Lantern Bay Park is an absolutely beautiful park overlooking the Dana Point Harbor and right across…read morefrom 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!

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

Salt Creek Beach park is great for many reasons. People go for the surf or to have fun with the…read morekids on the grass, to listen to live music, for a picnic.... They've shown the movie Endless Summer numerous times, they host OC Summer Concerts and more. Parking is plentiful. (unless you arrive late for a big event!)

Parking is a travesty but it's because the park is amazing. 30 minutes to circle around and wait…read morefor someone to leave! There's a basketball court, shower for your feet, bar at the bottom on the sand, and benches and tables.

My friends and i came here around 2pm and the view of the ocean paired with the beautiful weather…read morekept us in the same spot for 6 hours! Great spot to get your steps in too- Saving this as "the perfect picnic spot". I used google maps to get here and it was a bit confused and took us to baby beach instead. Make sure to follow the street signs that lead to Nature Parks on Golden Lantern Road. That's all, have fun there!

Lovely views overlooking the Marina. Very steep park. You…read morecan take the stairs or the meandering trail. Lovely place for a walk.

Unique adventure for kids. Wouldn't recommend for older kids over 12. Not that big and lots of…read moresmaller kids around.

This playground recently got renovated. It's at the corner of Golden Lantern and La Cresta. It's…read morestreet parking only and not a lot. There are no restrooms. It's fully paved with rubber surface. There is one play structure that's a very cool pirate ship. There's a slope with 1 infant swing and 2 saddle swings. There are 2 tables with seating. There are 2 benches by the play structure and 1 by the swings. However, they also have a palm tree lined "bench" on Golden Lantern side. This area provides some shade, otherwise, not shaded. It's near the ocean though so not very hot. It is gated and small so easy to keep an eye on kids. There are 2 trash cans and no water fountain. I recommend this park if your kids like pirate ships and for a relatively short play time.

This is a beautiful little park tucked in to a Capistrano Beach neighborhood, which offers some…read morepretty special views of Dana Point and the ocean. On the beautiful day that we went, the ocean had these awesome multicolored azure hues like a tropical island. It's also a dynamite park to have a picnic, with plenty of shade and lots of grass. It's also great for little kids with plenty of space to run around and some low trees that are fun for them to climb. We enjoyed a great little picnic here after getting some poke for Kawamata Seafood! Five stars

This is a pretty cool part to stop at when in the area. It has nice views on an elevated cliff. If…read moreyou want some spectacular views go to Laguna Beach and Crystal Cove.

Beautiful park except for the parents of little kids that litter everywhere…read more Please teach your children right and be considerate for the people that live here and pick up your trash. Also stop using confetti and balloons for birthday parties. Stop enabling your children and teach them respect for the residents. Thanks

Great park in a neighborhood so street parking only. It has restrooms right next to a table and…read moreseating area so it's great for parties. There is a little kid area with 2 infant swings and small rock walls in a sand pit. There is one large play structure on a rubber ground. There is also a large rock wall. There is a ton of grass and kids were playing flag football when we were there.

A gorgeous, perfect park. Beautiful views, so many different things for kids to do, and even the…read morebathrooms are nice. This park is a certified Monarch butterfly waystation and habitat! We loved watching the butterflies and searching for the Monarch caterpillars among the milkweed. We just passed through on vacation, but if I lived in the area, I'd love to bring my kid here every single day!

Creekside has a large dog park, with a separate area for small dogs and pups. Nice friendly…read moreoff-leash place.

Best place to park and watch the sunset! Best place to get in a morning walk! Best place to meet…read morefriends for a hike and then a coffee or breakfast in Dana Point! Best place for sandcastles and playing in the waves! Stairs down to the beach and then a steep climb back up but totally worth it! Clean restrooms at the top and bottom! And if you can't handle all the stairs, there is a golf cart service to get you down into the Strands neighborhood to make the climb much more manageable! I'm here almost daily hiking through and enjoying the ocean breezes - and often see dolphins while beach walking!

As of Nov 5 2025 there is no more parking in the park or street. You will be fined if you are…read moresleeping in your vehicle and no parking from 11pm to 7 am. Word has got out about this gem and too many junkers are so obvious, are lining the streets to sleep and day living in the parking lot of this quiet upper class neighborhood beach community. It was a great place to enjoy but some people spoiled it for all by not respecting the neighborhood.

I saw this on instagram and decided to check it out. It's a cute little spot with great views…read more Not really big but you can't beat the view!! If you are nearby, definitely worth stopping by.

Stumbled upon these beautiful arches while walking my dog. Feels like you're in Europe! The view of…read morethe marina is beautiful on a clear day. Nice stroll to take after lunch in Dana Point.

Oops my secret is out! This is probably one of my most favorite spot to go for a walk or a mini…read morehike! Even better, if you're there when it's sunny because the ocean views are breathtaking!! This is also dog friendly since there are poop bags provided at intermittent part of the trail. Please keep in mind that this is in a neighborhood so there will be houses really close to the trail (almost like we're in their backyard) and private property that you can't enter. There are signs to guide you so just stick to the signs and you'll be ok.

Hidden gem in LN. Quick hike around the area to the park area to see the interesting…read moregeology/history. Hike also wraps around the mountain side, giving you a view of the ocean.