There is something truly amazing about tide pools. It's like a glimpse into a strange and mysterious world underwater, without ever having to actually leave the land. The boys and I try to go tide pooling a few times a year. We would love to go even more often. However, when going, you must be sure to check the tide charts carefully. The best time to go is near low tide, as the tide is going out. This way, you will get to see the animals freshly in the tide pools. You will also not be in danger of getting caught in a rising tide. Not only could this be inconvenient, it is also potentially be dangerous, as the tide can rise quite quickly at times, trapping you, or even sweeping you out.
How to read a tide chart. You can find tide charts that are either presented in chart form or graph form. For either option, you will be looking for the low tide. A water level of 0.0 is the average water level when the tide is out. When tide pooling, it is best to find low tides that are as low as possible. As you can see in the first chart below, the low tide measurement at 4:30pm will be 1.6 feet. This means the tide, even when low, will be 1.6 feet above the average low tide mark. Therefore, although you can go tide pooling on this day, this would not be ideal. At 5:04am, the tide will be -0.5 feet, which is half a foot below the average mark. However, not many of us are out at the beach at 5am. You will need to plan ahead, and choose a low tide, at a convenient time.
| Date | High | Low | |||||||||||||
| am | ft | pm | ft | am | ft | pm | ft | rise | set | moon | |||||
| 11:21 | 4.0 | 10:42 | 5.6 | 5:04 | -0.5 | 4:30 | 1.6 | 6:01 | 7:38 | ||||||
Now onto our favorite tide pools!
Crystal Cove State Park
This huge park is designated an underwater park, making it a great place to dive. As the tide goes out, rocky pools are revealed, uncovering the underwater treasures for us all to see. While we love the tide pools at this beach, it is also so much more than that as well. You will park on the top of the cliff, and take a 1/2 mile (or so) path down to the beach. While walking, you can often spot dolphins, whales, sea birds, and more. The view is amazing, and if you are up to it, it is worth taking a longer walk to explore the many trails that run through the area.
The tide pools are found at the Northernmost side of the park. Follow directions to Pelican Point, and you will end up in the one of the parking lots that lead to the beach. Parking in the lots is $15 for the day. Note that there are bathrooms near the parking lots, but not at the beach, so it's best to let the little ones use them before you start walking.
When you are done at the tide pools, at the south end of the beach, you will find two restaurants with amazing views. At the bottom of the hill, you will find the Beachcomber, a casual beach restaurant, with decent food and moderate prices. At the top of the hill, you will find a small Ruby's Shake Shack, which is a great place to stop for a milkshake or a quick lunch.
Little Corona Del Mar
If you are looking for something a little more simple than Crystal Cove, then Little Corona Del Mar is your place. Depending on the day, you are likely to find parking on the street. You will simply need to walk down the pathway, which leads down a hill to the beach. Although called "little", there is plenty to see in these tide pools. When you are finished, the beach is also a wonderfully pleasant place to spend the day. There is a restroom half way up the hill, not too far from the beach. And if you're feeling energetic, you can join one of the many locals using the hill and staircase to exercise.
Abalone Cove
We have a special place in our hearts for Abalone Cove, as we hosted our wedding ceremony in a park above. This park, located in Rancho Palos Verdes, is one of the closest tide pools to us here in Long Beach. You will park in a small parking lot, and will walk along the side of the Trump Golf Course. From here, you will enter Founder's Park, a beautiful park overlooking the ocean below. It is such a beautiful place to sit and take in the view (or get married ). After you take it all in, you can find the path leading down to the beach on either side of the park. The walk is short, but can be a little steep for little ones, so bring the carrier if yours is not a big walker. When the tide is out, you will be able to walk quite far down the beach, where you will find a small group of tide pools.
No matter what you choose, you can't go wrong with a day spend searching tide pools at the beach! Do you have a favorite tide pool that we should check out? Let us know: erinh@macaronikid.com.
