Creekside Park in Dana Point sits right off of Stonehill Drive near Interstate 5. Many call it Stonehill Park. It's super easy for freeway access and very near Dana Point Harbor. I used to describe this park as the one with the climbing wall, but since its update in 2016 it's more of a climbing and spinning park with multiple opportunities to do both! This is still one of … [Read more...]
Seaview Park and Aliso Summit Trail in Laguna Niguel
Seaview Park in Laguna Niguel and the nearby Aliso Summit Trail saved us from one of those days when we were feeling the need to get into the great wide open outdoors. This trail was quiet and beautiful. We found it full of rocks to climb and views to take in. I would love to see a sunset from up here. Aliso Summit Trail was the original home of a Fairy Trail which … [Read more...]
Family-Friendly Walks near Dana Point Harbor (with Route Maps)
Family-friendly walks near Dana Point Harbor definitions depend a little on your family's ability level and patience for long walks. These 5 walks are a mixture of streets, walking trails and urban hiking in the area, but it's hard to get these maps across in words. So this post is an experiment in maps. Each map gives approximate routes for walking near Dana Point … [Read more...]
Dana Crest Park in Dana Point: Simply a Dream for Multiple Kids
Dana Crest Park in Dana Point is in a quiet neighborhood with plenty of areas to wander. My sister easily brought four kids under the age of 5 to this park and had no trouble watching them all. The kids seem to the love the little make-believe houses most of all. A reader calls this the "other dinosaur park" in deference to the big dinosaur park in Laguna … [Read more...]
Pines Park Above Capistrano Beach
Pines Park in Dana Point/Capo Beach, sitting on the bluff directly above Capistrano Beach Park, is the perfect play place for those weekends when it's hot inland. Location of Pines Park in Dana Point/Capo Beach: From Pacific Coast Highway take Palisades Drive across from Capo Beach up the hill and turn right on Camino Capistrano. From the 5 Freeway take the … [Read more...]