It’s beginning to feel like this quarantine life may last forever, so I’m taking advantage of our best Southern California social distancing tool: the beach!
I’m on the hunt for the unicorn beach: clean, easy parking, not many stairs or hills between said parking and the beach itself, and . . . not too many people!
Does this unicorn beach exist? Maybe not, but i’m on a quest now and I can’t stop. I’ll keep exploring the amazing beaches that were so fortunate to enjoy here in Orange County.
Luckily, I’ve found a great resource for my search in the blog Go Park Play The author is an awesome mom of three has a great blog with detailed descriptions of local parks and places where you can get outside while social distancing.
Today’s beach is Little Treasure Cove at Crystal Cove State Park in Newport Beach. Parking was a breeze, you can pay via the Passport app. The parking rate is $15, but this gives you access to park all day, so you can leave and return later if you’d like to grab lunch somewhere nearby. There were quite a few lots with plenty of spaces available in each, we parked in Lot 1.
There is a walking path which takes you to the beach, as well as a couple observation points with beautiful views of the coast. When traveling on the path, you can choose to access the beach via a steep hill or a set of stairs further down. We took the stairs down onto the sand, but I made the mistake of choosing the steep hill when we left. Next time, I’ll save my leg muscles and take the stairs both ways.
The beach itself is absolutely stunning! Highlights include gorgeous rock walls with small caves (only accessible during low tide), a small waterfall, and tide pools. There are plenty of signs reminding visitors not to touch or disturb any of the wildlife. We spotted some small crabs and fish in the tidepools. The beach is well maintained, with restrooms near the parking lot. I didn’t see a speck of trash anywhere.
The crowds were very light since we visited on a weekday morning, but I’d imagine that weekends would be busier. I was pleased that we were able to find a spot far from the other families on the beach, and everyone was considerate about giving each other space as they walked along.
Overall, I’d say this beach is in the running for being perfect, except for that steep hill, of course. We will definitely be back and try to visit when the tide is low so we can better explore the caves.
Please let me know in the comments if you have any OC beaches that you recommend to escape the world!
Castles, Characters, and Crayons 