Dana Point Preserve — Attraction in Dana Point

A great hike that connects to a public street with access to the strands beach. We love strolling the paths, sitting on the benches and taking in the views. The path is somewhat narrow so you are having to constantly move around people, but it really depends on the season and time of day. Still the views are amazing and if you hike from here to strands and back its a great exercise path that is sure to burn lots of calories. I highly recommend this for visitors as a free activity, even parking is free in most of the areas to enter (just check the signs).

There are bathrooms at the park entrance with a museum shop that is open some times. A public water fountain too, just in case you left you water...

Dana Point headland.....Well I have lived in the area for over 40 years so I'm week qualified to comment. Overall they have done a good job of preserving a small snippet of what was once a natural bit of the southern California coast (to bad they didn't consider that when they built the harbor). There are plenty of carefully constructed trails (stay within the lines) with wonderful views looking North West and South. Spectacular sunsets and whale watching too, there's even a visitor center with (stinky bathrooms) stuffed native wildlife for the kids to see how we've displaced the local fauna with our $10,000,000 lots and beach mansions for the elite. Enjoy the views...

A nice little walk. Live the ocean views. What's great about this location is that it is closeby to a trail that goes down to the beach.

For parking, you can be at the nature interpretive center (you will need to come early.)

There is also parking on the street, scenic drive, although, it is somewhat limited parking here.

If you plan on coming, it will need to be the first place you go to find any parking closeby.

Otherwise, you will need to park at Dana Strand Breach (That will be a 20-30 minute walk with an incline.)

(In total from this trail to beach is about a 20 minute walk.)

I saw someone...