Lantern Bay Park is an absolutely beautiful park overlooking the Dana Point Harbor and right across from the Cliffs By Marriott Hotel. The views are stunning and there is a ton of space. They have some nice picnic benches, a playground, public restrooms, and a great wide open space. Today I saw many picnics, flying kits, people playing with their dogs and enjoying the beautiful summer weather. In addition to a wonderful open space, they also have free street parking as well as a free parking lot! read more

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This is a huge park which intersects the Laguna Cliffs Marriott with the rest of Dana Point. It's fun to hang out and it's nice and shady from the trees. Dogs are welcome to hang with a beautiful view of the harbor. read more

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I love Lantern Bay Park - it's one of my favorite parks in Orange County. It's a big, beautiful, peaceful park, with lots of trees, shade, picnic benches, grills and beautiful views. I was lucky enough to spend every day of my staycation here in the perfect 74-76 degree weather. The Park is adjacent to the Laguna Cliffs Marriot so in the morning, I would leave the hotel, walk Piper, yoga mat over my shoulder, find a spot to do a morning stretch/meditation while the sun was rising. There's a coffee shop at the bottom the bluff so I would get my coffee walk back up the hill, set up my chair, Piper's blanket, got caught up on writing and reading saved Substack articles. I brought my cooler with snacks and juices from Kreation - it was the best way to spend the day. In the evenings, I made it a point to find a good spot to watch the spectacular sunsets and it made me happy to end the day this way. On Saturday, there was a group of women there to take an outdoors yoga class, I asked if I could join and did a class in the park. On Sunday, by the time 1 p.m. rolled around, it was a ghost town, then I remembered that it was Super Bowl Sunday and there was only women, strollers and toddlers at the kids' part of the park. I found a good tree to sit enjoy the quietness of the afternoon. While I was there, I noticed a priest with a group of people in the amphitheater - I thought it was a prayer group but then a family arrived with a loved one in a wheelchair and he looked very sick, everyone started praying and crying. I was not expecting the emotion that overcame me, and cried my eyes out. My family went through something like this a couple of years ago and it hit me pretty good. It was a somber note to end my staycation but a reminder that life is short, none of us are ever guaranteed tomorrow, and to let the people you love know you love them (even if they don't want to hear from you) and to show your love with actions. I would recommend Lantern Bay Park to everyone. It's a great place to chill, bring a chair, read a book, write, bring your family, your pets, spend a day here and watch the sunrises and sunsets - it's beautiful, in a great location with lots to do - ten stars all the way. read more

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This is a beautiful park, situated on a bluff overlooking Dana Point Harbor and Doheny State Beach, and a must visit if you're in the Dana Point area. The Pacific Ocean view is gorgeous. On clear days, you can look down the coast to northern San Diego County. The park features walking paths, shaded and sunny areas, picnic tables, playground, and rest rooms. It's perfect for large gatherings. In fact, we attended a family wedding here in the amphitheater, and the setting and setup were outstanding. BTW don't miss the stairs connecting the park with the beach below. If you're up for the climb up the hill, it's worth it. read more

A beautiful park with an amazing view of Dana Point Harbor. Its mostly grassy areas with several picnic tables and BBQs. One end has a small playground, restrooms, and a drinking fountain. The side I entered I came up 118 steps. They really need a drinking fountain there too. Overall this is a nice place to relax and enjoy the view. read more

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One of the most beautiful parks I've ever been to, with an incredible view of the ocean and harbor. It's clean, full of green areas, and has big trees on one side. The playground is well maintained, and it's a perfect spot for taking pictures. We had a wonderful time here with my granddaughter. read more

Lantern Bay Park - Parks Near Me - Dana Point, California

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This playground has the best views! Lots of parking curbside and is fantastic for ages 2+. There is a big grassy area where lots of people do fitness activities and many folks walk their dogs on the trail. One thing I love about the playground is the multiple benches that are around it for parents to sit. The playground scape is challenging for older kids but still simple enough for a young toddler to be able to explore. I will definitely make this my normal playground for my kiddo! read more

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What a gorgeous park! Beautiful greenery all over with trees, benches and tables. Every spot overlooks the ocean and is breathtaking. It's so relaxing here. There is street parking available for free. They even have Bocce ball courts too. (Which is what I came for). You definitely need to add this one to your list of parks to enjoy. read more

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Wonderful grassy park with amazing views in all directions. Lots of options for shade and seating, dog walking and people walking including flat areas accessible to all. Parking isn't easy but it's mostly free. read more

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Summer, summer, summer time it's time to unwind! By DJ Jazz Jeff Lantern Bay Park is one of the finest parks around to take an easy stroll and to enjoy the stunning, panoramic million dollar ocean views. We love coming to the park which features an amphitheater, is well maintained with lush green grass, with lots of Lily of the Nile and beautiful mature trees. It's a nice park to spend some quality time. They have a few awesomely placed picnic tables and benches to bask in the ocean views, Dana Point Harbor. If you have small kids there is a small playground to keep the little ones happy and entertained. They have yoga as well check the schedule online @ Www.iloveyoga.org There is a free parking lot on Golden Lantern/Dana Point Harbor Drive. Park in the free parking lot and cross the street to walk up the famous steps up to the park - you'll enjoy a nice little workout with a great view as the reward. read more

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Nothing beats these views for a kids playground! Parking is an issue when yoga class is taking place on the nearby grass. For some reason these "fit chicks" prefer to take all the closer street parking adjacent to the playground versus walking up from the actual parking lot at the base of the hill (constantly--it's probably 75% of the times we visit). read more

Lantern Bay Park - View of harbor from Lantern Bay Park - Parks Near Me - Dana Point, California

So nice place I loved here I'm planning to come back with my family to lantern bay park read more

Beautiful park with amazing views everywhere you look! The ocean, the coastline and the mountains! Doesn't get better than that on a perfect day in Southern California! What's not to love with 75 degrees outside and low humidity. Lots of tables and benches so you can make a picnic lunch and enjoy the views. Located above Dana Point Marina. Came on a week day so not many people, nice and peaceful. If you are a sucker for a view then a definite visit! read more

Lantern Bay Park - Beautiful views all the way around - Parks Near Me - Dana Point, California

What a gorgeous park and such a perfect view! There is plenty of space to relax and have a picnic. There is an open air amphitheater on the cliff overlooking the harbor. I attended a wedding there, beautiful. There is yoga in the park every day at 10am. And there is an incredible staircase to climb. Many people climb it everyday for exercise. We have flown a kite here too. Perfect breezes for that here. It's a great park. read more

Beautiful park! View is amazing. Fun play area for kids. Great place to have a bbq or small party.

Oh my goodness this park is pretty amazing for it's great views of the ocean. This is a great park to spend with someone you love because in the evening it can be very romantic. This park is all about the views because sits high on a hill. There's one playground but there are a few picnic tables. There are a lot of trees for shade but there are a lot of open spaces if you want to sunbathe. This is a pretty big park and a lot of people do come here. On Sundays I believe there is free yoga in the park because I seen a lot of females in their yoga attire. If you walk up the stairs to get to this park you will be very tired when you get to the top. Or you could just drive up the hill and park on the street but there is a small parking lot where you can park also. Parking maybe an issue on the weekends so you may want to get there early. If you haven't been to this park you must come here if not you are definitely missing out on a beautiful view. read more

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This park sits adjacent to Hertiage Park which is across the street of golden lantern. This park is a lot larger and has more places to do things like sports, yoga and jogging. The views are a bit better than Hertiage in my opinion, because you can see more of the coast to the south. It's also a better spot to picnic because there's just so much more wide open space and more trees for shade. There's also a nice path which leads you around the park. read more

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Been on a mission to find hidden gems around OC and this place fits the bill! This park will present you with a gorgeous vantage point of the Pacific Ocean and cliffs in the far distance, with the boat dock, trees, and rock pier in the near distance. The only thing I wished was different is some of the trees below obstruct the view of the cliffs and the shoreline in the distance. Although it was a cloudy day when I went, the views were still amazing up top and certainly worth the drive. This would be an ideal location to bust out your smartphones and take a panoramic shot. The park itself is clean and spacious. On an off day, you probably have enough empty space to start a pick-up game of flag football lol. There is lots of big trees with many tables beneath them so you can find plenty of shaded areas on a sunny day. The park is near a wealthy residential area so it is well maintained. This would be a good place to get your stair/quad workout going as there is a giant flight of stairs as one of the entrances. There is also a small playground on the south side for the kids. The closest parking would be to park on one of the side streets next to the park. I choose to park at the giant sloping hill next to the park and it was a 1 minute walk to reach the park. That place should be available for you to park any time besides Monday mornings for street sweeping. A short distance away is Heritage Park which will provide you with a different, but mostly similar, vantage point. You can actually see each park, when you stand at the other park. If you're looking for a beautiful overlook, look no further. read more

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This is a wonderful location for a park, and the playground that used to be here was great. Needed some updates but was great. The new one they put in is awful. Not much to do. Very hard & dangerous for small kids. Limited for big kids. Only big kid swings. Very disappointed in how this was designed read more

Super nice place. No swings or monkey Bars! Some tears in the ground padding but still safe enough. Some pch noise great looking BbQ. Over all worth checking out. Also has just a touch romance for date or picnic or quite walk! This was on a weekday visit. read more

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Breath-taking park with some pretty amazing views. There's plenty of benches and area to hang out. You can also get a great view of Dana Point Harbor from the top. There is a free parking lot at the bottom of the hill, great experience! read more

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I love this park!! It has amazing views of Doheny and the Harbor. The playground is fairly small but perfect for toddlers and young kids. There are no swings. The height of the equipment is not that high so if they do tumble it's not too bad. The surface is that rubbery material which I love! No wood chips or sand! There are picnic tables nearby and plenty of grass to run around. There's a short walkway that you can use strollers on for a leisure stroll. Parking is either on the road or in a parking lot that's rarely full. read more

This is a hidden gem in orange county. Went to the park for a wedding ceremony and was quite delighted with the park overall. The park has everything you could ever want. plenty of grass to have a picnic, do some tanning or just throw a frisbee around. There are walking and biking paths that go around the park. And did I mention the views, awesome panoramic views of the ocean. You can sit there and watch the surf. This park is a must visit read more

Lantern Bay Park - Parks Near Me - Dana Point, California

This park is amazing!! It's so peaceful and serene. I came her for a family picnic and it's perfect! There's not too many bugs or too loud. I would definitely come here again. However, for those of you who use Maps on iPhone, route to Laguna Cliffs Marriot. I attempted to route to the park and it told me that I had arrived mid driving on Dana Point Harbor Drive. Also, parking along the street does fill up quickly. There is a public parking lot and parking off of Golden Lantern and Dana Point Harbor Drive; away from the Harbor. read more

Our first time there & I had seen pictures ahead of time so I knew it was something to see. Beautiful ocean views & photo ops for guests. It's a climb up FYI but not too bad. There is a ramp on one side for accessibility. read more

I wanted to elaborate on my previous review of this place. I still love this park! haha. LOCATION: Absolutely beautiful location. The view is the best! This park overlooks the harbor and ocean. What better way to enjoy the great outdoors ;). PARKING: There is a parking lot across the street from the park (down the hill). It is a free lot. You can also park on the street - Eastern Lantern St (street the park is off of) and Golden Lantern (street to the North of the park). Parking on the street is free as well. PARK: There is a playground located at the East end of the park. There are bathrooms there as well - those are the only bathrooms for the entire park. There are walkways throughout the park. Picnic tables and BBQ's are located throughout the park. There is also a beautiful wedding ceremony area that overlooks the water. It has stadium-like seating and a long walk way coming down to the seating area. EXERCISE: This park is great for exercise - there are so many things to do. There are a few exercise classes that happen at this park. I don't know all of them, but I have seen them happening. I personally like to go to the FREE Yoga in the Park (iheartyogainthepark.com). It is donation base and happens everyday at 10am. I also love to run the stairs at the West end of the park. read more

This park is breath taking and is on a cliff with well kept green green grass. I recommend it here for weddings because it can do for any budget. I was able to reserve the amphitheater area of Lantern Bay Park for my wedding for just $300 so much cheaper than churches, and with a ocean view. The great thing about this amphitheater is the long row of trees and sidewalk that drop you into the center of this amphitheater. ITs breathtaking and made my Dad cry when he realized how much time he would have walking me down the aisle. Also because its a stadium the concrete seating would easily hold over 300 people. I had about 90 use the concrete for seating and it was lovely. There is plenty of room too for chairs on the grass in the center. Some pictures I've seen with 4 chairs per row on either side fit over 80 chairs in the center and im certain more would have fit. The view from any area in the park here is beautiful with lots of ocean views. Also had power supplied at the amphitheater which was nicely hidden and never seen in our wedding photos. SO I got the joy of microphones, a dj and a pianist. There are bathrooms close by a playground for kids and a additional parking lot off to the side. The parking fills up quickly but it is worth the view for everyone. read more

I really enjoy this park. If you're feeling like you need to "feel the burn" just try walking up that hill - it's a steep one! If not, you can always drive up the hill and park pretty near the top, near the entrance to Marriott Laguna Cliffs Resort. The views from this park are spectacular as you can see all of Doheny Beach, Dana Point Harbor and beyond. The breezes are lovely and it never seems to be hot here. There are lots of good areas for doing yoga or for stretching, and other than the occassional loud wedding at the Marriott wafting your way, it's usually very peaceful here too. There are picnic tables, lots of trees and shade, and it always looks very clean. I think they also have playground equipment, but I am always here for yoga and don't ever wander over that way. This is a great park for relaxing, exercising or reading. read more

GORGEOUS !! GORGEOUS !! AMAZING !!! There is a play ground here. Nice walking paths, LARGE grassy area's and an UNBELIEVABLE view of the ocean. Up on a hill, cool breezes. Amazing. I saw this from Coast Hwy, I initially thought it was a golf course, but knowing the area a little bit, I knew there was no room for that. What a beautiful park. Great for yoga as the other posted stated. Great for taking kids, reading, chilling out, taking a nap.. who knows. read more

Beautiful grassy park overlooking the harbor and docks. Small playground on the east end of the park with public restrooms. Lots of picnic tables near the playground and benches right at playground edge. Close to many good restaurants just a quarter mile walk to the strip mall west of the park. Great access up a giant workout of a staircase or a ramp the borders the park. read more

Lantern Bay Park - West end of the park near playground and picnic tables - Parks Near Me - Dana Point, California

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Beautiful, amazing. Waking up to walk this path on the back of our vacation hotel was incredible! Would have loved to have joined that large yoga class being held! Oh, I wish I lived out here. read more

This is a lovely park, with fantastic views of the ocean and the harbor. The parking is very limited, small little lot at the bottom of the hill and street parking.. It is sad because of the drought most of the grass is dead. The new grass they planted in the spring is dirt now. read more

Lantern Bay Park - Parks Near Me - Dana Point, California

One of the most beautiful places in Dana Point. From this park you have an amazing ocean view and can watch a spectacular sunrise. So peaceful and relaxing. I usually come first thing in the morning. Visiting here is a most! read more

Lantern Bay Park - Parks Near Me - Dana Point, California

History for me here. Celebrated my brothers life in the ampitheatre here at lantern bay park going on 6 yesrs ago. Love you my brother. Ashes out to see and throughout the world. Thailand, europe and throughout the States read more

i had a fun day here... crowded for a monday but beautiful ocean and surrounding trees and wildlife...

I selected this venue for my wedding ceremony (we had the ampitheater area). It is a beautiful area and the perfect spot for my wedding. It was an easy process to reserve the venue and get everything squared away. Like I said it was perfect for my wedding and the pictures will be beautiful and I couldn't imagine it anywhere else. The only thing that became the big problem was that they over-reserved the park. There was a birthday party, Hawaiian dance class going on, as well as the normal park people. I wouldn't have minded but there was already limited parking so with all of the activities going on, there was absolutely no parking left for my guests. I, as the bride, had to start my wedding late due to the parking issue. DO NOT HAVE YOUR WEDDING HERE IF IT IS MORE THAN 30 PEOPLE!!!!!!!! And it was on a Sunday!!! So not only did I have no parking, I also had some extremely rude people who walked and ran across my aisle as the ceremony was going on AS THE BRIDESMAIDS AND I WERE WALKING DOWN THE AISLE!!!!! Yes there is parking along the hill and yes there is a free parking lot at the bottom of the hill, but if they over reserved the area (which you won't know until the day off), you and your guests will have a very difficult time parking. Other than that it was perfect. We were able to decorate early with no problem, tear down was easy, we took pictures inside one of the circles with the view of the ocean in the back, breathtaking view; it was just the large amount of activities at the same time and the little parking that wasn't soo great! read more

Gorgeous!!! Wow. We went here on a perfect day! 70's and breezy. Great place to have a picnic. Just an awesome ocean view!

Nice park with a great view... Came here for the first time to see the free Shakespeare in the Park last year. They presented "The Tempest". It was great but I would have loved to check out the park a little more but we barely got there in time for the play. Looks like a great place to run or enjoy a nice stroll. A definite great place for a nice picnic. Just bring a sweater or jacket if you're going later in the day or evening because it does get cold since it's near the coast. read more

Such a great way to start the day. It's a great workout, Amazing location and beautiful views!

Love this park! It sits high up on a hill overlooking the Dana Point harbor! So beautiful. I've been going to "yoga in the park." It's donation donation based, everyday at 10 am, and the teachers rock! read more