🌿 RelaxedWeekend · from Los Angeles, CA

Tide Pools, Cliffs & Sandy Shores

Discover tide pools teeming with marine life, unwind at oceanside spas, and sink your toes into pristine sandy beaches just hours from LA.

Day 1 — Crystal Cove State ParkDay 2 — Cottonwood Beach

Day 1 — Crystal Cove State Park

🚗 1 hr 41 min driving📍 5 stops

🌅

Morning

🚗

Drive

Los Angeles, CA → Crystal Cove State Park

1 hr8:00 AM → 9:00 AM

Crystal Cove State Park

★ 4.8

Park has 3.2-mile beach with sandy coves & tide pools, plus 2,400 acres of land for hiking & biking.

9:00 AM📍 See location

🍽️

Lunch

🍽️ Lunch10:00 AM

JOEY Newport Beach

An upscale casual restaurant on Newport Harbor with strong cocktails and a menu balancing seafood, steak, and shareables. The patio over the water is one of Orange County's better dining spots.

★ 4.8Restaurant📍 Maps →

2 options · tap to switch

☀️

Afternoon

🚗

Drive

Crystal Cove State Park → I Spa

26 min12:00 PM → 12:26 PM

I Spa

★ 4.3

Newport Coast's most-reviewed day spa offers deep-tissue massages, facial treatments, and body wraps in a serene modern setting — a well-earned recovery stop after a morning of coastal trail hiking and tide pooling.

12:26 PM📍 See location

🌙

Evening

🚗

Drive

I Spa → The IRV Bar

15 min5:00 PM → 5:15 PM

🍽️ Dinner5:15 PM

The IRV Bar

Escape to this laid-back desert oasis where craft cocktails and live music create the perfect weekend retreat from LA's hustle.

★ 4.3$$$Restaurant📍 Maps →

2 options · tap to switch

🛏️

Crystal Cove Beach Cottages

The state park's 46 historic 1930s and 1940s beach cottages sit directly on the sand between Crystal Cove and Laguna Beach — the most atmospheric and requested lodging on the Orange County coast. Reservations open six months in advance and go quickly; the vintage tile bathrooms and the beachfront location are unchanged from the original resort.

Day 2 — Cottonwood Beach

🚗 3 hr 30 min driving📍 3 stops

🌅

Morning

🚗

Drive

Crystal Cove State Park → Cottonwood Beach

1 hr 14 min8:00 AM → 9:14 AM

Cottonwood Beach

Escape to this serene coastal gem where pristine sandy shores and gentle waves create the perfect backdrop for unwinding away from the hustle of the city.

9:14 AM📍 See location

🍽️

Lunch

DC3 Gifts & Grill

★ 4.6

A grill adjacent to the Blackbird Air Park near Palmdale with flight-themed décor and American standards — a fun stop on any aviation-adjacent day trip.

10:14 AM📍 See location

☀️

Afternoon

🚗

Drive

Cottonwood Beach → Catalina Sea Spa

55 min12:00 PM → 12:55 PM

Catalina Sea Spa

★ 4.3

Float in warm saltwater soaking pools overlooking the ocean, then drift through eucalyptus-infused steam rooms. Indulge in seaweed wraps and seaside massages with gentle waves as your soundtrack.

12:55 PM📍 See location

🌙

Evening

🚗

Drive

Harbor Reef Restaurant & Bar → Los Angeles, CA

1 hr 21 min5:00 PM → 6:21 PM

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