Crown Memorial Beach(Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach)

Located in the city of Alameda, Crown Memorial Beach is a two-and-a-half-mile-long beach and is a part of the Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach park that is operated by East Bay Regional Parks District (EBRPD). Named after the State Assemblyman Robert W. Crown, Crown Memorial Beach is surrounded by Elsie Roemer Bird Sanctuary at the east end that is home to aquatic birds and other salt marsh creatures, and Crab Cove – a marine reserve with an 800-gallon aquarium system at the north end.

Crown Memorial Beach welcomes dogs only on lawn areas and along pathways as long as they are on-leash – and offers many amenities including restrooms, showers, barbecues, fire pits, picnic tables, playgrounds, and a volleyball court.

There are several fun activities at Crown Memorial Beach including swimming, windsurfing, kiteboarding, kayaking, paddle-boarding, biking, hiking, and fishing. If you are looking for additional activities, Crown Memorial Beach hosts the annual Sand Castle and Sand Sculpture Contest in June that is attended by hundreds of participants and spectators.

Getting here is very easy – after you get off of Central Avenue, turn right onto Eighth Street to reach the beach’s entrance and paid parking lot. You can walk a few minutes from here to Crown Memorial Beach.

If you are looking for nearby attractions, there are many within a 15-minute drive of Crown Memorial Beach. Children’s Fairyland is an amusement park that has 10-acres of playsets, rides, and Aesop’s Playhouse – a children’s theatre. Children’s Fairyland is also home to the Open Storybook Puppet Theatre, the oldest puppet theatre in the US where many artists, including Ruth Asawa and Frank Oz, have practiced puppetry. If you like performing arts, Frank Bette Center For the Arts provides art classes, programs, and exhibitions and hosts several annual events including Alameda On Camera – a photography event, Plein Air Paintout, and Satellite Galleries. The Pacific Pinball Museum is a museum-cum-arcade with over 90 pinball machines and hosts several parties, field trips, and STEAM educational programs. Another great attraction near Crown Memorial Beach is the USS Hornet - Sea, Air and Space Museum, a ship museum ship composed of the aircraft carrier USS Hornet featuring a Live-Aboard program that includes ship tours and dining.

If you get hungry, there are many restaurants within a five-minute drive of Crown Memorial Beach. The Asian restaurant Up 2U Thai Eatery serves Thai food that includes spring rolls, pumpkin curry, coconut rice, basil chicken, salmon rolls, and crab meat noodles. Little Joe's Express is a Chinese restaurant offering orange chicken, beef with broccoli, Kung Pao chicken, Peking duck, and soups. If you are looking for a family-friendly restaurant near Crown Memorial Beach, Marti's Place features many breakfast options that include pancakes, omelets, platters, shrimps, sandwiches, tacos, and burgers.

If you are looking for a hotel near Crown Memorial Beach, you can drive six-minutes to Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham Oakland/Alameda, a 3-Star hotel that features a fitness center with a gym and was awarded the Travellers’ Choice 2020 Award by Tripadvisor. Marina Village Inn is an affordable 3-Star hotel with a pool. If you are looking for a more affordable hotel near Crown Memorial Beach, the 2-Star Rodeway Inn has a pool, bar, restaurant, and tennis court.