South of Newport Beach and Corona del Mar, at the tip of the renowned Crystal Cove State Park, this location offers easy access to coastal walks, back country hiking and an easy day at the beach, Southern California style.

If you can only see one place, that should be Crystal Cove State Park, located about halfway between Newport Beach and Laguna Beach.

Historic Cottages at Crystal Cove

There are 3.2 miles of completely unspoiled beaches along with shrub-covered bluffs that provide spectacular views of the coastline.

The hike down to the beach is well worth it and there are tide pools, great bodyboarding waves, rocky reefs for snorkeling and scuba, and tons of mostly empty sand.

While exploring Crystal Cove, grab a snack or a meal at Ruby’s Shake Shack on Pacific Coast Highway—locals have been going there for milkshakes and sandwiches for decades.

For more nature adventures, the backcountry of Crystal Cove State Park has lots of hikes and mountain biking trails heading up from El Moro and Emerald Canyon. Only a couple of miles further down the coast away from Newport is Laguna Canyon Road, which heads inland and passes three trailheads offering access to Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, which is operated by OC Parks.

Within Crystal Cove State Park is the Crystal Cove Historic District, a 12.3-acre coastal section with 46 historic beach cottages.  An insider’s tour of Crystal Cove takes place the first Saturday of every month, from10 a.m. to noon, led by yours truly. Among other local tales, you’ll learn the story behind the Crystal Cove Beach Cottages and how our local efforts saved them from being turned into a luxury resort.

Today, 21 of these cottages have been restored and are open to the public (you can even book an overnight stay) and another 24 are slated for restoration when enough funds are raised.

Follow it up with a leisurely 3.2-mile walk along the pristine beach. Once you’ve built up an appetite, head to The Beachcomber Café which is right on the water.

If it’s breakfast time, grab some hot beignets and a latte; later in the day, order some ahi tacos and a specialty cocktail and watch the sun set. (Tip: Put your name on the list before you take your walk!)

The park is open 7 a.m. to sunset, seven days a week and has a wide variety of hikes ranging from easy family walks to strenuous uphill climbs.  The reward is spectacular ocean views (many days, Catalina Island is visible 22 miles offshore). Sunsets from the ridges are some of the best in California.