Journeys›Photograph

Early April Weekend at Dana Point

·Dana Point, California·#travel#family trip#spring#marina#coastal
A vast marina filled with boats, coastal landscape, distant mountains, and a dramatic cloudy sky.

Family weekend on the coast, all four of us down from Truckee to Dana Point. The first afternoon a rain cell hung offshore while we looked down at the harbor from the headlands, a gray column dragging across the water beyond the breakwater. The bush sunflowers on the bluff were blooming anyway. The neighborhood up top is the Lantern District — the whole town is named for the colored lanterns that once signaled ships in the harbor below. More than 150 lantern streetlights used to line the streets around Del Prado; only five original lampposts are left, though restored ones went back up at Lantern Village Community Park a few years ago.

Toward evening we drove up to a cove in Laguna and stayed through sunset, a creek cutting across the sand into the surf below the cliff houses.

The sky cleared overnight. We walked down through the harbor park to the docks, past long rows of brand-new floats with no boats in them yet, then went back to Laguna after dark for the bluff walk above Main Beach, the girls tolerating one round of photos. Ended the night under an old tree hung with lanterns.

Elevated view of a large marina packed with boats, an ocean under cloudy skies, and a foreground of yellow flowers and green parkland.Sunset illuminates clouds, ocean waves, a large rock, and a stream flowing across a sandy beach.An ocean sunset with waves breaking on a beach, golden light illuminating clouds and water.Waves crash on a sandy beach and a rocky cliff with houses under a cloudy blue sky.An expansive view of a marina packed with boats, connected to a beach and distant mountains under a blue sky.A large tree and curved path overlook a marina full of boats, the ocean, and a clear blue sky.Many boats docked in a marina with clear turquoise water and a bright blue sky.Palm trees frame a nighttime view of a city coastline with lights reflecting on the ocean.Four people pose together at night with distant city lights, palm trees, and bushes in the background.Four people stand at night against a backdrop of a city with many lights and palm trees.Four people pose outdoors at night, with palm trees and distant city lights on a hill.A large illuminated tree with hanging lanterns stands before a visible outdoor dining area at night.

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