It is no secret that we adore the historic cottages at Crystal Cove State Park in Orange County, California. Lots of fellow beach-lovers have asked us how we managed to score a stay and what it was like. On this blog, we have covered how to reserve a cottage, what it is like to check-in and how we spent our time. Today, we are sharing some tips on choosing the best Crystal Cove Cottage for your stay. We hope we can help you find the best cottage for you and that you will be enjoying a stay in the paradise of Newport Coast, California soon.
Before we get started, we have to state that it is hard to reserve a cottage, any cottage, in the historic district of Crystal Cove California State Park. We recommend reading through these tips and then grouping or even ranking the cottages that will work for you. When the booking window opens, you can try to target your top cottages while having a back-up plan. If you have not already, be sure to read How to Reserve a Beach Cottage at Crystal Cove State Park in California to understand the process. It is competitive!
Categories of Crystal Cove Cottages
The Crystal Cove Cottages can be divided into a few basic categories. Understanding these categories will help you determine which cottages are best for you.
Crystal Cove Cottage Dorms (#29 A-B, #38 A-E & #39 A-C)
The lowest cost options for choosing a cottage at Crystal Cove State Park are the dorms. If you book a stay in a dorm, your accommodations will include both private and shared spaces. The bedrooms in the dorms are private with secured doors. The kitchens, living areas, outdoor decks and some bathrooms are shared. Depending on the unit, some bathrooms are private while others are shared with the other units in the building. The rental widow for dorms is different than it is for the other cottages. Be sure to read How to Reserve a Beach Cottage at Crystal Cove State Park in California to get the specifics.
The cottages housing the dorms are #29 Long Board Lodge, #38 Beachcomber’s Lodge and #39 Paradise Lodge. These are bluff-top buildings, meaning they are not on the sand. You will need to walk down the public access path to reach the beach.
Cottage #29 houses units 29A and 29B, while #38 has three units (A-C) and #39 has five (A-E). Each dorm unit requires a separate reservation and each is unique with different bed configurations and different views (not all units have windows facing the ocean). You will want to check the profile for each unit on the Crystal Cove Conservancy website to understand the number of people it can accommodate, as the maximum occupancy ranges from two to six people. This will also give you an idea about the amenities included in each rental.
There are a few other things to keep in mind. Units #29A and #39C have private bathrooms in addition to access to their buildings’ shared bathrooms. Unit #38D is ADA accessible and reserved for rental by guests with disabilities (you can find the requirements for rental outlined here).
Why Book a Crystal Cove Cottage Dorm?
A dorm may be for you if you are looking for the lowest prices option for an overnight stay in a historic Crystal Cove Cottage. If you are trying to make a Crystal Cove reservation less than six months out, these are also a good choice: reservations for the dorm units open thirty days in advance. (Again, we recommend that you read our complete guide to making a reservation to get the particulars.) These dorms are also a great choice if you like the idea of communal accommodations. If you have stayed in and liked hostel, these dorm may be the right choice for you.
Remember that these dorm buildings are on the bluff and not the beach, so you will need to walk down to the sand using the public access path. On the other hand, this makes loading and unloading groceries and luggage much easier, and the decks off these buildings offer some spectacular views.
Fully Private Units in a Shared Cottage (#4 A-B & #11 A-B)
Several cottages at Crystal Cove are actually private units in a larger subdivided cottage. Imagine a kind of duplex or two-flat type situation with two private units sharing a building. Unlike the dorms described above, these units have their own private kitchens, bathrooms, living areas and, in some cases, dedicated outdoor areas. These cottages are #4A Flotsam & Jetsam, #4B Captain’s Quarters, #11A The Carpenter’s Castle and #11B The Crow’s Nest.
Cottage #2 The Shell Shack deserves special mention here. The rental cottage itself comprises only the second floor of this two story unit and is accessed from an outdoor stairway. The rental also includes two porches and a back patio. #2 The Shell Shack is not in a building shared with another overnight rental unit, but the first floor does seem to be used by the neighboring restaurant for storage or other operations. Accordingly, guests do not have access to the first floor which is used by the Beachcomber staff.
Like the single-unit cottages, these divided cottages go up for rental six months out. Check-out their individual profiles to see if one might work for you.
Individual Crystal Cove Cottages
Our last category is the largest. The majority of the Crystal Cove historic cottages are free standing units that are available for booking. These include Cottages #1-3.5, 6-9, 12, 14, 16, 18, 24, 25, 27, 28, 32, 33, 36, 37, 40 & 45. Again, cottage #2 is an individual second floor rental, but the first floor is used by he neighboring restaurant, as described above.
Each unit is totally unique and carefully restored to honor its hand built origins. You will want to check the profile for each individual cottage to examine different configurations. There are an enchanting number of variations when it comes to cottage lay-outs. And do not forget to look at the variety of outdoor spaces including covered and uncovered porches, decks and patios!
ADA Accessible Cottages
Cottages #1 Beach Pad and #18 Sunset Bungalow are ADA accessible cottages reserved for rental by guests with disabilities. The third ADA unit is #38D, which is a dorm-type rental as we described earlier. According to the Crystal Cove Conservancy, these are the requirements for reserving one of these ADA units:
This cottage is strictly available for rental by disabled guests with disabled parking placard or disabled parking license plates issued by a DMV (or a similar agency). A disabled veteran license plate will also be accepted. Upon check-in, guests will be required to provide the above proof of disability. The disabled visitor must be an occupant of the cottage for the entire reservation period. No refunds will be issued for invalid reservations.
Location and Choosing a Crystal Cove Cottage
The cottages at Crystal Cove are clustered up and down the sand and bluffs on this idyllic strip of the Newport Coast. Each location provides a unique experience. Understanding the location of each particular unit can help you select the best one for you. When you make your reservation, you should see the cottage location highlighted on the map, but we wanted to give you further insight into the practicalities of each location. The bluff-top cottages will represent a longer trek to the beach but a short trip to your car. You know what will work well for you.
Bluff-Top Cottages
Several of the cottages are located along the access road on top of the bluff where the check-in cottage is located. These are the dorm-style cottages #29 Long Board Lodge, #38 Beachcomber’s Lodge and #39 Paradise Lodge, the ADA accessible cottage #18 Sunset Bungalow and the individual cottage #33 Romantic Retreat. Cottage #45 Soda Shack is also located up by the roads and main entrance, but it is further back and not on the bluff by the ocean. Instead of an ocean view, it has a view of Los Trancos Creek.
You will need to walk down the access trail to get to the beach from theses cottages, but you will be closer to check-in and your vehicle. Transferring your luggage or groceries should be simpler here than at the beach level cottages. Do keep mind that, unless you are staying in one of the ADA accessible units, you will need to park any vehicles in the Los Trancos Parking Lot, which is across Pacific Coast Highway from the Historic District.
South Beach Cottages
A handful of cottages are located on the south side of Los Trancos Creek. These cottages are close to Crystal Cove’s protected tide pools. This “neighborhood” is also close to the Crystal Cove Shake Shack (though you will need to hike up to it) and some public use buildings like public restrooms, the Beaches Cottage Film History and Media Center and other exhibit spaces.
Close to the sand here you will find cottages #14 South Beach Suite and #16 Sand Castle and ADA accessible cottage #1 Beach Pad. Cottage #40 Creekside is both beachside and (as the name suggests) creekside; it is located next to Los Trancos Creek across from the exhibit cottage. As you move further up the trail from the ocean, you will encounter #19A South Sea Shanty paired with #19B Crew’s Quarters and then #32 Painter’s Cottage and #37 Fisherman’s Perch further up the path.
Event Area Cottages
We are calling this cluster of cottages “Event Area Cottages” because they overlook the picnic and special event area along the beach in the Crystal Cove historic district. As far as we know, these cottages themselves are not part of special event rentals.
Cottage #2 The Shell Shack directly neighbors the Beachcomber Cafe and Bootlegger Bar; this restaurant has indoor and open air dining. The rental cottage itself is located on the second floor of a building with the restaurant using the first floor for what appears to be storage. Guests staying in this second floor cottage can access it by a dedicated outdoor staircase.
Cottages #24 Rustic Loft and #27 Dive Shack also overlook the picnic and event area from their perches on the cliff side. Both are accessed by private stairs that go down to the beach.
North Beach Cottages
On the north side of the event and picnic area, you will find cottage #12 North Beach Tower. This cottage is also elevated above the ground-level event area, and guests access it from outdoor stairs. Proceeding north along the coast, you will encounter cottages #3 Shell Crafter’s, #3.5 Teacher’s Retreat, #4A Flotsam and Jetsam, #4 B Captain’s Quarters, #6 Hawaiian Bungalow, #7 LIttle Grass Shack, #8 Rustic Retreat and #9 Shipwreck Shanty. Beyond #9 are the most recently completed units with #11A The Carpenter’s Castle, #11B The Crow’s Nest, #28 Board & Batten, #25 Grunion Run and #36 Land’s End Lookout. These are all the cottages available for rent as of writing, but work in the North Beach area is ongoing.
All of these current North Beach cottages are along a sort of boardwalk with steps down to the beach. The cottages have private staircases connecting them to the boardwalk, and the boardwalk has stairs leading down to the sand. These cottage are also among the most recently renovated.
Other Things to Consider When Choosing a Crystal Cove Cottage
We hope giving you a peek at the different types of cottages and the different mini “neighborhoods” of the historic district will help you in choosing a Crystal Cove Cottage. In addition to these considerations, you may also want to take a look at the following.
Types of Beds
We will say it again: each Crystal Cove Cottage is unique. This is a big part of what makes them so very charming! It also makes it difficult to make any generalizations about beds and bedrooms. There is no such thing as a standard Crystal Cove cottage. We suggest using the location and cottage type to narrow down your choices and then looking at the profiles for each individual cottage to understand the cottage configurations. You can find those here.
In the descriptions, you will read about what kinds of beds are in each cottage. You can also find out how many bedrooms are in each cottage; some cottages are studios and do not have private bedrooms.
There are many sofa beds throughout these cottages. This makes for some lovely flexible space, but if you know that you simply cannot sleep on sofa beds, be sure to take note of how these play into the arrangements in each cottage. Bed types range from sofa beds to twin beds and up. Currently, the only king size bed in the Crystal Cove historic district is in cottage #14 South Beach Suite. If you simply must have the luxury of a king bed, keep your eye on that popular cottage! Several cottages do have queen size beds.
Maximum Occupancy
Related to the bed configurations is the maximum occupancy for each cottage. This is listed both on the Crystal Cove Conservancy website as well as the ReserveCalifornia booking site. Those sofa beds do a lot to boost the capacity for each cottage, but again, you will want to make bedrooms and beds part of your calculations for choosing an cottage along with that occupancy number.
Cost
The cottages at Crystal Cove State Park range in price as well as capacity. What represents a good value for you is certainly going to depend on the size and needs of your group. The lowest price option will be a room in the dorm-style cottages. The most expensive units are all individual cottages, but these also range in price.
Ongoing Construction and Choosing a Crystal Cove Cottage
We are so grateful for all the work that has been done on these beautiful and fascinating cottages at Crystal Cove. Because of the work of Crystal Cove Conservancy and everyone involved in the cottage restorations, we have been able to be a part of this beautiful piece of history for just a little bit. That said, the area is under ongoing construction, and you may encounter some during your visit.
For an idea on the proximity of each cottage to the construction, check the Crystal Cove Conservancy website for ongoing updates. We keep looking, because we cannot wait to see what is coming next to the historic district of Crystal Cove State Park.
Thank you for reading this article on choosing a Crystal Cove Cottage in the historic district of this gorgeous California State Park.
We hope you have found this helpful. We have been completely bewitched by the historic district at Crystal Cove. If you are intrigued as well, be sure to check-out our other articles on staying in the historic cottages including: (1) How to Reserve a Beach Cottage at Crystal Cove State Park in California, (2) Our Stay in a Crystal Cove Beach Cottage: Arrival & Check-in Tips and (3) How We Spent Our Time in Our Crystal Cove Cottage.
Our site is also full of other family fun articles including everything from movie nights to Step-by-Step Disneyland Prep. Finally, please consider subscribing to our newsletter below to get our latest posts in your inbox. Thanks again for reading, and good luck choosing and reserving that Crystal Cove Cottage!
