Crystal Cove State Park
Newport Coast / Laguna · near Laguna Beach / Newport Beach · Los Angeles / SoCal
Scuba & Snorkel
At a glance
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Depth
- 20
- Water temperature
- 58–70°F · 5mm wetsuit
- Best season
- Summer/fall calm days
Permits and booking
- Permit required
- No
- How the permit works
- No permit. Crystal Cove State Park — paid parking, a State Marine Conservation Area. Long sandy beaches with scattered rocky reefs make for mellow snorkeling; the historic beach cottages and tide pools add charm. Calm days best.
What is here
- Marine life
- Reef fish & rays · Garibaldi & bass · Sandy-and-reef mosaic · Historic district tide pools
- Features
- Protected conservation area · Easy sandy-beach snorkeling · Historic beach cottage district · Family-friendly tide pools
Worth knowing
- Certification required
- No
- Dogs
- Not permitted
- Good for a first timer
- Yes
Scuba & Snorkel detail
- Dive type
- snorkel
- Entry
- shore
- Viz
- 10–30 ft
- Intl tip
- Crystal Cove State Park has several paid lots; the Historic District and Reef Point are good access points. It's a conservation area — respect take limits. Calm summer/fall days are best for snorkeling. The historic cottages and the Beachcomber restaurant are worth a visit. Great for families and beginners; tide pools shine at low tide.
The guide
Crystal Cove State Park strings 3.2 miles of protected coastline between Laguna and Newport, and its mix of sandy beach and sca…
In the Guidebook
Everything above is yours for free. The written guide to Crystal Cove State Park — what it is actually like, and what we would tell a friend before they went — comes with the Guidebook.
Getting there
- Coordinates
- 33.572, -117.833