Jan 17, 2019
Here in Crystal Cove State Park, we are lucky enough to have front row seats to the longest mammal migration on the planet. Gray whales travel up to 12,000 miles round trip every year between the Bering and Chukchi Seas in Alaska down to lagoons on Mexico’s Baja Peninsula. They stick close to shore for […]
Jan 17, 2019
Crystal Cove Historic Cottage #7 still stands fenced off among the other North Beach cottages preparing for renovation, but the memories spent within them are still alive for Dale Carter, grandson of the original Carter family that built the cottage. Dale was kind enough to share some of his early experiences spent at Cottage #7 […]
Jan 17, 2019
On a beautiful autumn day in early November of 2018, the California State Parks dive team convened on a boat offshore of Crystal Cove State Park, ready to take a plunge. The visibility was excellent that day, and would make for a fascinating survey. The mission? To conduct a condition assessment for a very precious […]
Jan 17, 2019
Rainy days at the Cove are some of the best. The dark and stormy sea is breathtaking. It’s so quiet, you can hear the frogs croaking and the pitter patter of rain on the historic cottage rooftops. Although the tunnel under PCH is often closed in the rain, it reminds us how swift and strong […]
Dec 14, 2018
The north beach at Crystal Cove is a buzz of activity! You may have noticed the new construction fencing or the workers donning yellow vests and hard hats darting around the 17 unrestored cottages. That’s our careful and passionate construction crews that have begun the infrastructure work. RockForce Construction from Lake Forest is responsible for […]
Dec 14, 2018
Gathering for shared meals has a long history at Crystal Cove. Potlucks on the sand, around campfires, or in cozy cottages made any day at the Cove a celebration of community and place. Food, stories, and recipes were shared over the seasons and years, and eventually, some of these recipes were gathered in a community cookbook called […]
Dec 14, 2018
At any given location, the sea level rises and falls twice each day as the moon orbits the earth, pulling the world’s oceans along with it. But not all tides are created equally. When the sun, moon, and earth align with the shortest distance between them, the increased gravitational pull on the ocean causes the […]
Sep 14, 2018
As summer winds down in Crystal Cove, the beaches become quieter and less crowded each day. While summer vacationers make their way back home, flocks of shorebirds are just arriving to enjoy our mild winter temperatures and abundant food sources. Avid bird-watchers know that fall and winter is when Crystal Cove’s shoreline truly comes alive. […]
Jul 13, 2018
We need your help! After years in the making and incredible efforts from the public, we are now closer than ever to finally restoring the remaining 17 cottages in North Beach. This Heritage Legacy Project represents the final phase of restoration needed to complete this vision for Crystal Cove, which includes building the infrastructure, restoring […]
Feb 14, 2018
When you think about Crystal Cove, the word love will always come up. Love for the cottages, love for the quiet mornings, love for the incredible sunsets, love for the peace and tranquility, and most importantly, love for the one you get to share it with. It’s no secret that Crystal Cove is the place […]
