Crab Cove Marine Reserve

Whether you’re planning a barbeque or just looking for a place to play hooky on a weekday when the sun is shining, there’s a haven to be found in Crab Cove. In California, where endless beaches sprawl across more than a thousand miles of coastline, it still takes careful planning to choose just the right beach for your day of sunbathing. Crab Cove is one of those places with its own personality, one that blends small-town serenity with a deep-seeded connection to the natural world.

Located in the protected shores of the San Francisco Bay, Crab Cove is sheltered from the rough ocean waters along California’s outer coast. Even when there’s a weekend crowd of beachgoers in sight, there’s always a sense of tranquility here. As you listen to the birds and surf, you’d never guess that this quiet rim of sand was once home to Neptune Beach, a bustling amusement park of the early 1900s. Relics of Neptune Beach era are preserved for viewing at the Alameda Museum.

Crab Cove hosts a protected marine area, the first of its kind in California. When the tide is low, there’s plenty of opportunity for the young at heart to roll up their pants and get their ankles muddy. The Crab Cove Visitor Center hosts educational programs for kids and adults to learn about the Cove’s unique eco-system, and the recently renovated exhibitions at the Center offer a close-up perspective of some of the Bay’s more elusive critters.

For those who prefer grass over sand, Crab Cove has picnic tables in the grass and a wide open field for soccer games. This little haven connects to a walking/biking path that leads to Crown Beach and Shoreline Drive. Views of San Francisco are generous the whole way through.


 

- by Renee M. Rutledge, San Francisco Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

Renee M. Rutledge

Renee M. Rutledge currently writes articles on local travel and culture for Red Tricycle, Parents' Press, Oakland Magazine, and Alameda Magazine.