Things to do in Capistrano Beach: Doheny, Surf and the South End of Dana Point
Capistrano Beach, or Capo Beach, is the southern end of Dana Point. A guide to Doheny State Beach, the nearby coast and a famous mission.
8 Oct 2026
Capistrano Beach is not its own city. It is a coastal neighborhood at the southern end of Dana Point. Locals call it Capo Beach. San Clemente lies to the south and Doheny State Beach to the north. It became part of Dana Point in 1989.
The area is mostly homes along the coast, with a bluff above the highway. What there is to do here is about the ocean, and one state beach stands out.
Doheny State Beach
Doheny is known as the first state beach in the California state park system. Edward L. Doheny, an oil man, gave the land for public use in 1931. The park was officially named for him in 1963. His family's company also developed Capistrano Beach in the 1920s, so the story is tied to this neighborhood.
San Juan Creek runs down from the Santa Ana Mountains and forms a fresh-water lagoon at the beach. At the north end there are protected tide pools. The park has a visitor center with aquariums and wildlife displays, and a path called the Whale Walk, with life-sized whale paintings along the promenade.
Doheny is also a surfing spot. It is known for steady waves and long rides, which suit both beginners and experienced surfers. There is a five-acre lawn for picnics, with fire rings, sand volleyball courts, and a paved trail for walking, biking and skating. A campground sits south of the creek, with some sites close to the water.
The state is carrying out a project to make the shoreline ready for climate change, so check the state park page for what is open.
The local shoreline
Capistrano Beach once had a long wooden pier, about 1,180 feet. It was damaged in 1964 and taken down in 1965. Inventor Hobie Alter lived here when he developed the Hobie Cat sailboat. Storms in 2018 damaged a boardwalk and a basketball court, so this coast keeps changing. Check the Dana Point city website for current park and beach access.
Dana Point Harbor and the Headlands
A short way north, Dana Point Harbor was dedicated in 1971, and boat trips leave from it. Dana Point was named the "Dolphin and Whale Watching Capital of the World" in 2019, and it became a Whale Heritage Site in 2021.
The Headlands have about 68 acres open to the public, with nature trails and a visitor center. The Ocean Institute is nearby for ocean learning.
The Dana Point Preserve is a half-mile dirt trail along the Headlands, with benches and wide ocean views. Dogs and bikes are not allowed, and walkers should stay on the path because the cliffs are unstable. At the end of Scenic Drive, the Dana Point Nature Interpretive Center serves as the visitor center for the conservation area, with exhibits and programs about the local habitat. The city also grows native plants for monarch butterflies and other pollinators in its parks, through a monarch habitat program run with volunteers.
Dana Point looks after 28 parks and about 138 acres of developed parkland, so there is plenty of green space beyond the beach. Trails include a two-mile protected path along Coast Highway.
San Clemente State Beach
To the south, San Clemente State Beach stretches for about a mile under tall sandstone cliffs. Surfers like its wind and waves. In winter, eucalyptus groves here attract migrating monarch butterflies.
The area is known as the "Spanish Village by the Sea," and the park's visitor center is a cottage built in 1934 in that Spanish Colonial style. The beach has been popular since 1931 and became a state beach in 1937, which makes it one of the oldest in California. A trail about 2.3 miles long links the different sections of the park, and it works for walking, jogging and biking. You can swim, paddle board, snorkel and fish here, and there is camping above the water for RVs, tents and groups.
Mission San Juan Capistrano
A short way inland, Mission San Juan Capistrano was founded in 1776. It is a chapel and a museum, with the ruins of the Great Stone Church and a garden. Cliff swallows return to it each year.
For families
Look into the tide pools at Doheny, and visit the aquariums in the visitor center.
Walk the Whale Walk and spot the painted whales.
Bring bikes or skates for the paved trail.
Look for dolphins and whales on a boat trip from the harbor.
Walk the half-mile Dana Point Preserve trail for ocean views.
Good to know
Capistrano Beach is part of Dana Point, so city information comes from Dana Point.
Tide pools are protected. Look, but do not take anything.
Check state park and city websites for current beach access.
Find local businesses
Planning a visit, or live nearby and need a hand with something? Browse the local businesses listed in the South Orange County guide to find who serves Capistrano Beach and the towns around it.
Useful links
Businesses in Capistrano Beach in the South Orange County guide
About Capistrano Beach: the town at a glance
Own a business in Capistrano Beach? Claim or add your listing, free
By Thomas Hassett and Eric Andrews, Local Business America
Photo: Don Ramey Logan, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources: Wikipedia, "Capistrano Beach, California" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capistrano_Beach,_California); California State Parks, "Doheny State Beach" (https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=645); Wikipedia, "Doheny State Beach" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doheny_State_Beach); Wikipedia, "Dana Point, California" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dana_Point,_California); Wikipedia, "San Clemente State Beach" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Clemente_State_Beach); Wikipedia, "Mission San Juan Capistrano" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_San_Juan_Capistrano); California State Parks, "San Clemente State Beach" (https://www.parks.ca.gov/sanClemente); City of Dana Point, "Dana Point Preserve" (https://www.danapoint.org/Community/Parks-Trails/Dana-Point-Preserve); City of Dana Point, "Dana Point Nature Interpretive Center" (https://www.danapoint.org/Community/Dana-Point-Nature-Interpretive-Center); City of Dana Point, "Monarch Butterfly Habitat" (https://www.danapoint.org/Community/Parks-Trails/Monarch-Butterfly-Habitat); City of Dana Point, "Parks & Trails" (https://www.danapoint.org/Community/Parks-Trails). Wikipedia text is available under CC BY-SA.