Best Beaches for kids in Crescent City, CA
We’ve gathered all the details for which beaches in Crescent City, CA are best for kids and families. If you’re visiting Crescent City and want to take your children to the Northern California coast, here are the best spots.
If you’re looking for sandy beaches for the kids to run and play you’ve got a lot of options. The most popular beach is South Beach. There’s lots of parking along Anchor Way and along Redwood Hwy. Just check for the best path down to the beach before you commit to your parking spot as some are easier for kids to traverse than others. South Beach is great for sandcastles, for setting up a tent (it is windy though) or chairs and enjoying the gorgeous view. Its also dog friendly like most beaches there are. Its a great spot to fly a kite, and we saw lots of surfers every time we passed it. If you’re considering a day trip to Crescent City, I think this beach is the perfect spot to be. You are very near the Crescent City overlook so once you’re back in the car treat yourself to a short drive south and take in an unforgettable view.
Pebble Beach is another fantastic beach for kids. There are lots of sea stacks and Castle Rock National Wildlife Refuge is in the distance. Despite the name, Pebble Beach does have lots of sandy beach to play on. My kiddo loved all the distinctive rocks on top of the sand. (Think cool rocks coming in the waves instead of seashells.) We enjoyed finding all the different colored rocks and perfecting our rock throwing skills. Sunset is supposed to be beautiful here. We missed it because our bedtime is earlier. Parking was super easy. You park in lots along N Pebble Beach Dr. and walk down to the beach.
Battery Point beach was right in town. There is a large parking lot, and probably the easiest sloping paths down to any of the beaches. If you have anyone with mobility issues I’d try this one out. There were picnic tables along the path near the bathrooms if you’re looking for a spot to eat. The beach is sandy and has lots of room to run and play. You’re right by the pier, Battery Point Lighthouse, and Beachfront Park. The lighthouse is only accessible during low tide so if your timing right you can walk over and check it out. There are also some nice tide pool spots that are easy to access without having to climb over rocks or uneven ground.
Enderts Beach is one of my favorite spots we visited in Crescent City. When you’re on South Beach, this is below the cliffs you’re viewing to the south. Enderts Beach requires you to hike to it. Hear me out- we are not the hiking kind of family. After you park in the small parking lot, you will need to hike a mostly shaded, mostly not too steep, mostly wide path about 0.6 miles mostly downhill to the beach. Parts of the path are open sided down the mountainside into the ocean so if you have a toddler who is a runner be prepared to carry them. There are only one or two steep descents on the path itself, but the path ends on a big rock cliff that you’ll need to climb down to get to the beach. It is extremely doable even with young kids. Just keep a level head and navigate it together. We did it with a small child and a large dog, and we are not rock climbing people by any means. Tennis shoes are a must for the hike and just throw beach shoes in your backpack to change once you’re on the sand. Going back up the rocks was much easier. Be prepared you may end up carrying a kid all the way back to your car- uphill.
So why on earth would you tackle this adventure with small kids? Well just look at it. Its not crowded because parking spaces and willingness to hike here are limited. Let your kid play in the sand and enjoy the beach while you get jaw dropping gorgeous pics for your walls (and your memories). Walk through the rock archway to find a stream running under a huge fallen redwood with more cliffs in the distance. This is where the redwood forest meets the Pacific Ocean and where your kids became explorers. Even better, plan your visit around low tide and discover the beauty the tide pools have in store.