In 1971 the original Dana Point Harbor was still under construction, and Don Hansen started selling fishing trips out of a trailer. That business became Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching. After 55 years, it is moving back into a trailer.
The Wharf closes to the public on Nov. 1, 2026. Every business in Wharf Buildings 2 through 5 ends operations by Oct. 31. Some locals will read that as the harbor shutting down for the season. It isn't. The restaurants and gift shops are going dark, but the harbor's busiest stretch of the year happens on the water: gray whale season, the Boat Parade of Lights, sportfishing, the Catalina ferry, sailing. All of that keeps running. For the first time in a generation, the harbor this winter looks a lot like it did when Hansen opened his trailer. It's a working waterfront with a construction site behind it.
What goes dark on Oct. 31
The closures have been rolling out for months. Wind & Sea Restaurant served its last guests on Sept. 15, which cleared Building 1 for demolition. It opened on Aug. 22, 1972, and the Dana Point Times called it the last original restaurant still operating in the harbor. Its sister restaurant, Harpoon Henry's, had closed in the harbor the previous August after 50 years.
Here is where the remaining Wharf tenants stand, based on announcements from Dana Point Harbor Partners reported in July:
| Business | Last day on the Wharf | What has been announced |
|---|---|---|
| Wind & Sea Restaurant | Sept. 15, 2026 | Ownership is in talks about a reimagined concept in the finished project |
| Turk's | Oct. 31, 2026 | In discussions about the finished project |
| Golden Galleon | Oct. 31, 2026 | In discussions about the finished project |
| Art Sea Gift Chateau | Oct. 31, 2026 | In discussions about the finished project |
| Frisby Cellars & Brewing | Oct. 31, 2026 | Still serving at its Rancho Mission Viejo tasting room, about nine miles away |
| Proud Mary's | Oct. 31, 2026 | Expected to end operations |
| Top Brass | Oct. 31, 2026 | Expected to end operations |
| Coco Bloom Coffee | Moving | New café planned at 1500 W. Balboa Blvd. in Newport Beach this winter |
Vintage Yacht Club is also looking at local relocation options with Burnham-Ward Properties, according to the partnership. Burnham-Ward president Bryon Ward told The Log that each business has its own path forward. Some owners are retiring, some are moving elsewhere in Orange County, and some are waiting for a spot in the redeveloped waterfront.
Almost every business on that list sold food, drinks or souvenirs to people walking the Wharf. That is the part of the harbor going quiet this winter.
What stays outside the fence
The people who use the harbor for boating keep almost everything. The partnership has said the Wharf construction will not affect the Embarcadero, the launch ramp, the fuel dock or the bait barge. The harbor's parking page lists that ramp as the Public Boat Launch. It also named a group of tenants outside the construction zone whose access stays open through the remaining phases: Dana Point Yacht Club, Dana West Yacht Club, Aventura Sailing Association, Captain Dave's Dolphin Safari, Ocean Institute and Pure Watersports.
The marina is also running ahead of the land side. The Marina at Dana Point started rebuilding docks in August 2022 in 15 phases. Phase 12 opened for occupancy on Sept. 14, 2026, which puts the marina past four-fifths of the way through, and Phase 13 is scheduled to start this fall. By July 2025 the West Basin alone had 1,115 new slips. So while the Wharf buildings come down this winter, the harbor keeps adding finished docks, and the boats using them have new places to tie up.
Getting to a boat while the Wharf is closed
The trailers are the key change for anyone booking a trip. Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching and Catalina Express are moving into temporary trailers on site, next to the Dana Point Harbor parking structure, so fishing trips, whale-watching excursions and ferry departures can keep running during construction.
"Our founder, my father Don Hansen, launched the business from a trailer in 1971 while the original harbor was under construction. After 55 years of operations, we are committed as ever to our year-round schedule of fishing, whale watching and harbor experiences, and we look forward to our much-needed and long-overdue home at the new Wharf." Donna Kalez, co-owner of Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching, speaking to The Log
Parking stays where it is. The partnership said the parking structure will stay open throughout, with dedicated parking for Dana Wharf and Catalina customers as well as permitted boaters. The harbor's parking page lists the first four hours in the structure as free, subject to availability, and sends Dana Wharf and Catalina Express customers to level 3. Free retail customer parking is also listed at Mariner's Village, reached from Golden Lantern or Casitas Place. Public parking is listed at Baby Beach, Dana Way, Cove Road and along Dana Point Harbor Drive east of Casitas Place.
The Wednesday Certified Farmers Market continues from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. It has moved to the surface lot next to the parking structure, close to the new trailers.
A winter calendar that happens on the water
Here are the harbor dates that matter between now and spring, in order. All of them except the Turkey Trot happen on or near the water, and none of them depend on the Wharf buildings being open.
- Nov. 26, Thanksgiving morning. The 49th Annual Dana Point Turkey Trot runs from 7 to 11 a.m. at Dana Point Harbor, 34571 Golden Lantern.
- Early December. Captain Dave's says gray whale viewing off Southern California is best from December through May. Occasional sightings come as early as November. Ocean Institute has whale and marine life tours on its calendar for Dec. 5 and 6, with more dates later in the month. Dana Wharf runs whale and dolphin watching all year, with two-hour trips. Those trips continue while the company works out of its temporary trailer.
- Dec. 11 to 13. The 51st Annual Boat Parade of Lights starts at 6:30 p.m. each night. The harbor lists the boardwalk and parkscapes as viewing areas, and charter cruises are also available. Dana Wharf is running parade cruises all three nights. Ocean Institute is hosting viewing parties on Dec. 11 and 12 from 6 to 9 p.m. This year's theme is "Harboritaville."
- Mid-February onward. Captain Dave's says the northbound gray whale migration runs from about mid-February through May.
- March 5 to 7, 2027. Visit Dana Point lists the 56th Festival of Whales for those dates, spread across Dana Point Harbor, Lantern Bay Park and the Lantern District. The 2027 parade date and time had not been confirmed when that listing was published.
The Parade of Lights is the one date with an open question. The harbor's event listing names the boardwalk and parkscapes as viewing spots, but it doesn't say which sections will be open around the Phase 4 fencing. Watching from a boat or from Ocean Institute avoids the question. Anyone planning to watch from the shore should check the harbor's updates closer to Dec. 11.
Out-of-town guests can still stay close by. The harbor's construction page said the Marina Inn was open and taking reservations through December 2026.
What nobody has decided yet
Several pieces of the finished harbor are still unsettled, and the official sources haven't caught up with the closures.
The harbor's own restaurant directory still lists Frisby Cellars, Proud Mary's and Turk's, and its Boutiques & Shops page still lists Art Sea + Gift Chateau and Golden Galleon. After Oct. 31, it is not a reliable guide to who is serving. The operators' own channels are the better place to check.
No displaced Wharf tenant has announced a return date. Wind & Sea, Turk's, Art Sea Gift Chateau, Golden Galleon and Frisby Cellars are described as "in ongoing discussions" with the leasing team. The Dana Point Times reported that a reimagined Wind & Sea concept could go into the harbor's future Boathouse development. The building it occupied for more than half a century will be rebuilt for a tenant that hasn't been named.
The hotels are the biggest unknown. On Aug. 25, 2026, the Orange County Board of Supervisors split 2 to 2 on the proposed 66-year land leases for new harbor hotels, with one supervisor abstaining, as the Orange County Register reported. The harbor's construction schedule now says hotel construction is on hold. The commercial core is moving ahead without them. Phase 3 demolition started in February 2026 and covers more than 100,000 square feet of new waterfront development. Phase 4, the Wharf buildings, is scheduled to start construction this fall.
Until those buildings open, the harbor runs from the water side. Dana Wharf has said it plans to run its year-round schedule from the trailer and then move into a permanent home at the new Wharf.
Harbor construction affects more than weekend plans. It changes what nearby homeowners hear about, and it shapes the questions buyers ask about the years until the new Wharf opens. If you own near the harbor and want a straight read on how the remaining phases could affect a sale or purchase you're planning, Tom Bertog has spent more than 30 years working in South Orange County real estate. Call Tom for a personal market consultation.
