Dana Point

Dana Point stretches along almost seven miles of coast from Laguna Beach on the north to San Clemente on the south, wrapped around Dana Point Harbor and the Headlands. It incorporated on January 1, 1989, and the city's Pacific Coast Highway Monument marks the southern end of Highway 1.

The city's hazard mitigation plan describes its housing as mostly single-family homes, multifamily homes and apartments, with newer residential building in the Town Center. It suits buyers who want the harbor or beach close by, an I-5 commute north into Orange County or south toward San Diego County, and who can work with bluff, coastal permit and association rules. Also see our Laguna Beach and San Clemente guides.

Neighborhoods and housing in Dana Point

The city names Lantern Village, Sea Canyon, Dana Knoll, Capistrano Beach and Monarch Beach among its distinct neighborhoods.

Lantern District and the Harbor

The Lantern District, the city's name for the Town Center, is the commercial core along the one-way couplet of Pacific Coast Highway and Del Prado Avenue. Its Town Center Plan, adopted in June 2008 and amended in 2016, calls for a pedestrian-oriented mix of shops, offices and homes, including residential above retail. The Lantern street names trace to developer Sydney Woodruff's early town plan.

Dana Point Harbor is in the middle of a public-private revitalization the County of Orange began with Dana Point Harbor Partners in 2018. The County reports that marina phases 1 through 11 are complete, with the marina on track for 2028, and that the plan adds about 120,000 square feet of shops and dining, a parking structure of nearly 1,000 spaces and two hotels.

Capistrano Beach and Doheny Village

Capistrano Beach, in south Dana Point, includes the Capistrano Beach bluff and Beach Road. Lots on Beach Road front the sand; most improvements there need a coastal development permit, string-line setbacks along the beach frontage, and approval from the Capistrano Bay Community Services District. Doheny Village mixes older homes with some of the city's light industrial and office uses.

Monarch Beach, Niguel Shores and the Strand

At the north end, Monarch Beach includes the Monarch Beach Resort Specific Plan area, and the Ritz-Carlton sits on the bluff above Salt Creek Beach. Niguel Shores, north of the Headlands, is a private gated community with its own community association and architectural rules; the Coastal Commission notes its first three rows of homes sit on a large landslide complex buttressed in the late 1960s. The Strand at Headlands, another private gated community, was built under the Headlands Development and Conservation Plan the Commission approved in 2004.

Getting around

• I-5 passes the city's southeast side, where Pacific Coast Highway (SR-1) meets it at the Camino Las Ramblas interchange.
• Pacific Coast Highway continues north through the Lantern District and Monarch Beach into Laguna Beach.
• Toll roads: The 73 ends at I-5 on the Laguna Niguel and Mission Viejo border, and the 241 ends at Oso Parkway in Rancho Santa Margarita. Tolls are electronic only.
• Trolleys: The city's free trolley runs in summer; in 2026 it ran through Labor Day, with weekend service into September and stops at the harbor and Ocean Institute. Laguna Beach's free Coastal Route trolley also reaches the Ritz-Carlton in Dana Point.
• OCTA Route 1 runs along Pacific Coast Highway from Long Beach to San Clemente, with stops at Monarch Bay, the harbor and Capistrano Beach.
• Rail and air: The city has no Metrolink station; the nearest are in San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente. John Wayne Airport is to the north and San Diego International to the south.

Schools

The city says Dana Point is served by Capistrano Unified School District. Check a specific address with the School Locator on the Capistrano Unified website, and use the California School Dashboard for data on a specific school.

Parks, beaches and things to do

• Doheny State Beach: Over a mile of sand by the harbor, with tide pools at low tide and a family campground.
• Salt Creek and Strands beaches: Salt Creek is reached from Ritz Carlton Drive off Pacific Coast Highway, and Strands Beach from Selva Road.
• Baby Beach and Capistrano Beach: Calm water inside the harbor at Baby Beach; volleyball and basketball at Capistrano Beach.
• The Headlands: The Dana Point Preserve trail runs about half a mile along the Headlands, within the Headlands Conservation Area.
• City parks: The Parks Division maintains 28 parks, including Del Obispo Park beside the Dana Point Community Center and Lantern Bay Park.

Local rules and costs to know

Coastal development permits

The city's planning FAQ says all development in the Coastal Zone needs a coastal development permit (CDP) unless exempt, and that CDPs are approved by the Planning Commission at a public hearing. Decisions in certain areas can be appealed to the Coastal Commission; the city posts a Coastal Zone boundary map and a Commission appeal jurisdiction map. On bluff-top lots, the city looks for a minimum structural setback from the top of the bluff.

Hazards: bluffs, tsunami and fire

The city's 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan names the Capistrano Beach bluff, Monarch Beach and the Headlands as particularly susceptible to slope failures in heavy rain. It lists Dana Point Harbor, Doheny State Beach, Capistrano Beach, Beach Road and Doheny Village as most at risk from tsunamis.

The same plan notes that CAL FIRE has mapped much of the undeveloped hillside and open space around the city as Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. The city's wildfire page links an address lookup and says properties in those zones must keep 100 feet of defensible space. Our homeowners insurance guide explains how hazard zones affect coverage.

Short-term rentals

Short-term rentals need a city STR permit, issued by type: Primary, Home Stay, Non-Primary, Multi-Family and Mixed-Use Parcel. In the Coastal Zone, Non-Primary, Multi-Family and Mixed-Use Parcel permits are capped at 115; outside it, the cap is 115 for all types, with no more than 60 Non-Primary. Applications beyond a cap go to a waitlist. In the Coastal Zone, the application must show the HOA's CC&Rs do not legally prohibit the rental.

Utilities and taxes

The city's utilities page lists SDG&E for electricity and SoCalGas for natural gas. Water comes from South Coast Water District or Moulton Niguel Water District depending on the address, as the city's water district boundaries map shows, and South Coast Water District owns and operates the sewer system citywide.

The city processes second dwelling units on single-family lots ministerially, without a Planning Commission hearing, if they meet zoning standards. For taxes, read our Orange County property tax guide and try our property tax calculator, and read any special assessments on the tax bill.

Buying in Dana Point

1. Before removing contingencies, ask city planning what coastal permit, bluff setback or HOA approval a planned remodel would need.
2. On bluff, canyon and Beach Road properties, get geotechnical and drainage reports and read the permit history.
3. In Niguel Shores, the Strand and other associations, read the CC&Rs, architectural rules and reserve study before committing.
4. If rental income matters, confirm the permit type available for the address, whether the cap has a waitlist, and what the HOA allows.
5. Confirm the water district and get an insurance quote early.

Selling in Dana Point

1. In a high or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, state law (Civil Code 1102.19) requires giving the buyer defensible space compliance documentation where an inspection is available, or signing an agreement for the buyer to obtain it.
2. Gather CDPs, building permits and any HOA architectural approvals before listing.
3. If the home is on a bluff or in a mapped tsunami area, have geology reports and hazard information ready for buyers.
4. Disclose fully; our seller disclosure guide explains what is required.

How Remark Homes can help

We help buyers check coastal, hazard, association and rental rules for a specific Dana Point address, and help sellers assemble permits and disclosures. Reach us on our contact page, or see how we work with buyers and sellers.

Frequently asked questions

Is Dana Point in Orange County?

Yes. Dana Point is a coastal city in south Orange County between Laguna Beach and San Clemente, incorporated in 1989.

What school district is Dana Point in?

Capistrano Unified School District. Confirm a specific address with the district's School Locator.

Are short-term rentals allowed in Dana Point?

Yes, with a city STR permit. Several permit types are capped, applications beyond a cap go to a waitlist, and in the Coastal Zone the HOA's CC&Rs must not prohibit the rental.

Who provides water in Dana Point?

South Coast Water District or Moulton Niguel Water District, depending on the address. South Coast Water District runs the sewer system citywide.

Sources

• City of Dana Point: Utilities
• City of Dana Point: Short Term Rentals
• City of Dana Point: Planning FAQs
• City of Dana Point: Town Center Plan
• City of Dana Point: 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
• County of Orange, Fifth District: Dana Point Harbor Revitalization
• California Coastal Commission: Niguel Shores revetment staff report, 5-19-0288
• City of Dana Point: Schools