crystal cove state park

Spring break with the family! The beach was amazing! Although the water was cold 61F, the tidal pools were spectacular. Hermit crabs, sea anemone, and other cool sea life. The waves were fun to jump. Great sand castles. A must go beach adventure.

Words aren't sufficient enough to describe how much I love this lovely beach. The descent from the parking lot to the beach is such a magical experience for me. The cozy, adorable, historic bungalows and structures line the path all the way down to the beach. . The tide pools are incredibly fun. We spent hours looking for shells and walking the beach. It's also fun to peruse through the "unrestored" portion of the structures. Tattered and worn - beyond captivating. Each one has a story. Picturesque and beautiful.

This felt like a private beach, because it is protected by the State, so it great place to see the natural California coastline and watch the pelicans flying in....

This is a great beach to go to on your own, or with a companion...great natural beach away from busy Laguna...but only short drive away up the coast

Need a place to go and kill a weekend morning when family is in town? This is one of the places to take them. While its no Knotts Berry farms its practically free and the views and trails are great. The only down side is the parking can be a pain if its tourist season. We tend to stay away when the tourist are in town. Only Fee is for parking!

While visiting family in Corona Del Mar (Newport Beach) we enjoyed a day stopping at the many Crystal Cove State Park facilities. Some offer excellent beach access, many have lovely hiking trails and pathways. Rest rooms were also open. Our grandchildren love it! Perfect place for picnicking and spending a day. The view of the Pacific is breathtaking. Our first stop was Crystal Cove Newport Beach then we worked out way down to Laguna. Parks are very clean. Friendly staff. We purchased a vehicle day use pass which allowed us to all of the California State Parks that we wanted to see that day. Pass fee $15.00

Came here with my family including grandchildren . Great place to spend some quality time with the family . Great shops nearby as well

Well kept and pristine. Tide pools had a lot of life and you can even get a checklist from the guard house to know what to look for. Trader joe and restaurants across the road. Sunset is blocked by the island but still wonderful and clean.

This is the perfect place to spend an afternoon strolling down the beach. It is so gorgeous and peaceful. Although I live locally, whenever I go to Crystal Cove, I feel like I am on vacation.

A hike down and up, but quiet and more relaxed than other beaches in SoCal. Tidepools, calmer waves, great beach restaurant and shuttle bus for easy parking. Long meandering trails. Not good for people who lack energy unless you do the drop off by the cottages.

This was my first time to Crystal Cove and it is incredible. The quaint cabins are reminiscent of the 40's and 50's. You park on the other side of PCH as no cars are allowed, but the shuttle comes frequently. Great spot!

Have been here a number of times - good parking, good views, easy access and a great stop between Newport Beach and San Diego. If you can - please drop in.

We've never been in the area of Crystal Cove when it's been warm enough to swim so all we've done is walk the beach. And we do it several times every time we are in the area. There are a lot of rocks so I don't think it would be the greatest place to swim. The park is a lovely area, jogging trails up top. We haven't done it but I suppose you could walk all the way to Laguna Beach aling the Pacific!Take a picnic and enjoy a sunny day strolling along the beautiful beach on the Pacific in So Cal!

So close to the city but you can hike for hours and never see a building. The loop around the perimeter is 10 miles with plenty of other options to go shorter or longer. Day passes are about $15 or you can buy an annual pass for all state parks for about $180.

All sights have ocean views because the campground slopes upward on the bluff. We drove down to the beach tunnel when we didn't want to hike back up the hill to the campsite. Nice hiking trails, too. All sites are nicely landscaped. Can be noisy if you have noisy neighbors. So we had quiet days and noisy ones. Showers are nice and warm. 1.00 gives you a quick shower.