The Wharf was scheduled to close to the public on Nov. 1. Turk's, Golden Galleon, Proud Mary's, Frisby Cellars, Top Brass, Vintage Yacht Club and Art Sea + Gift Chateau were set to close the day before, on Oct. 31. Wind & Sea, which closed in September, was demolished the last week of October. Dana Point Times reported that this clears the way for Phase 4 of the $700 million harbor revitalization. Phase 4 calls for about 20,000 square feet of new waterfront buildings, with room for eight new tenants and up to four returning businesses.
This makes 2026 the first holiday season in a long time with no Wharf at the center of the harbor. The calendar didn't shrink, though. It moved, and much of it now runs out of a concrete building at Golden Lantern. The new parking structure hosts both weekly markets, both of the Wharf's displaced operators work out of trailers next to it, and on Thanksgiving morning it serves as the race's parking lot. The lights went the other direction, out to the Island and Bump Out Park.
The garage is doing the Wharf's old job
Start with what the structure costs. Dana Point Harbor Partners lists four free hours per vehicle, then $6 an hour up to a $24 daily maximum, subject to availability. Special-event rates may apply. ChargePoint Level 2 chargers are on the first level. The harbor's parking page also lists free street parking along Dana Point Harbor Drive, Golden Lantern, Dana Way, Baby Beach and Cove Road, plus paid lots at Puerto Place and Embarcadero.
Here's what now happens in or beside that building:
- Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Certified Farmers Market, which launched in 2025, sets up behind and inside the structure. Vendors rotate weekly and include Black Sheep Farms, Bee Ladies Honey, Chaupain Bakery, Fresco Pasta, Jaime's Savory Almond and Little Herd Tallow.
- Select Thursdays, 4 to 8 p.m. Harbor After Dark, Holiday Edition is a new night market run with Modern Makers Mart. It has rotating food trucks and seasonal drinks from Coco Bloom Coffee, and it's held at the parking structure. The event series runs Nov. 12, Nov. 19, Dec. 3, Dec. 10 and Dec. 17.
- Every day the boats run. Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching and Catalina Express are operating through construction from temporary trailers near the structure. Dana Wharf co-owner Donna Kalez told Dana Point Times she expected to finish the move on Monday, Nov. 2. The parking page names both operators as level 3 users of the structure.
On the parking page, four free hours reads like a convenience. Next to a farmers market, a night market and both boat check-ins, it covers the length of most harbor visits this season, as long as you can find a space.
The lights moved to the edges
The holiday display uses more than 700,000 LED lights and turns on Thursday, Nov. 12, the same evening as the first Harbor After Dark. According to the 2026 Holidays at the Harbor page, this year's displays cover the all-new harbor entrance, the Island and Bump Out Park near Baby Beach. The returning set pieces include the whale sculpture, the #happyharbordays sign, the harbor VW bus and Merry Kiss Me.
None of those spots is on the Wharf, so the evening walk now has two separate parts. You enter the harbor through the new entrance, park at the structure, and then head out to the Island or along the water toward Baby Beach for the displays. The Visit Dana Point Turkey Trot guide, published Oct. 29, advises allowing extra time and following event signage because the harbor is under construction. That's sound advice for any busy night this season.
From Dec. 1, the Whale on the Wharf scavenger hunt has families looking for a whale at participating harbor destinations. Finding 10 or more whales gets a game card into a grand prize raffle, and participants offer discounts and treats along the way.
The full calendar, grouped by where you'll stand
| Date | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesdays | Certified Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Behind and inside the parking structure |
| Nov. 12, 19; Dec. 3, 10, 17 | Harbor After Dark, Holiday Edition, 4 to 8 p.m. | Parking structure |
| From Nov. 12 | Holiday lights | Harbor entrance, the Island, Bump Out Park |
| Nov. 26 | Dana Point Turkey Trot | Harbor and Doheny State Beach |
| From Dec. 1 | Whale on the Wharf scavenger hunt | Participating harbor destinations |
| Dec. 4, 5, 18, 19 | Holiday Harbor Lights Cruise, 6 p.m., $30.74 adult | Dana Wharf |
| Dec. 5 and 6 | Boat Rides with Santa aboard the Dana Pride, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., reservations required | Dana Wharf |
| Dec. 11 to 13 | 51st Boat Parade of Lights, 6:30 p.m. nightly | Island parks, boardwalk, charters |
| Dec. 12 and 13 | Santa Paws, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., $15 donation for photos | The Island, near the Richard Henry Dana Jr. Statue |
| Dec. 14 to 22 | 12-foot Chanukah menorah | Dana Point Fishing Pier |
| Dec. 19 | Little Folk Club | The Island, in front of the Richard Henry Dana Statue |
Santa Paws is run with the Pet Project Foundation, and every donation goes to the foundation. The Santa boat rides benefit Soroptimist of Capistrano Bay. The menorah is lit in collaboration with the Chabad Jewish Center of Dana Point. Little Folk Club suggests bringing a blanket, towels or chairs.
Thanksgiving morning runs through the same garage
The 2026 Dana Point Turkey Trot is on Thursday, Nov. 26, three weeks from today. It offers the 5K, 10K, Combo 15K and Kids' mile. Packet pickup is at Dana Marina Plaza, 25001 Dana Point Harbor Drive, from noon to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 25, and from 6 to 11 a.m. on race morning. The race describes its course as a harbor route, with part of the 10K running through Doheny State Beach.
Some details changed from 2025:
- Shuttle hours run an hour later. Service runs from 5:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., up from a 2025 window that ended at 11:15 a.m. Riders are dropped at Del Prado and Golden Lantern near Ralph's, one block from the race. As in 2025, pickup sites are Dana Hills High School and Costco.
- A 10 a.m. family 5K has been added as a relaxed walk/run option, along with an Adult Gobble Buddy add-on for the children's race.
- The Combo's regular registration price went from $61 in 2025 to $63 for 2026.
Public race-day parking is in the harbor parking structure and on Del Prado and Lantern District streets. That's the same structure that holds the farmers market the day before and Harbor After Dark the following week, so on Thanksgiving morning, expect the harbor's busiest spot of the season to fill early.
Seeing the lights from the water costs less than seeing the parade
You can watch the Boat Parade of Lights, themed "Dana Point's Harboritaville," from the Island park areas or the boardwalk, or from a charter. Dana Point Harbor Partners says the cruises sell out.
Charter prices for parade nights, Dec. 11 to 13:
- Dana Wharf: $54.06 adult, $36.04 for children 3 to 12, $11 for toddlers.
- Capt. Dave's Dolphin & Whale Safari: Deluxe at $62.54 adult and $57.24 child or infant, all three nights. Premium on Dec. 12 and 13 only, at $79.50 adult and $74.20 child or infant.
Dana Wharf's Holiday Harbor Lights Cruise goes out at 6 p.m. on Dec. 4, 5, 18 and 19. It costs $30.74 per adult, $15.90 for children 3 to 12 and $5.30 for toddlers. That's about 57 percent of Dana Wharf's adult parade fare, and the same display is lit on those nights. The parade weekend adds the decorated boats. The lights cruise skips the parade crowds and still puts you on the water facing the harbor.
Visit Dana Point lists check-in locations during construction. Dana Wharf checks in at a temporary office beside the harbor parking structure, and Capt. Dave's at 24440 Dana Point Harbor Drive. The guide says to follow signs because paths may change, so confirm your boarding spot with your operator when you book.
The same boats are also gearing up for whale season. Visit Dana Point says gray whales pass Dana Point from late November into May, with December through April the heart of the season.
One Thursday that uses the new layout
Nov. 12 is the first night the lights are on and the first Harbor After Dark, so it's the clearest test of how the season works without the Wharf.
- Arrive around 4 p.m. and park in the structure off Golden Lantern. Four free hours from then cover the full 4 to 8 p.m. market window.
- Browse Harbor After Dark, get a drink from Coco Bloom Coffee, and eat from whichever food trucks are rotating through that night.
- Walk out to the Island after dark to see the whale sculpture and Merry Kiss Me, then continue along the water to Bump Out Park near Baby Beach.
- On your way back, stop at the Dana Wharf trailer to ask about December lights-cruise seats or the first whale-watching trips of the season.
People who miss the Wharf's regulars still have options. Dana Point Times reports that Frisby Cellars is pouring at its Rancho Mission Viejo location during the shutdown. Other harbor businesses outside the Wharf are still open, and several Wharf tenants have been talking about returning to the rebuilt harbor. Dana Point Harbor Partners aims to finish the five-phase commercial core before the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Each phase of the harbor rebuild changes how people use the waterfront, and that affects the value of the homes nearby. If you own near the harbor or are thinking about it, Jeff Engstrom can show you how the Phase 4 timeline fits into your plans for holding, selling or exchanging that property. Schedule a Free Tax-Smart Home Consultation.
