Crystal Cove State Park

The perfect day trip from LA! We took the boardwalk trail which is surrounded by gorgeous flowers this time of year. Lots of look out points and benches to sit down and take in the cliff side views. The trail takes you down to the beach where you can find countless tide pools! Further down the beach there are multiple restaurants, the visitors center and of course gorgeous coastline. A nature lovers paradise!

If you’re in Newport Beach, this is worth a visit! Amazing views and not very much crowding. Be prepared to walk up and down steep trails to get to the beach. Beautiful scenery

what to expect: follow your GPS to the location. It tells you where the state park is only to be stopped by a passive aggressive security guard who pointed out that there was a stop sign behind the tree. The guard will become a little nicer and then point out that there is parking across the street for a mere $15 but there is a shuttle. He fails to tell you that the shuttle cost two dollars each way so you take all of that and you eventually get down to a mediocre beach with a pretty good restaurant, not much else actually. There are some quaint houses that you can rent out and that seems appealing, but as far as the whole package is concerned, unless you’ve never been to the beach before, it is a pass.

Park experience was a bit confusing at first. Went to visitor center and they were super friendly and sent me down the hill. I eventually found that the trail started a bit further back than the beach spot parking. I did the Moro trail which started off super easy then went into a steady incline. After about an hour making it to the top for the view felt worthwhile. Beautiful ocean and mountain views. Coming down was a bit steep especially on one part of the trail where I almost tripped. Tons of wildlife like birds, rabbits, etc. I didn't see any rattle snakes. Bikers were a bit annoying as they didn't signal that they were behind me and passed me very quickly downhill. Still worth a trip for both the hiking and the beach.

Excellent state park with plenty of beautiful nature trails to explore; from beach to canyon to ridges. Public Restrooms are available; clean and in decent condition. Pro Tip ✨ Locals can check out a state park parking pass from the library.

Crystal Cove State Park is such a nice spot to hang out and unwind. It’s $15 per car to get in, which felt fair considering how clean and scenic everything was. The views are beautiful, especially around sunset, and the beach itself is super clean. There are multiple parking lots, so finding a spot wasn’t too bad. The bathrooms were clean, which is always a bonus, and we noticed security doing regular patrols, which made it feel safe and well-managed. Overall, it’s a peaceful place with great views, clean facilities, and a relaxing vibe. Definitely planning to go back.

Awesome beach/park that is remote and has some great trails. Restaurant/bar right on the sand and a quick takeout restaurant at the top of the hill along PCH with great milkshakes. State Park Passes work for parking and if you can’t walk, a shuttle will pick you up in parking lot and drop you on the sand.

Lots of gentle rolling hills. Great views of the ocean. You can hike all the way to the ocean if you choose. Dusty/sandy trails at times. Very well maintained and not overgrown - even on the smaller side paths.