Things to do in Dana Point

Dana Point is Orange County's harbour town for getting out on the water, built around a small marina roughly an hour to an hour and a half from central Los Angeles by car, longer in rush-hour traffic, with no Metro line reaching this far south.

It sits between Newport Beach's larger working harbour and Laguna Beach's cliff-lined coastline, but its own draw is boat trips: dolphin sightings are common year-round, while different whale species pass through at different points in the year, so the best months depend on which whale you hope to see.

Coastal mornings can stay grey into early summer even on a sunny inland day. Sailings often sell out in peak season and during strong whale activity, so booking a few days ahead is worth it.