Two Days in Dana Point

dana Point is paradise. My husband and I discovered this on a recent road trip down Hwy 1. We passed through many quaint and beautiful beach towns along the way and we stopped at a few, but Dana Point, our final destination, was the place we fell in love with. The one town that provoked me to hop on Zillow to ogle the real estate and to see if there was any chance we could afford a modest pile of bricks on… or near … or at least less than 15 minutes from a beach. The answer is “no.” No, we would not be moving to Dana Point without a winning Lotto ticket. But we would be back to visit, soon and often.

On our most recent trip, we had two days to spend before heading back to the Bay Area. Dana Point has everything you need to enjoy a relaxing, fun-filled two-day getaway. There are beautiful hotels, excellent dining options, and so many activities, from surfing, kayaking, and deep-sea fishing to more relaxing and low-key activities like wine tasting and chilling at the spa.

There are many great options for accommodations in Dana Point, depending on what you’re looking for. The vibe in Dana Point is definitely posh – and there are certainly some absolutely super luxurious and expensive places to rest your head during your stay. But there are also very comfortable and affordable places too. We were lucky enough to get invited to rest our heads at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel , and needless to say: It. Was. Lovely. Our compact ocean-view room was outfitted with the standard Ritz-Carlton creature comforts like high thread-count super plush bed linens piled onto a sumptuous bed, robes, slippers, plus a small but swanky bathroom that looked like it was carved from a block of marble. And the view – of course a magnificent view – from the French doors that opened to our own little step-out patio with a fire pit and two chairs where we would witness a glorious sunset in the evening with a glass of wine. It was pretty fabulous. Treat yourself. You only live once.

One thing we noticed as we headed further south on our road trip was that the further south we went, the better the food got. We were hard pressed to eat anywhere where we didn’t like the food, and we can be picky. These are our favorites in no specific order – highly recommended and not to be missed:

This is such a great restaurant. The vibe, the food, the service…everything was amazing. The restaurant is very busy, so we had to wait a few minutes for a table, but it’s worth the wait. Everybody in the place – families, couples, large parties celebrating a special occasion – were all lively and having a good time. The menu is vast, but don’t be afraid to ask your server for suggestions – we trusted our server’s advice on some of his favorite menu items and he didn’t steer us wrong. I ordered the sweet molasses bread (I can always tell if a restaurant cares about their food by the bread – a first impression is everything) and it was warm, pillowy, a tiny touch sweet and, with the sea salt butter, I could have been satisfied with just that bread all night. Also excellent was the charred octopus – the best we’ve ever eaten, and we’ve tried octopus on every menu we’ve ever seen it – the perfect char with the acid from the pickled beans, the duck fat from the potatoes – it was perfectly balanced. We will make the trip again just to eat that octopus. Other highlights are the seared scallops, the grilled sword fish, and the fresh tuna crudo. The cocktails and desserts are good too. Tip: Definitely save room for the chocolate with toasted coconut cake – it's divine! Glasspar Restaurant. 24961

Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point

Coastal Kitchen

We’d passed Coastal Kitchen’s inviting exterior with its bright blue umbrellas on the way into Dana Point and were excited about checking out what they had to offer. Inside is an open dining room decorated in soothing nautical blues –just as inviting as we had anticipated. We sat in a cozy booth in a sunny corner and perused the menu. We started with the smoked trout dip on toast – creamy smoked fish sprinkled generously with chives on crisp toast points –scrumptious. And the Parker House rolls. Golden brown on top and soft in the middle, drowning in herbed butter – can carbs get any better than this?

For entrees, the Hubby had the halibut topped with rock shrimp, swimming in a light lemon butter sauce. I ordered the crab salad made with generous chunks of lump crab meat delicately breaded and fried on top of fresh greens and plenty of thinly sliced grapefruit and avocado. Both were delicious. Coastal Kitchen. 34091

Pacific Coast Hwy, Dana Point

Raya

Raya is the ocean-view fine-dining restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton. As expected, the view was sublime. And so was the food. The chef brought out one amazing course after another including fresh raw oysters, ahi tuna ceviche, crispy shrimp in a sticky sweet/tart piloncillo sauce served atop a slaw with candied pumpkin seeds, seared scallops on top of parsnip puree with star anise dashi, a rich pork belly dish in a delectable mojo verde sauce, earthy roasted parsnips, and for dessert: a beautiful granita on top of fresh strawberries and a creamy panne cotta and warm churros with chocolate ganache and ice-cream. All of it stunning. Everything was creative, beautiful, and absolutely delicious, and we remembered why chefs may be the most brilliant of artists. Raya. 1 Ritz Carlton

Dr, Dana Point

After spending nearly a week on the road and with Dana Point being the final point of our road trip, we wanted to relax –basically enjoy beautiful surroundings, explore a little, and eat some great food. What better way to relax than a sunset wine tasting cruise? We headed out to the wharf to set sail with Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching (34675 Golden Lantern Street, Dana Point) , which is about a 5-minute drive from the hotel – we were pretty tired of driving so the short distance was a plus! We boarded the boat and proceeded to relax with a wine tasting flight of organic wines to be enjoyed with a sampler platter of cheeses, crackers, and fruit. We sipped and nibbled while a live singer strummed his guitar and serenaded us as we watched a marvelous sunset. It was the perfect ending to a long day on the road.

Since Dana Point has been trademarked the Dolphin & Whale Watching Capital of the World® and because we enjoyed our experience with Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching so much, we returned bright and early the following day to join them for a dolphin and whale watching tour. This is a great way to enjoy the sun and sea, and if you love wildlife, it is the trifecta way to spend the day! We truly enjoyed this exciting experience. The staff aboard the boat were so kind and knowledgeable; they genuinely want you to have a great time. There was also a guide/expert on the boat who talked about the types of whales and dolphins we might see and who was familiar with the who’s who of dolphins on this tour. Soon enough, we began to spot the dolphins; there were several pods and two types of dolphins according to our guide, and she knew a lot of them by name. They playfully swam alongside the boat and some of them showed off by leaping into the air! Best of all, we got to experience a rare sighting of Patches, a white spotted dolphin with an extremely unique condition called Leucism which results in her unusual coloration. This rare sighting caused much excitement on the boat, so while we didn’t see any whales on this trip, all were satisfied with the thrill of seeing Patches!

There’s a lot to explore in and around Dana Point. A short drive north is Laguna Beach where there are lots of cute boutique shops, galleries, cafes, and restaurants. It’s a nice stroll and you can pop into any of the many shops selling clothing, jewelry, and home décor. There is as a consignment shop and bookstore worth exploring as well. In San Clemente , there is an impressive outlet mall if you want to do some discount shopping. You can spend an hour or two exploring Dana Point’s Lantern District . You won’t miss it since there is a big sign marking the entrance to the historical spot. The walkable mile-long stretch features restaurants and bars and is a fun place to stop for cocktails.

If you love the outdoors and you enjoy a good hike (or a nice stroll), visit the Dana Point Nature Interpretive Center , located at the end of Scenic Drive. The Nature Interpretive Center offers tours and public guided walks are offered at 9 a.m. on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Saturdays of every month. Many of the trails in Dana Point feature beautiful ocean views.

If rest and relaxation is what you need, reserve some time at the spa. The RitzCarlton spa offers amazing massage services. If time allows, spend an entire day with the works – massage, facial, and pedicure. You’ll feel like a new person.

If you’re looking for a getaway that will please all your senses, Dana Point has it all. A drive from the Silicon Valley along Highway 1 is the way to go. Make time to stop along the quaint beach towns of California and extend your trip. It’s worth the while and the drive. z