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Crab Cove Visitor Center
1252 McKay Ave, Alameda, CA 94501, United States
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Ro
Review №1

Awesome park/visitor center to take the kiddos. The ONLY drawback is the beach itself tends to get lots of sand fleas compared to the nearby Alameda Beach, but the park facilities for the kids make this 4.5 star option for parks in Alameda. (I put 5 because no half stars.)

Eu
Review №2

Great place to meditate run exercise, dog park nearby Great place for a picnic for the Whole family

Th
Review №3

So many fond memories of my sons going here. Stopped by today to check it out. Facilities are well kept. The staff was very friendly. I got to hear a book reading to some young children. Lovely that they do that on the weekend.My husband and I sat and watched the fish for a little while. So peaceful. Great spot for kids and adults!Parking is not great tho, so do keep in mind it might take you some time to find a spot.

Te
Review №4

Was Beautiful!!! And not crowded! Plenty of parking, in the main lot, not street. Just a perfect family day out

Dr
Review №5

The burgers are amazing, they also have a secret menu that you should check out. The workers are so nice and actually care about what they ever you. They also also accommodate the little ones who are also there and then given coloring pages and a free pack of crayons

Te
Review №6

Excellent place to unwind with family and friends.... Visitors center is small but engaging.... Something special is the beach toy lending box

De
Review №7

I had no idea this cove was here. I enjoyed our first time here, its like our own private beach becausr is not crowded. Well definately be back!

N
Review №8

Park was open but the museum was not. Parking is very limited so beware.

El
Review №9

This is a great place to go with your kids. Everything is kid friendly. You can sit & read about the animals in the cove. Catch specimens in the cove & look at them under the microscope. There are different areas to learn about the bay. I love this place. So do my grandkids, 2 & 4 years old

Je
Review №10

Cute little Visitors Center. No gift shop. That was a bummer.

Je
Review №11

This is a hidden gem for children. Its small, but uncrowded. Enjoy viewing live fish and eels, touch living starfish. Learn about the bay with various interactive exhibits.

ch
Review №12

Great place for a family outing. BBQING and swimming.

Aa
Review №13

Well designed. Beautiful view. Fun activities for kids including small aquarium and visitors center.

Ta
Review №14

Beautiful views, peaceful enjoyment all around. All around one of my favorite places to unwind or take visitors from out of town. Lots of birds and nature if you take the time to look around and bet curious.

Br
Review №15

They are doing good things there for the people!

Al
Review №16

The lovely volunteers staffing the place make it interesting and worth the trip. Great aquarium specimens considering their rather small habitat tank. Great work by whomever is responsible for that. Low tide is for turning over rocks and watching the Great Blue Heron hunt, high tide is for the scenery, really nice.

fa
Review №17

Was closed but looked good from outside. Signs about events and activities posted. Nice entrance area close to beach. Id love to come back for a program or tour. Alot looked really interesting.

Je
Review №18

Great interactive center.Small, but well set up, informative local info.

Ch
Review №19

Nice beachfront stroll..didnt see crab this time. Not sure if this is seasonal..the visitor center has kids program, check their schedule before you go.

St
Review №20

Only about 70% of people were wearing mask there. We need mask enforcement.

Ch
Review №21

Field trip season. Great place, great staff. Small but huge on excitement for the children and chaperones.

Ad
Review №22

Very nice park. With large lawn area and panoramic view of the Bay fronting San Mateo County. Public restrooms on site. Surface parking lot with handicap parking spaces available for $5 a day.

TY
Review №23

Educational, low-key, and definitely worth the visit. Just happen to arrive during low tide at the nearby beach, and with the sun it was beautiful.

Pa
Review №24

Silvery day, fog out in middle of Bay blending into waters horizon. Rafts of ducks way out! Lots of Willets, Dowitchers, Sanderlings, a Black Necked Stilt, a Ruddy Turnstone. Awesome!

Ti
Review №25

Nice place, relaxing, great picnic with the family site. Nice views of the Bay

Re
Review №26

I love this park. Its a little more breezy than I would like, but its 5 stars for me. You may have to park in the residential area if its busy, but in comparison with other parks its not a nuisance.

El
Review №27

Always a great place to visit with kids. There are activities going on here sometimes and lots to look at.Plus today they had free coffee.

Ke
Review №28

Perfect for little ones. There are a couple of fish tanks and lots of interactive play and learning for kids - from the displays to working with a microscope and little toys and puzzles. The docents are always friendly and helpful. We also love to walk around the waterfront and look at all of the birds!

Ma
Review №29

Very beautiful safe location to enjoy with your friends and family when in Alameda

Sc
Review №30

Nice place for family pictures. Lots of grass.

fa
Review №31

Its a way out in nature. Its always great to go there.

Al
Review №32

All the surroundings it bring me serenity. The birds, the squirrels the sea...

Ji
Review №33

There is a free tiny aquarium there as well as many activities for kids. The staff is knowledgeable of the surrounding area as well. It makes for a nice trip on a sunny day to stroll through a park/walk on the beach

Er
Review №34

Love this park! Went to have a quick lunch we picked up in Alameda. Windy but beautiful.

Ru
Review №35

I grew up at crab cove. And its inly gotten better

Lo
Review №36

Nice place to visit with the kids. My little one loves to see the fish and crabs in the big tanks. Educational history on the walls about the area. Wo knew Alameda once was home to a theme park?

Da
Review №37

Awesome little education center. Crown beach is a gem of a little cove. Beach is small and look for the geese on the green lawns.

Ka
Review №38

Nice day today and the tide is low so person, boats and animals can walk around while take pictures.

In
Review №39

Its a classic place to enjoy a tranquil beach and learn about wetlands

Ky
Review №40

Nice place to walk. Beach is kinda dirty.

Di
Review №41

Best place to hang out. Doing potluck, swimming and chilling on the beach is what I would suggest the most.

Ti
Review №42

Wonderful place for the whole family, newly reimagined picnic areas, discovery center, wind surfing, and naturally beautiful beaches, shared by many aquatic plant and animal species.

Co
Review №43

Being from Colorado any large body of water is impressive to see. This area is great for a walk after work or an evening stroll!

Da
Review №44

Crab Cove visitor center is a real treasure for Alameda. Where natural science is presented in a well-designed space and facilitated by a friendly, knowledgeable staff of naturalists passionate about preserving the disappearing open spaces of our shoreline.

Su
Review №45

Great educational nature center. Good place to take the family and bbq or explore the area.

Ch
Review №46

Great little spot to have a picnic as nd take your 4 legged friends.

co
Review №47

Good place to visit at night with your wife...

Ta
Review №48

BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO TEACH CHILDREN AND ADULTS RESPCT FOR THE OCEAN

ch
Review №49

My girl goes here to clear her head

V
Review №50

A modest size free museum/activity center focused on children. Beautiful Robert Crowne beach nextdoor to have picnics in and wade in the water.The center does fish feedings, and activities for kids to educate them about sea life. Plenty of free parking They do event hosting and best of all, free coffee for parents!

Ta
Review №51

Great views

Ke
Review №52

A nice getaway

Ro
Review №53

Awesome little nature center!

Ro
Review №54

I remember going there as a kid. It had been updated but still had the exhibits I remember as a kid. The Ranger let us stay a little bit past closing time as I told him my history with the place. He was super friendly!

mr
Review №55

Great spot to bring little kids to learn about seaside

Je
Review №56

Nice place to visit of youre at Crown Beach.

Su
Review №57

Small aquarium, great to show the little ones the under the bay creatures! People working in there are great, they are knowledge about the animals in the bay and friendly. The park outside and the beach is also awesome for picnic and a splash on the mater.

Ka
Review №58

Cute aquariums and exhibits. Sometimes the aquariums are not in service .

Kr
Review №59

Great exhibits and delightful programs for all ages.

Ra
Review №60

Love the place

Le
Review №61

Its a beautiful place to go walking and even just to sit down and look at the water.

Mx
Review №62

We always enjoy it here. Its small and nice to visit while at the beach. Not big enough to warrant a visit if not already going somewhere close by though. The staff are friendly and its free.

K
Review №63

Kids love to visit here on our shoreline bike rides in Alameda.

Ma
Review №64

Very nice a good place to walk dogs and the view is beautiful ! Friendly people and parking is easy !

Ba
Review №65

Wonderful place to bring your children to learn about our sealife firsthand. Many programs and info re State parks. Maps provided and park personnel available to answer questions and plan your day trips or vacations.

An
Review №66

Nice shoreline park. Places to play and fly kites. Large mudflat on low tides. Can find jellyfish, mudflat worrms, baby crabs and bivalves. Nice long shallow shelf on high tides. Good sandy beach. Nice vistor center with some cool aquariums and things for the kiddos to check out.

Ju
Review №67

Nice place to spend with family and friends. Has information center with friendly staffs. Small aquarium is there. Every saturday and aunday has informative family program which absolutely free. Have wheel chair access also has clean washrooms. Parking lot is near by . Lots of picnic tables too. Best place for kids biking.

Pa
Review №68

A great place to get away. Its a very fun park. Its free and open parking. Its as l as o, right on the beach. You can see SAN FRANCISCO from there.

Ke
Review №69

Awesome place to spend a Saturday

do
Review №70

Peaceful clean and not to meny people

li
Review №71

Im looking forward to visiting the Center for a mini tour and history of the Cove!

J.
Review №72

Interesting guided activities for children. We learned about how they feed the different animals and we were actually shown how!

Am
Review №73

Come tide pool at low tide or spash in the waves when the water is up to the shoreline. The gentle waves here - rare in the SF Bay shoreline - provide the perfect beach outing for young kids. Easy parking, a great frisbee or kite lawn and a nifty visitors center round out the experience. My kids usually talk me into an ice cream at Fosters Freeze on the way home.

Is
Review №74

Enjoyed the music and the surrounding but the sand fleas ate me alive!!!

Da
Review №75

Small and limited

ri
Review №76

Cool little halfway mark next to a remote trail behind and the park also a nice duck pond by the dog park.

An
Review №77

Good place

Ca
Review №78

Relaxing calming wonderful

Ca
Review №79

Super fun and educational!

Ca
Review №80

Crowded beach during Summer and then it is all yours. With any weather, there are always runners or walkers. Most of the time its a safe place for everyone.

La
Review №81

Lovely place to check out with kids. Especially when the sun is burning outside

fr
Review №82

Great shoreline walk course for local people.

Ho
Review №83

Great place. Lush park! Great place to relax n have a picnic.

Am
Review №84

It was okay, great place to play sports, though. Many children and bird poop everywhere, but it was relaxing, in a way.

De
Review №85

We havent actually stepped foot in the Visitor Center, but my family loves Crab Cove. Its just about the perfect beach for kiddos. The tide goes in & out slowly throughout the day, and you when the tide is in, you can walk along in the water up to about 2 feet with no waves and most importantly, no fear that the current will grab your kids.There are tiny crabs underneath the larger rocks in Crab Cove - kids love to look and hold the crabs. Definitely bring the sunscreen - even though it doesnt feel too hot with the breeze, there are definitely rays. Another plus is the big grassy area behind the beach - great to let loose or have a picnic!

An
Review №86

Awesome!!! We had such a great Field Trip!!!

So
Review №87

I Love this place me and my husband come here to walk ...

Sc
Review №88

Beautiful, clean, well organized and friendly!

my
Review №89

So beautiful and quiet too..

Mi
Review №90

We had my granddaughters seven-year-old birthday there. And this coming weekend will be at the same place for my grandsons 2 year old birthday. Many a good memories there

Ce
Review №91

Love this place. Great for sand castles and checking out wildlife. Lots of family fun.

da
Review №92

Good place to walk and enjoy some sunshine

Cr
Review №93

Its a nice little place on the beach for the kids. Parking is almost non existence. Not much to it. We were in and out in about 15 minutes.

sh
Review №94

Great learning center

Jo
Review №95

I just stopped by for a while. Butt it is a beautiful day and its beautiful there

Or
Review №96

What a fantastic surprise in the middle of town. Beautiful exhibition and nice guidance. And its all free of charge. Thanks!

Gr
Review №97

Nice free activities with fun fish tanks. Small but very nice

Ri
Review №98

Beautiful, kid friendly! Black sand!

Da
Review №99

Nice

Um
Review №100

Nice people, very good with kids, small but cute place. kids have fun here.

Information
100 Photos
100 Comments
4.6 Rating
  • Address:1252 McKay Ave, Alameda, CA 94501, United States
  • Site:http://ebparks.org/parks/vc/crab_cove/
  • Phone:+1 510-544-3187
Categories
  • Visitor center
  • Tourist attraction
Working hours
  • Monday:Closed
  • Tuesday:10am–5pm
  • Wednesday:10am–5pm
  • Thursday:10am–5pm
  • Friday:10am–5pm
  • Saturday:10am–5pm
  • Sunday:Closed
Accessibility
  • Wheelchair-accessible entrance:Yes
Amenities
  • Good for kids:Yes
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