Located in Newport Beach just south of Corona Del Mar, Crystal Cove is a historic district including a state park, beach, old homes, and adjacent beachfront shopping center. Locals and tourists alike are often drawn to the Crystal Cove Shake Shack – a little restaurant that predates the 2004-vintage NY burger chain by roughly 60 years, overlooking the water. Historically loved for its date, cherry, banana, and candy-flavored milkshakes, the Shack is less known for its sandwiches, burgers, and seafood. The beach and its cottages, many dating to the 1920s and 1930s, are independently worth seeing: The three-mile stretch of pristine water and sand is eye-catching even from the Pacific Coast Highway above, with hiking, tide pools, and a reef to explore on foot.
Parking at Crystal Cove is paid and sometimes crowded; though there’s free parking at the Crystal Cove Shopping Center nearby, it’s a bit of a walk from the park and beach. Expect to spend at least an hour here just exploring the grounds, and longer if you plan to either hike in the park or set up a blanket and umbrella on the beach.
