THE BED
We booked the DoubleTree
Suites because of its location
across from historic Doheny
State Beach. Although our
third-floor room had nice fea-
tures, the ocean view we were
promised was obscured by
palm fronds. All was forgiven
when we got a late checkout of 1
p.m., allowing time for another
walk on the beach. We had fun
watching a group of youngsters,
who we later learned were
enrolled in a surf school called
Girl in the Curl, catch their first
waves.THE MEAL
The harbor is endlessly enter-
taining, packed with pleasure
boats with groan-worthy
names such as Sea Vu Play,
lobstermen unloading their
catch and barking sea lions.
After walking for what seemed
like miles, we didn’t have the
energy to return to the hotel to
clean up before dinner. With
sand between our toes and no
reservation on a busy evening,
we scored a table at popular
Waterman’s Harbor, whichspecializes in sustainable,
area-sourced seafood. Lunch
the next day was at the Shwack
Beach Grill, a locals’ favorite
with a surf-shack vibe and good
burgers and tacos.THE FIND
Dana Point’s new trademarked
slogan — “Dophin & Whale
Watching Capital of the
World”— may involve a bit of
chest thumping. But there’s no
question that proximity to deep
offshore canyons makes this
part of the California coast
superb for viewing Pacific grays
on their epic journey from
Alaska to Baja and back. The
city has several good whale-
watching outfits, but my favor-
ite is the nonprofit Ocean
Institute, which offers trips
aboard the 65-foot research
vessel Sea Explorer. Lead cap-
tain Mike Bursk is an old hand
at finding grays and — when
he’s lucky — the elusive blue
whale, the largest animal on
Earth. Be sure to check out the
Ocean Institute’s fine replica of
the sailing brig Pilgrim, immor-
talized in the memoir “Two
Years Before the Mast” by Rich-
ard Henry Dana Jr., after whom
Dana Point is named.THE LESSON LEARNED
The original Hobie surf shop,
where Hobie Alter mass-pro-
duced boards out of lightweight
polyurethane foam, is long
gone. But a new location two
blocks away has an interesting
display of historic photos and a
board-shaping room in back.IN DANA POINT,
book a ride on the
Ocean Institute’s
65-foot Sea Explorer,
at top, and keep
watch for dolphins
and whales. Double-
Tree Suites, above, is
across the road from
Doheny State Beach.Ocean InstituteN THE
19 5 0 s , the surf scene in
Dana Point was as hot as
it got. “Killer Dana,” a
right-breaking wave that
swelled to 12 feet, at-
tracted hordes of surfers.
Hobie Alter sold his
popular foam boards in a
little shop on Pacific
Coast Highway, not far
from where Bruce Brown
would later produce the
seminal surf film “End-
less Summer.” A break-
water destroyed the fa-
mous swell about 1966,
and activities such as
boating, whale-watching
and stand-up paddle-
boarding now dominate
the harbor area. The
Orange County town,
halfway between Los
Angeles and San Diego,
makes for a delightful
overnight getaway, espe-
cially in March, when
gray whales head north.
The tab: $211, including
tax and parking, for two
for an overnight stay,
and $128 for meals.EVERYBODY’S
IN THE WATER
WEEKEND ESCAPE TO DANA POINTLATIMES.COM/TRAVEL F9
DoubleTree Suites
by Hilton Hotel Doheny
Beach-Dana Point
34402 Pacific Coast Highway,
Dana Point; (949) 661-110 0 , bit.ly/
doubletreedanapoint. Wheel-
chair accessible.Shwack Beach Grill
24502 Del Prado, Dana Point;
(949) 218-2731,theshwack.com.
Open 8 a.m.-9 p.m. daily.
Wheelchair accessible.Waterman’s Harbor
34661 Golden Lantern, Dana
Point; (949) 764-3474,water-
mansdp.com. Open 11 a.m.-9
p.m. Mondays-Saturdays;
10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sundays.
Wheelchair accessible.Ocean Institute
24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive,
Dana Point; (949) 496-2274,
ocean-institute.org. Whale
watching most Saturdays and
Sundays; toddlers 2 and young-
er, free; ages 3-17, $15; ages 55
and older and active-duty mili-
tary, $30; adults 18-54, $35.
The Sea Explorer is not wheel-
chair accessible.Hobie Surf Shop
34174 Pacific Coast Highway,
Dana Point; (949) 496-2366,
hobiesurfshop.com.
Open 9 a.m.-7 p.m. daily.
Wheelchair accessible.Girl in the Curl
341 16 Pacific Coast Highway,
Dana Point; (949) 661-4475,
girlinthecurl.com.
Surf lessons from $150.Why:Because March 31 is César
Chávez Day and César E.
Chávez National Monument is
all about him.What: In the busiest days of his
battles to gain rights for farm-
workers in the Central Valley,
United Farm Workers leader
César E. Chávez used to strat-
egize with trusted aides in
Keene. Chávez (1927-1993) is
buried at the site, which is part
of César E. Chávez National
Monument. To reach the com-
pound, north of Tehachapi and
south of Bakersfield, you twist
and turn on a two-lane back
road through foothills studded
with oak. The site also includes
a memorial rose garden, exhib-
ition rooms (lots of black-and-
white pictures of strikes,
marches and demonstrations in
the 1970s), a modest bookstore
and Chávez’s office, preserved
largely as it was when he was
crusading against often-brutal
conditions in the fields.Info:César E. Chávez National
Monument, 29700 Woodford-
Tehachapi Road, Keene; (661)
823-6134, nps.gov/cech. Free.CALIFORNIA
BUCKET LISTZachary FrankAlamyCHÁVEZ
DAY IS
COMING,
SO VISIT
IF YOU
GO
WHALE WATCHING.
PADDLEBOARDING.
SURFING. BOATING.
IF IT INVOLVES H 2 O
THIS TOWN IS EAGER
TO GIVE IT A GO
BY ANNE BURKEI
BY CHRISTOPHER
REYNOLDSAnne Burke