Dana Point Harbor is one of the few places in Orange County where the pace genuinely slows down. The harbor is home to fishing boats, whale watching vessels, and a working marina — and paddling through it at sunset puts you in the middle of it all at eye level.
Kayak rental concessions at the harbor offer single and tandem kayaks by the hour. The tandem option is ideal for a date — it takes about five minutes to sync up your paddling, and after that you’re gliding through the harbor together without much effort.
The sea lions here are a fixture. They’ve claimed the jetty rocks on the ocean side of the harbor and kayaking up within 20 feet of them — close enough to hear and smell them, which is part of the charm — is an experience you can’t get from shore.
Aim to be on the water for the last hour before sunset. The headlands that Dana Point is named for turn deep gold in the late light, and the harbor takes on a completely different character once the day boats start coming in and the pelicans begin their evening patrol.
