1) if you launch at the Coast Guard area can you park in their lot and (2) where is the "kid park area"?

What I like about the guys on this site is that they are more open to hooking up with other anglers and disclose their areas that they've fished. I've dabbled with surf fishing and guys on a certain So Cal site are so secretive about their spots and the mood on that site doesn't seem to conducive for outsiders.

Cheers!