Dana Point Sea Caves Hike

An easy hike and a great photo opportunity, if you're in the area you definitely don't want to miss this! I've been here twice, and am still blown away by its simple beauty.

First of all, GO AT LOW TIDE! You can easily Google Dana Point's tide levels and times. The hike can take up to 45 minutes to the caves, so plan to arrive at the caves as close to the lowest tide time possible. We got there right when the tide had reached its lowest point, and from then on the waters grew more rough and pushed in farther and farther.

The easiest way to find the starting point is to head to Dana Point's Ocean Institute in the Dana Point Harbor. The best place to park is the beach's parking lot - no fee! You'll head past the Ocean Institute and go to the beach directly behind it. Go down the staircase and walk along the sandy part of the beach until you get to the rocky part (pictured). From then on, you'll either be climbing on top of rocks or walking along a worn-down path nearest the cliff siding.

The first time I came here, I wore flip flops. The second time I came here, I wore water shoes. The water shoes were definitely better. It's an easy hike, but the entrance to the cave (pictured) is a tight squeeze where, to avoid the knee-deep water below, you have to creep along using the foot crevices in the wall. The very end of the entrance, however, requires a big jump to the rocky sand because the walls branch out too far to use them anymore. This is why i reccommend water shoes; most can't jump that far, and it helps to have them overall to avoid having to worry about getting your shoes wet.