Dana Point is a city at the beach in Orange County in Southern California.
Get in
[edit]
Map of Dana Point
I-5 is the primary north-south route through Orange County, and passes through the eastern portion of the city. State Route 1 begins in Dana Point and continues northwest through the city to other coastal Orange County cities.
Get around
[edit]See
[edit]- 1 The Ocean Institute, 24200 Dana Point Harbor Dr., ☏ +1 949-496-2274. the Ocean Institute offers science and maritime history programs to youth during the week, and is open to the general public on weekends, 10AM – 3PM. Founded in 1977, the Ocean Institute is a non-profit organization dedicated to ocean preservation through education, setting the standard for educational excellence and serving as a leading resource for universities, museums, teachers and all others seeking to increase their knowledge of the ocean. Visitors can enjoy ocean-themed exhibits, marine life touch tanks and aquaria with hundreds of marine creatures. Institute staff and volunteers are on hand to share the secrets of our seas. Unique maritime and ocean-themed items are available in the Chambers Gallery every day, 9AM – 6PM. For an added charge, visitors can enjoy marine mammal cruises on board the Institute’s R/V Sea Explorer or sail on board the tall ship Spirit of Dana Point. $6.50 adults, $4.50 children (ages 4-12), Ocean Institute members free..
Do
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- 1 Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching, 25300 Dana Point Harbor Dr (in Dana Point Harbor), ☏ +1 949-496-5794. 8AM - 10PM. Dana Wharf offers year-round whale watching and fishing. Year-round 1/2 price special on Tuesdays where all trips are 1/2 off. May - October is the Blue Whale season and November - April is the Gray Whale migration. $14.50+.
- 2 Doheny State Beach, 34675 Golden Lantern (Dana Point Harbor dr. and Park Lantern), ☏ +1 949-496-6171. 24 hours. Doheny State Beach is in Dana Point, California as one of California's popular state beaches. Doheny State Beach attracts one million visitors per year. Doheny features include "day use" "Surfing beach" and five-acre lawn and picnic facilities with volleyball courts. $15 per day..
Buy
[edit]Eat
[edit]- 1 Harbor House, 34157 Pacific Coast Hwy, ☏ +1 949-496-9270. 24 hr. American diner restaurant with a huge menu serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Loads of stuff on the walls like photos, movie posters, and more. There's another location in Sunset Beach.
- 2 Carlos Mexican Restaurant, 34224 Pacific Coast Hwy, ☏ +1 949-496-4470. 8AM-9PM daily. Charming little Mexican restaurant on PCH. Serves its own cocktails with pretty good food to boot. Closed on Christmas
- 3 Craft House, 34094 Pacific Coast Hwy, ☏ +1 949-481-7734. Bar and grill serving new American food with specialized cocktails too. Also serves brunch.
- 4 Turk's Dana Warf (Turk's), 34683 Golden Lantern, ☏ +1 949-496-9028, [email protected]. 8AM-11PM daily. Longstanding restaurant in the harbor founded by local legend Turk. Has a breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu. Equipped with a large bar.
Drink
[edit]- 1 Pepi's Sports Bar & Grill, 34235 Doheny Park Rd, ☏ +1 949-272-5957. M-Th 10AM-midnight, F 10AM-2AM, Sa 9AM-2AM, Su 9AM-midnight. Sports bar with a few pool tables inside. It smells like cigarettes all the time here. Pretty standard sports dive bar.
Sleep
[edit]- 1 Best Western Dana Point Inn-By-The-Sea, 34744 Pacific Coast Highway, ☏ +1 949-240-0150, fax: +1 949 240-4862.
- 2 Best Western Plus Marina Shores Hotel, 34280 Pacific Coast Highway, ☏ +1 949-248-1000.
- 3 Laguna Cliffs Marriott, 25135 Park Lantern, ☏ +1 949-661-5000.
- 4 Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, One Ritz-Carlton Dr. Luxury hotel in Laguna, situated atop a 150-foot bluff overlooking 2 miles of beachfront & the Pacific.
- 5 Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach, One Monarch Beach Resort, ☏ +1 949-234-3200. Resort with 400 guestrooms. Golf courses, full service Spa Gaucin, Stonehill Tavern, Motif, Club 19 Patio Restaurant, and private beachfront dining.
- 6 DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Doheny Beach - Dana Point, 34402 Pacific Coast Highway, ☏ +1 949-661-1100. Close to Doheny Beach, this is an all-suite hotel.
- 7 Blue Lantern Inn, 34343 Blue Lantern St, ☏ +1 949-661-1304, toll-free: +1-800-950-1236. Views looking over the harbor.
- 8 The Beachfront Inn & Suites at Dana Point, 34734 Pacific Coast Hwy, Capistrano Beach, ☏ +1 949-248-1316. This hotel is only rated with two stars, however, it is much more inexpensive than many of the options in San Clemente. Although it is not in the city of San Clemente, it is right along Pacific Coast Highway leading you south directly into the Spanish village by the sea.
Go next
[edit]Dana Point is the southernmost city to have public transportation to Catalina Island (Avalon). Reservations are recommended.
| Routes through Dana Point |
| Santa Ana ← San Juan Capistrano ← | N  S
|
→ San Clemente → San Diego |
| Long Beach ← Laguna Beach ← | N  S
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→ END |