Dana Point Caves

Category: Tourist attraction

Address: Dana Point State Marine Conservation Area, Dana Point, California 92629, USA

Opening hours

Sunday: Open 24 hours

Monday: Open 24 hours

Tuesday: Open 24 hours

Wednesday: Open 24 hours

Thursday: Open 24 hours

Friday: Open 24 hours

Saturday: Open 24 hours

Reviews

Gary B

Jul 31, 2022

Fun hike to the cave. Most of the path is loose rock so be careful. It can be done in open toe shoes but it was much safer and faster with my trail shoes. Some of the senior citizens in my group decided to turn around because they were not comfortable with the loose rock but the kids made it just fine. Plan to stop for a few times to enjoy the view and the tide pools. The cave is located at the very end of the point. Take the stairs to the beach from the Ocean Institute and make your way along the cliff. The entrance to cave still had some water that we had to cross but it was only about a foot deep and we were able to climb around it. There was no one in the cave when we got there but it filled up quickly when they saw that we made it over the water at the entrance.

AZ

Jul 6, 2022

ARE WE THERE YET? Sounds familiar? Yeah, it was further than I thought it would be. Just when you think "it's just around the corner" it's actually further. Thankfully, I have signal so I was able to check google maps on the phone. Went there today June 30th, it was 12noon high tide and 4:30pm low tide. We went there around 2:30 and was able to get inside the cave around 3pm. Please check tide times, I can see how someone could get trap. Wear CLOSED shoes! Lots of tide pools. My children were petrified of the marine isopods. These thousands of those creepy crawlies around the rocks.

Vi Tu (ThatGUY)

Jun 12, 2022

Be extremely careful when you go and with the correct shoes. Check the tides before going. If the tide is high or about o be high don’t go. Else you can get stuck. You have to go all the way to the end. In my picture it is around the corner so it seems like it is not there but where the girl with the red dress is standing, is the entrance. Do not go if the tide is high, you will not be able to get in. Don’t go in flip flops, I seen a lot of people hurt. Do not go with kids under 6 especially if it is not extremely low tide they can get hurt from the rocks. We seen kids gets hurt all the time here and question their parents ability to parent for taking them there.

Nyein Su

Feb 10, 2022

Make sure to check the tide schedule~ get proper shoes cuz very rocky. You have to start the trail from Ocean Institute. Very nice place

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Questions & Answers

can you fish on the beach ?

Danny Sauceda | Aug 19, 2021
Mario Gutierrez | Aug 19, 2021

Yes I seen several people fishing from shore..

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Are dogs allow on this trail

Angie Yang | Aug 19, 2020
Eli Marcus | Aug 19, 2020

No you are going down to a beach. Also it's not so much a tail as a rocky beach walk. You walk along the bottom of a cliff. The trail is rock strewn, each step is on a rock. Along the way you will likely stop and make your way down to the water where you will see tide pools.

Where’s the best place to park

Dixie Long | Jan 21, 2022
K Morris | Jan 21, 2022

Definitely at the Ocean Institute. Once you park there is a small drive on the right side of the Institute. Walk that way and go down the caged in stairs towards the beach. Once you are on the beach go right and walk all the way to the end and the caves are tucked back in there. Be cautious when walking on the rocks. They are filled with lots of life. It's pretty cool to look at all of the tide pools while you make your way to the caves.

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