My Birthday Hike
Crystal Cove State Park is in the OC.
That’s Orange County for those of you who didn’t watch The Hills or Real Housewives of Orange County.
It’s about an hour up the road from our little beachy town, near the home of my favorite shopping mecca, South Coast Plaza.
As much as I enjoy playing dress up in diamonds and designer fashion, I LOVE getting dusty and dirty on a trail surrounded by nature.
A couple years ago my son attended a seminar at University of California at Irvine and we hiked Crystal Cove together, but my tugboat man had been out to sea and wasn’t able to join us.
It’s so beautiful that I wanted to share it with him and chose it for my birthday activity.
On my birthday, I get to do anything I want — my mom said so — and who am I to argue when she substantiated my belief that the world revolves around me?
It was a wonderful, happy, magical day!
How to get there
The bridge at the beginning of the trail.
The trail we took was about five miles; we couldn’t take the longer one ‘cos of our time constraints. It starts off heading east up into the hills –
when you’re at the top, you’re facing west –
with an amazingly beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean.
A little wild rabbit, maybe a cousin of my garden bunny.
The view from the top of the trail. It’s breathtaking.
Beautiful Orange County.
I wonder who lives in those homes overlooking the cove?
Where we ate lunch…can you spot the quail who came to join us?
Princess Rosebud in a new Yale shirt, a Mother’s Day gift from Angel Boy.
Happy Memorial Day to all of our veterans!
We walked across the street to see the vintage cottages built in the 1930s.
They’re on the beach and available to rent through the
Crystal Cove Alliance. Click here for all the deets.
Located in the heart of Crystal Cove State Park’s 3.5 miles of pristine coastline, the Historic District was first developed as a South Seas movie set due to its seclusion and tropical aura.
The community thrived and became popular for its relaxed, friendly atmosphere and picturesque landscape. In 1979, the Crystal Cove State Park Historic District was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Built as a seaside colony in the 1930s and 40s, Crystal Cove endures as a magical escape for visitors who appreciate the opportunity to experience California’s natural and architectural beauty, untouched by time.
Touring the Visitor’s Center, we took a step back to the 1930s to see what the cottage kitchens used to look like.
How could anyone not jump in that inviting ocean?
Not big enough for surfboards, but my two guys had a refreshing swim.
The outdoor restaurant was full of people enjoying the amazing weather;
check out the nautical flags!
Oopsie…chemtrails. These are NOT contrails…
Our sunny day turned milky white right before our eyes.
Next time: My Hello Kitty Birthday Party
Related articles
- Bucket List: Crystal Cove in Newport Beach is a must-see historic spot (grindtv.com)
- Event Coverage: The Magic of Crystal Cove (motortrend.com)
- Crystal Cove (theregionalmanager.me)
- Rescued O.C. Hiker Charged With Meth Possession (ktla.com)
Because of my retail therapy disaster on Friday, I felt frustrated, unfulfilled, and downright cranky.
