Crescent City, California
Crescent City is a city of 6,046 people in Del Norte County, California.
Why visit Crescent City
Townapedia lists 12 museums and landmarks, 4 parks and trails, 24 places to eat, 20 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Crescent City Cinemas, Ocean World, Crescent City Lighthouse and Battery Point Light.
September is the warmest month, with average highs of 64°F; December lows average 41°F.
Weather in Crescent City
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Crescent City
Crescent City (Tolowa: Taa-’at-dvn; Yurok: Kohpey; Wiyot: Daluwagh) is the only incorporated city in Del Norte County, California, United States, of which it is also the county seat. The city is on the North Coast of California and had a total population of 6,673 in the 2020 census, down from 7,643 in the 2010 census.
From the Wikipedia article Crescent City, California (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Museums and landmarks12
Crescent City Lighthouse
Museum · 1.4 mi
The museum houses two stories of displays, artifacts, and exhibits that bring to life the history of this section of Northcoast California.
577 H Street, Crescent City
Battery Point Light
Lighthouse · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
Lighthouse in California, United States
Del Norte County Historical Society Museum
Museum · 0.7 mi
577 H Street, Crescent City
Parks, trails and playgrounds4
Restaurants and cafes24
Good Harvest Cafe
Diner · American · 1.3 mi
575 US Highway 101 South
Mo-Sa 07:30-20:00; Su 08:00-20:00
Vita Cucina Bakery
Cafe · Cake, Breakfast · 0.9 mi
1270 Front Street
Mo-Th 07:00-16:00; Fr 07:00-19:00
Perlita's Authentic Mexican
Restaurant · 1.0 mi
Tortas, burritos & other traditional specialties served in a no-nonsense diner with simple decor.
297 US-101
Mo-Sa 11:00-19:30
Cazadores
Restaurant · Mexican · 0.5 mi
1461 Northcrest Drive
Su-Th 11:00-20:30; Fr-Sa 11:00-21:00
Elise's Eatery
Restaurant · 0.9 mi
1175 2nd Street, Crescent City
We-Sa 11:30-15:00, 16:00-20:00; Su 11:30-15:00
Fisherman's Restaurant
Restaurant · 1.5 mi
700 US 101 South, Crescent City
Mo-Su 06:00-20:00
SeaQuake Brewing
Bar and pub · 1.0 mi
400 Front Street, Crescent City
Tu-Fr 11:30-20:00, Sa 11:30-21:00
Oceans 675 by Northwoods
Restaurant · 1.4 mi
675 US Highway 101 South, Crescent City
12 more on the map.
History
Crescent City was founded on the site of Tolowa Indian Settlements at Battery Point, Pebble Beach, south of Point St. George, and north of Point St. George. In Tolowa: Taa-’at-dvn. In the Yurok it is Kohpey, and in Wiyot: Daluwagh).
In 1855, the U.S. Congress authorized the building of a lighthouse at "the battery point" (a high tide island on the coast of Crescent City) which is still functioning as a historical landmark.
Europeans began moving to the area in the 1850s. Crescent City was incorporated as a city in 1854.
The population includes inmates at Pelican Bay State Prison, also within the city limits although discontiguous and some ten miles away, and most of the former census-designated place Crescent City North annexed to the city prior to the 2010 U.S. census.
The city is also the site of the Redwood National Park headquarters, as well as the historic Battery Point Light.
Due to the richness of the local Pacific Ocean waters and the related catch, and ease of access, Crescent City Harbor serves as home port for numerous commercial fishing vessels.
From the History section of Crescent City, California on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay20
Ocean View Inn & Suites
Motel and hotel · 1.0 mi
270 US Highway 101 South, Crescent City
Shoreline RV Park & Campground
Campground · 1.0 mi
900 Sunset Circle, Crescent City
Churches and places of worship10
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church · Mormon · 0.8 mi
1031 A Street, Crescent City
Shopping5
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries19
Healthcare3
Map of Crescent City
102 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56°F | 42°F | 9.4 in |
| Feb | 56°F | 42°F | 6.9 in |
| Mar | 56°F | 43°F | 7.8 in |
| Apr | 57°F | 44°F | 5.1 in |
| May | 59°F | 47°F | 2.5 in |
| Jun | 62°F | 49°F | 1.4 in |
| Jul | 63°F | 52°F | 0.3 in |
| Aug | 64°F | 53°F | 0.4 in |
| Sep | 64°F | 50°F | 1.1 in |
| Oct | 62°F | 47°F | 4.1 in |
| Nov | 58°F | 44°F | 7.8 in |
| Dec | 55°F | 41°F | 11.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Crescent City Mcnamara Ap (2 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Del Norte County has had 11 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2023-04-03: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2023-03-10: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2023-01-14: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2020-10-16: Wildfires (Fire)
- 2020-03-22: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Del Norte County Regional Airport, Jack McNamara Field (CEC) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 2 miles away.
- Bertsch-Oceanview 2 mi southeast, about 3 min by car
- Fort Dick 7 mi north, about 12 min by car
- Smith River 11 mi north, about 18 min by car
- Gasquet 13 mi northeast, about 20 min by car
- Klamath 15 mi southeast, about 24 min by car
- Harbor 19 mi north, about 31 min by car
- Brookings 22 mi north, about 35 min by car
- Cave Junction 40 mi northeast, about 1 h by car
- Gold Beach 45 mi north, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Westhaven-Moonstone 51 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Crescent City California harbor aerial view, Robert Campbell, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Battery Point Lighthouse - Crescent City CA, Kathleen Franklin from Marysville, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.