Crystal Cove State Park
Laguna Beach, CA
Crystal Cove State Park protects three miles of undeveloped coastline, with sandy coves, tidepools, and inland canyon trails through Moro Canyon for hiking and mountain biking. The Historic District's restored 1930s beach cottages are available as genuinely unique overnight rentals, booked well in advance through the state parks reservation system.
Three genuinely undeveloped miles of coast plus real inland trails, a rare combination this far into built-up Orange County.
How we score beachesThe vintage cottage rentals in the Historic District book up months ahead, if that's the goal, plan far in advance.
A large fee lot sits at Los Trancos; additional access points are scattered along Coast Hwy.
Trails and paths connect the bluff-top parking to the coves below; terrain varies by access point.
Dogs on leash are allowed only in paved areas like the parking lots and the Coastal Bluff Trail, and are not permitted on the beach or on unpaved trails.
Orange County's water takes until late summer to really warm up, climbing into the low 70s by September.
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