Dana Point Harbor's Holiday Season Now Starts at the Parking Structure

This December, most evenings at Dana Point Harbor begin in the three-level parking structure at the new harbor entrance. The whale-watching check-in, the Wednesday farmers market and the new holiday night market are all there or next to it. The Wharf is fenced off and under construction, so the rest of the season has moved out from the structure to the Island, the boardwalk and Baby Beach.

That is a new pattern for the harbor's 2026 holidays. The light displays, the boat parade and Thanksgiving morning all have to work around the Wharf being closed.

What left the Wharf, and what stayed open

Dana Point Harbor Partners set Oct. 31 as the last business day for the remaining Wharf retailers and restaurants. The Wharf buildings closed so Phase 4 construction could begin. Dana Point Times reported that the closures included Turk's, Golden Galleon, Art Sea + Gift Chateau, Frisby Cellars, Proud Mary's, Top Brass and Vintage Yacht Club. Wind & Sea had already closed in September and was demolished in late October. Frisby Cellars is still pouring at its Rancho Mission Viejo location while the harbor is under construction.

Phase 4 will add about 20,000 square feet of new waterfront buildings. They will have room for eight new tenants and up to four returning businesses, plus public art, seating and outdoor gathering areas. It is part of the $700 million revitalization, which Dana Point Harbor Partners aims to finish before the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Two Wharf businesses stayed open by moving. Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching and Catalina Express now run out of temporary trailers next to the parking structure. Whale watching, fishing trips, ferry service and private charters are continuing as before. Dana Wharf co-owner Donna Kalez described the plan to Dana Point Times:

"We're not going to be closed even for a day."

The company has run from a trailer before. Dana Wharf started out in one when it opened in 1971.

The structure is now the front door

The parking structure, underground utilities and new entrance at Golden Lantern and Dana Point Harbor Drive were Phases 1 and 2 of the commercial core project. Both were finished on July 2, 2025. Parking inside is still free for up to four hours. Visit Dana Point says to check in at Dana Wharf's temporary office next to the structure about 30 minutes before your boat leaves. Catalina Express has different instructions. Its Dana Point port page tells passengers to check in at the structure, park on level 3 and stay out of the surface lots. Its listed parking rate is $24 per day.

The Dana Point Harbor Certified Farmers Market still runs every Wednesday at its new spot near the structure. The harbor's new holiday night market sets up there too. Harbor After Dark, Holiday Edition is curated with Modern Makers Mart. It has rotating food trucks and seasonal drinks from Coco Bloom Coffee, which was a Wharf tenant through October. According to the harbor's event calendar, it runs 4 to 8 p.m. on five Thursdays: Nov. 12, Nov. 19, Dec. 3, Dec. 10 and Dec. 17.

Where the lights went

The Happy Harbor Days display uses more than 700,000 LED lights. It runs from Nov. 12 through Jan. 10, 2027. This year Dana Point Harbor Partners put it at the new harbor entrance, on the Island and at Bump Out Park near Baby Beach. That keeps it away from the Wharf construction. The familiar pieces are back: the whale sculpture, the #happyharbordays sign, the harbor VW bus and Merry Kiss Me.

That layout gives you a simple walking route. Park in the structure, see the entrance displays, then walk to the Island and down toward Baby Beach. The boardwalk, Baby Beach and the Dana Point Fishing Pier all stay open during construction. The pier is also where the 12-foot Chanukah menorah will be lit Dec. 14 through 22.

The family scavenger hunt still goes by its old name, Whale on the Wharf. The harbor's holiday page lists a Dec. 1 start, with a grand prize raffle for anyone who finds 10 or more whales at participating harbor spots.

The season, date by date

Most of the season's dates are in the Island and on-the-water events, so they are grouped here by week.

Proceeds from Boat Rides with Santa go to Soroptimist of Capistrano Bay. Santa Paws photos with Santa and the harbor VW bus raise money for the Pet Project Foundation. Away from the harbor, the City of Dana Point's events calendar has tree lightings at La Plaza Park on Dec. 5 and Pines Park on Dec. 7.

Thanksgiving morning

The 49th Dana Point Turkey Trot is on Thursday, Nov. 26. It is the harbor's largest single crowd of the season, and the 48th race last year drew a record of more than 12,000 participants, Dana Point Times reported. The official race schedule:

1. 10K at 7:00 a.m.
2. 5K waves at 8:30, 9:30 and 10:00 a.m. The 10:00 wave is set up as a relaxed family walk or run.
3. Costume contest at 9:00 a.m.
4. Kids' 1-Mile Gobble Wobble for ages 2 to 12 at 10:30 a.m.

Regular registration on Race Roster is open through race day. Listed prices are $54 for the 10K, $48 for any 5K wave, $63 for the Combo 15K and $25 for the kids' mile. This year's charity partners are Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley and the RH Dana Elementary School Booster Club.

Getting there takes the most planning. Free race-day shuttles run from 5:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. from Dana Hills High School and from Costco. They drop off at Del Prado and Golden Lantern near Ralphs. A free harbor e-bike corral is open from 6:30 to 11:00 a.m. Packet pickup is at Dana Marina Plaza, 25001 Dana Point Harbor Dr., from noon to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 25, and from 6 to 11 a.m. on race morning. Dana Point Times also lists a health and fitness expo on Nov. 25 and 26. The race site has a page for the 2026 course map, so check it before you go.

On the water, from a trailer check-in

Dana Wharf passengers now check in at the trailers beside the parking structure before boarding, and two of the season's biggest nights are on the water.

The 51st Boat Parade of Lights runs Dec. 11 through 13 at 6:30 p.m. This year's theme is "Dana Point's HARBORITAVILLE." The harbor invites the public to watch from the Island park areas or the boardwalk. To watch from a boat, Dana Wharf's parade cruise lists fares of $54.06 for adults, $36.04 for children ages 3 to 12 and $11 for toddlers. Capt. Dave's Dana Point Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari also runs parade charters, and the harbor's holiday page advises booking early because cruises sell out.

Whale season starts around the same time. Visit Dana Point says gray whales pass through from late November through May, and December through April is the core of the season. Dana Wharf's whale and dolphin tour lists $72.08 for adults 13 and older, $61.48 for seniors 55 and older and active-duty military, $55.12 for children ages 3 to 12, and $9 for infants age 2 and under.

Across Golden Lantern

The parking structure works as a base in both directions. Across Golden Lantern is Dana Marina Plaza, with restaurants, shops and services that the revitalization does not affect. That is also where the Turkey Trot packet pickup happens. In Dana Point Times, Donna Kalez encouraged harbor visitors to walk across the street and support those businesses during construction. Inside the harbor, these stay open through the construction: the Ocean Institute, Pure Watersports, Dana Point Yacht Club, Dana West Yacht Club, Aventura Sailing Association, the Embarcadero, the launch ramp, the fuel dock and the bait barge.

A good holiday night this year could look like this. Park in the structure on a Thursday, browse Harbor After Dark, walk the lights out to the Island, and cross Golden Lantern for dinner at Dana Marina Plaza.

Mitchel Bohi and The Forum Group live and work close to this harbor. We follow the revitalization phase by phase because it affects how Dana Point homeowners use their waterfront. If you'd like to talk about how the harbor's next few years fit your own plans, request a complimentary market consultation and we'll walk you through it.