Jul 17, 2019
As you stroll along Crystal Cove this summer, take a moment to admire all the beauty that can be seen. Rustic historic cottages, gentle waves breaking on the sandy beaches, flocks of shorebirds, or pods of dolphins are sights that are commonly noticed. But, if you keep your eyes peeled, you may uncover wonders in […]
May 15, 2019
From Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day, families flocked to Crystal Cove to set up camp for the summer In the early days at the cove, after the highway was completed in the mid-1920s, people began to discover the beauty of Orange County’s coast. No longer the well-kept secret of Hollywood insiders and Irvine Ranch employees, the cove was now open […]
May 15, 2019
This year, fifth grade students from across Orange County are joining Crystal Cove Conservancy educators, UC Irvine scientists, and State Park land managers to investigate how to best protect and preserve threatened open spaces like Crystal Cove State Park through the Project CRYSTAL Community Science program. Project CRYSTAL – short for “Cultivating and Researching Youth […]
Apr 12, 2019
“Who’s going to see the ocean first?” That was the question Bill and Vivian Taft asked their grandchildren on the drive to Crystal Cove back in the 1960s. The first glimpse of the ocean from her grandfather’s old yellow Cadillac convertible is just one of Jennifer Steele’s childhood memories of her grandparents’ beloved beach cottage […]
Apr 12, 2019
Do you love Crystal Cove State Park as much as we do? If so, we invite you to come down to the Cove this Saturday on April 20th for our annual Earth Day at Crystal Cove, where California State Parks and a team of volunteers will join efforts to complete much needed maintenance in the […]
Mar 15, 2019
Crystal Cove State Park’s beaches are constantly changing. As long stretches of soft sand in the summer turn into rocky, sea-glass sprinkled shores following winter waves, regular visitors know that these changes can happen very quickly. Now, Orange County high school students are working with Crystal Cove Conservancy to not only understand the normal seasonal […]
Mar 15, 2019
Cottage #14 began as a simple palm-frond hut hastily built during The Great Depression. Over the years, the once tiny hut evolved into a spacious light-filled cottage available for overnight lodging. Known now as “South Beach Suite” for its South Beach location and views, and as “McCloskey Cottage” for the family who lived there […]
Nov 14, 2018
Every year, the historic seaside bungalow now known as The Beachcomber Cafe gathers more than 150,000 people for casual ocean-front dining. This follows a long and happy tradition of sharing memories and meals at Crystal Cove. The Beachcomber is closed on Thanksgiving Day, but at one time Cottage #15 hosted as many as 75 people […]
Nov 14, 2018
The Conservancy and our cooperating partner California State Parks have been providing fantastic high-quality educational programs to local schools, utilizing Crystal Cove State Park’s precious natural and cultural resources to teach and inspire the next generation. Similar to The Conservancy’s own efforts to reach underserved schools, State Parks has been developing a solution to reach […]
Oct 18, 2018
Crystal Cove is known for its one-of-a-kind vernacular architecture as well as its celebrations and traditions, and one historic cottage combined these concepts in its annual Costume and Charades party. The party, held during the 1950s and 1960s by the Browning family of Cottage #26, incorporated a ¨no-store-bought¨ element of vernacular design with the […]
