Memorial Day Weekend is here, marking the beginning of the summer holiday, with warmer temperatures around the corner and school children (and teachers) ready to bust out of their classes. Even with ever increasing prices at the pump, it's hard to deny that wanderlust, and it's good to know that not everything fun needs to cost a ton. A favorite recommendation for affordable outings in Orange County is the beach, and we have been gifted with many options in Southern California. One of our staff favorites is Huntington Beach and today we want to highlight a lesser-known location further down the coast.
Situated snugly between Newport Beach and Laguna Beach along the Pacific Coast Highway, Crystal Cove is a local treasure. Generations of families and friends have commenced their summer at Crystal Cove during Memorial Day weekend and lingered for months – fishing, barbequing, dancing and laughing with friends old and new. Over the years, movies were filmed, cottages were built, and these along with two oceanfront restaurants and the surrounding beach have been designated as the Crystal Cove Historic District.
While the rustic cottages are available for the public to book, they are extremely difficult to reserve due to high demand, but if you are lucky and the price is right, vacationing in one would take you back to the 1930's beach resort scene. If you're staying with us at the Alamo Inn and Suites in Anaheim, Crystal Cove is about a 35-45 minute drive depending on traffic and could be a fun part of the itinerary, especially if you are visiting from out of town. With a little planning, you would still get a sense of a historic Hollywood filmmakers' retreat with minimal damage to the wallet. You do need to pay for parking at the Los Trancos lot, but once you're there, you can spend as much or as little as you want.
Wind down as you saunter by the cottages and sprawl out at the beach all day, there's good reason that generations have flocked to the seaside for health benefits. If you have children (or not), there are lively tide pools nearby to peruse during low tide. Put the cherry on top and grab a bite from the Beachcomber or Crystal Cove Shake Shack – you really can't go wrong with either. Here's to a Happy Summer!