I found out about Jill's walking tour from a friend. She took me to a spot with the best views in…read moreDana Point that I had never seen before, even from visiting here many times. Her tour was interesting, fun, and very educational. Dana Point has a remarkably colorful past! The best part was Jill herself; she is a fun and engaging guide who will keep you laughing and smiling. I highly recommend this tour for anyone who wants a fun few hours to see, hear and experience this beautiful and unique city, Dana Point.

We went on a walking tour of Dana Point and we were so impressed by our tour guide's (Jill)…read moreknowledge and the beauty of the harbor and headlands. We've lived here for 10 years and I had no idea of the history of the place. Pirates, priests, sailors and surfers! So much fun! Highly recommend this tour.

My boyfriend was watching a YouTuber when he was inspired to design a date around all of the Orange…read moreCounty coastal trolleys. The Dana Point Trolley is a FREE service that runs during the summer from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day weekend. The hours vary depending on which day of the week you go, so check to be safe if you are planning a trip. The reason why the trolleys operate during the summer is to help alleviate the traffic to coastal cities during peak season. We were picked up at the Ritz Carlton where that stop overlaps with the Laguna Beach Trolley route, but they also have opportunities to transfer to the San Juan Capistrano Trolley and the San Clemente Trolley. We took the north loop from the Ritz Carlton down to the stop 7 where the Dana Point Harbor Drive and sent off for happy hour at Gasper. It was getting late or we would have tried to go further south. On the ride back, it was such a great time. We had the best trolley driver who play good jams the whole time and the other passengers were fun too. I think you get a mix of tourists and locals on this trolley. Everyone is friendly. If you're a tourist, I'm sure you can find a local to give you good travel tips. Will definitely be back to try more of the transfers and see how far we can travel by FREE trolley.

The Dana Point Trolley is a fantastic free service to get around. My family loves using it to grab…read morefood and stop at the park. Always a fun time.

Smooth transportation experience, we went as part of some "free" Catalina stay package we got for…read moreattending a timeshare presentation. We rode from Dana Point this time. We went to Catalina in 2021, too, on our own nickel, and rode from Long Beach that time. I believe it is about $150. round trip if paying directly. You cannot go all the way to the outside bow area, but you may stand on the sides almost all the way up. The front part of the boat is a little bumpier, but not bad. You may also sit outside near the stern. 1 1/2 hour trip. WiFi did not work. We didn't see anything memorable along the way, and the boat did not stop or slow down to point anything out. We stored our luggage, and the wait to get it back was minimal. There is a bar on board if you can't wait to drink, and snacks available for sale too.

I took the Catalina Express to and from the island last week and it was a great experience. Even…read morethough I live closer to the Newport Harbor, I chose Dana Point and I am so glad I did! The overall experience was wonderful with just a few "good to know" pieces of info. Be sure to look up the Catalina express ferry schedule on their website ahead of time. During peak season, spots on the boats can fill up fast. So booking as soon as you know your Catalina plans, reserve your spot. Also, be aware that parking at Dana Point is an extra cost. I really appreciated the DETAILED information that Catalina Express sends once you book your tickets. I would have been lost without it. I really appreciated the smaller boat size out of dana point. The staff is very friendly. We booked an overnight trip and came on a later in the day, less crowded boat. Speaking of crowds, the most popular boat time going to the island are the morning boats, and the most popular leaving the island times are later afternoon/early evening. ALWAYS BOOK YOUR RETURN FERRY TRIP WITH YOUR ARRIVAL FERRY to ensure you won't be stranded on the boat. The boat is super clean and we had a nice ride to and from the island. Highly recommend this ferry over other choices.

Old world charm lots of California history. A GREAT DAY TRIP. Get there early park at train…read morestation walk to dozens to eateries. Walk Old El Rio road very relaxed nice trinket shopping Watch the train. Window shop till you drop Eat breakfast brunch lunch at dozens of San Juans finest. Never tried the BBQ always to long line. I go here for day trip 2 to 3 times a year from LA never gets old

A historic, charming town. Arrive early, secure your parking or take a convenient train ride…read more(Metrolink or Amtrak - steps away). There is more than enough to see to keep you occupied in a day. I liked seeing the shops and restaurants either tucked away in unexpected places or in historic buildings - like Ellie's Table in EGAN house. There are two trolleys that take you around SJC with plenty of on-and-off stops. A great way to explore the town.

Love, love this area of Dana Point. This has been my families spot to learn about the ocean and to…read moreenjoy sea life. We have always come to the Marine protected area when the tide is low and walked along the beach and sand outside the Institute to see all sorts of sea life. It is amazing what you can see, even saw an octopus one time. Just make sure that you know when the tide is rolling in and out to not get caught out on the rocks! On the backside of the Institute there are also benches to sit at and listen to the ocean. The Institute itself is filled with wonderful sea life and is a great learning experience no matter your age. Outside, there is a calm bay area where paddle boarders are all over as well as the educational ships filled with history. There is nothing that you cannot do in this area!

We came to the Ocean Institute for a homeschool field trip and was it ever worth it for waking up…read moreat 6am! The initial lesson part was split into groups and we were assigned to Sydney. She was absolutely delightful! Very knowledgeable and receptive to the questions the kids have! After the lesson, we headed out to the open sea. To our delight we got to see dolphins, sea lions, and even spotter a whale! Overall it was a great experience and would highly recommend it to anyone wanting a lesson on ocean mammals!

The best and quick service I needed an application from an…read moreOrange County city hall. I called another city hall five times and they couldn't transfer me to the right person. Thanks to Haron. He was very professional and nice on the phone. When I got there, the application I needed was ready.

Beautiful topography:))))))) yOu have Nellie Gail (high rent district) lovely wood ranch fencing…read moreall throughout Cabot Road and surrounding neighborhood streets! Very welcoming and ranch style charm.

Neat little spot in the San Clemente Outlets mall!…read more This little center functions as both a "California Welcome Center" AND the customer service desk for the outlets. You can pick up free and informative brochures for all sorts of fun points of interests/travel spots throughout California. There's sections for Norcal, Socal, the Bay Area, Yosemite, Monterey, etc. There's also a small selection of California postcards, keychains, and other little trinkets for purchase as well. I didn't know this initially, but the friendly clerk shared with me the points program the outlet has to offer. You get 10 points for every $1 you spend at any of the outlet's stores. Once you reach a certain amount (I forgot how much since I rarely shop for myself) - you get access to their VIP Lounge upstairs. She was nice enough to let me take a peek - it was practically empty, but had a nice view of their center courtyard with all the Christmas decorations. It's a nice and quiet refuge from the hustle and bustle of the mall down below. Cleaner restrooms in their VIP lounge too. Legit, one of the nicest restrooms I've seen at a mall. I signed up for their free program, and picked up more than a number of brochures for future travel destination planning!

Located inside the San Clemente Outlets off Avenida Vista Hermosa, and the 5 freeway. CWC is a…read moregreat place to stop in and gather information about all the activities' California and Especially South OC has to offer. Since its off the freeway is a great location to stop and stretch your legs, visit the restrooms located across the Center, grab some food inside the Outlets, and walk around to do some shopping. Since its an outdoor Mall, you can bring your floof and have them walk around and enjoy the fresh air as well. They have information on recreational activities from hikes, to shopping, to tourist attractions LA, OC, to SD with coupons inside pamphlets . A hot tip, if you sign up for their rewards program, for each dollar that you spend while at the Outlets, you can provide your email and phone number inside the Welcome center and can add those to your account. Watch those points rack up and you can redeem for fun stuff. Keep an eye out for emails that give updates on special sales, discounts, promotions and events happening around the center or at the Outlet itself. 10/10

San Clemente is a surf town but little did I know that there's something for Doctor Who fans in Old…read moreTown San Clemente. While picking up Americanized Chinese food, we noticed the easily recognizable blue TARDIS (Time and Relative Dimension in Space), a name for this time-traveling spaceship that looks like a phone booth. While my friend was geeking out, I took some photos of it (of course), and this guy who was sitting nearby started chatting us up with all kinds of facts and history about the tardis and the TV show that was originally a radio show. He was friendly and while he keeps referring to the owner in the third person, we suspect that he owns this TV prop from the series. Like a statue at a park, these kinds of things can be very meaningful or completely meaningless depending on the person. We've run into the same guy on two occasions sitting at the exact same spot and he seemed to remember us - at least he mentioned that we looked familiar. This sitting docent sure adds to the experience, especially for those who have never watched the show or think that it's a blue telephone booth Parking is free and relatively easy if not at peak mealtimes due to the couple of restaurants in this plaza.