This was my second year coming down to the harbor for the 4th but the first year I was able to stay for the fireworks. It was an amazing show that lasted for about 20 minutes! The harbor is beautiful and pretty clean. The bathrooms that are for the boat owners could probably use a little more attention but they're not awful. Everyone around the harbor is friendly and we always have a fun time taking the dingy out for a cruise to see all the other beautiful boats and what they're all named. read more

Dana Point Harbor - Marinas Near Me - Dana Point, California

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Great place for the family on any day, during Christmas they put up an awesome light setup and it is free to check out while either walking through or grabbing dinner or drinks. Great environment and family friendly. read more

Dana Point Harbor is a nice little seaside oasis that is perfect for hanging out and relaxing with the family. On this trip, I stuck by the small harbor beach and enjoyed the sun, sand and cool ocean water. The beach has areas for picnics and grills for coal fire bbq's. There are bathrooms nearby for convenience and free parking. I went on a Thursday afternoon so there was hardly anyone there, it almost felt like a private beach. Overall it is a very nice spot that I hope to be able to visit again in the future. read more

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It was our first time here. We had a nice time but a lot of things were closed. Hopefully next visit everything will be open. The weather was good. read more

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This city holds outdoor recreation highly and there is little that you can't do in the harbor. It is fun to walk around and see seals, fish, eat, look at the boats, & get ice cream. You can rent kayaks and jet skis up to fishing trips and whale watching. It is a tourists dream where no one would run out of things to do! read more

Beautiful harbor to take a walk or to have lunch. There's fun events and fun boat tours. If you want to take a boat and whale watch that's always an option. The fish market is yummy too! read more

Dana Point Harbor - 4th of July water wars fun - Marinas Near Me - Dana Point, California

The harbor is a great place to walk around and hangout for a bit there's a few shops and places to eat nothin too crazy but they are decent. One of my favorite things to do here is to walk to the end of the jetty and fish just make sure you are fishing on the ocean side because I wouldn't trust anything that you catch in the harbor lots of wonderful motor oils there. If you venture all the way to the end of the harbor you will find the ocean institute and a place you can get close to the water it has lots of cool rocks and animal life that you can see if the tied is low if you keep walking past all this you will find a huge cave that is pretty cool but often you can't go inside because of all the water! Pay a visit to the harbor you will have a fun time! You will have an even better time if you decide to commandeer The Pilgrim however I'm not sure if she's sea worthy! :( read more

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'Tis the season to be jolly, fa la la la la, la la la la My best friend and I discovered the Dana Point Harbor Boat Parade this year. It was our first boat parade ever and it's exactly what it sounds like: boats decorated with Christmas lights sail around the harbor for all to see. Honestly boats aren't really my thing but if you can't enough of boats then you'd enjoy the overcrowded event. What stole that show for me (and everyone else with cameras and phones) was the harbor! The decorations and lights everywhere really made it feel like Christmas time. In future years, I'll just come for the harbor and skip the busy boat parade weekends (yes, there are two weekends of madness). I'm grateful they offer free trolley rides to and from the event from the Doheny State Beach parking lot because you won't find parking unless you basically arrived around lunchtime. Pro: $3 per hour parking at the beach and then trolley ride Con: Walking back after the parade because trolley can't handle the enormous amount of people In sum, the Dana Point Harbor is beautiful and festive this time of year! Can't say I have another boat parade on my to-do list but definitely a fun tradition for families. Happy Habor Days! read more

Dana Point Harbor - Marinas Near Me - Dana Point, California

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Gotta catch em all... Oh wait I mean I'm here for the view. Dana Point Harbor is amazing it's a great place to explore, possibly catch Pokemon, and of course free parking. Being from the OC, free parking is a way of life. Sorry LA but homie don't play that. As much as I love Newport Beach Harbor, I gotta say this place is a tad bit nicer. Please don't tell NBH that I'm cheating on her. Newport Beach is always my favorite but sometimes the locals give dirty looks and the Harbor is pretty crowded with boats and other activities. This is not the case in Dana Point. It's easy to walk the side walls with out doggie poop everywhere and most boats are at port meaning a lot more people can enjoy paddle boarding or jet skis. There is also a beach with calm waters and an aquarium near by. Yes, there are plenty of Pokemon here for the dedicated Pokemon players. A lot of variety and plenty of Pokestops and lures. I heard this place is the "Long Beach" or "Santa Monica" of the OC. If you are a hardcore player you know that means rare monsters are here. The cell reception is spot in some parts of the Harbor but still a lot of fun. Don't be a downer and shame people for playing like this one reviewer on a travel site. It not just for nerds. I came on black Friday not for shopping but to walk around with my family and even my parents tried the game out. I know that might mean the game is not cool but explaining how to take down a gym to my mother was interesting knowing she not a gamer. Just go already and be the very best like no one ever was. read more

I was taken here recently for a little romantic stroll and drive at sunset. We drove by the pirate-looking ship on end. It gave me shivers because on a 6th grade field trip we stayed overnight. What an experience. It is not crowded when you're sitting there basking in the harbor scene as the sun sets. We also went again for the Festival of Whales. People were actually friendly and said hello; you don't see that happen often in south Orange County. read more

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From casual to fine dining to whale watching and Catalina boat excursions, to festivals and hotels to shops, boats and watercraft rentals, to a great walk path, bike path and mean set of stairs to work your glutes out at, to sea life adventures, Dana Point Harbor has something for everyone of every age. Festival of the Whales and the Tall Ship Festivals and just a beautiful sunny day attract many spectators and tourist and can make navigating and parking at the harbor difficult (worthwhile though), but coming on an off time, if you can swing it, really allows you to simply relax and take in the beauty of the sites. If visiting for the first time, be sure to check out the Ocean Institute, which is especially great for small kids! read more

Dana Point Harbor - Overlooking the harbor - Marinas Near Me - Dana Point, California

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Wow.... Dana Point Harbor is a great place to take your fiancee and take in the sights! At sunset the whole area gets this glow that is fantastic. I believe this is one of the most beautiful inhabited places in the world. I will be back with my new wife to enjoy the afternoon. ;) read more

Dana Point Harbor - Dana Point Harbor - Marinas Near Me - Dana Point, California

Zen This Harbor is so easy to get to. The location is superb! You have it all from nice places to eat to catching a cold one on a beautiful sunny California day. Yesterday was nothing less than perfect. The dolphins even popped up to say hello. read more

Dana Point Harbor - Dana point harbor - Marinas Near Me - Dana Point, California

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Beautiful harbor! Quiet and peaceful, rarely too busy, very clean, plenty of activities, eateries and free parking. Just a relaxing place away from the hustle and bustle, great for a casual evening stroll, to people watch or boat watch, or just to take in some sun. My only complaint is that food options are all very similar here and there is no modern or ethnic cooking. A bit more diversity would be great to mix things up. And while I'm usually not a fan of harbor beaches, usually dirty, they work hard to keep the water quality up here. You can even see fish swimming amongst the boats, which is rare for any harbor. I truly love this place. An OC gem! read more

I've been coming here since I was a baby! Beautiful, fun place. There is so much to do between sports, restaurants, shops, parks, etc. I love to eat at El Torito, John's Fish Market and Wind & Sea. They also have fun shops. I also love the Chocolate Soldier for an after dinner/lunch treat! It is fun to just walk along the harbor and enjoy the view. I've rented kayaks, paddle boards and jet skis here too. So many fun sports you can do. You can rent boats, go whale watching, take sailing lessons, visit the Marine Institute (very kid friendly), see the old ship by the pier, walk along the "island", read all the different boat names, take a boat to Catalina, and so much more! read more

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It is always nice to visit harbor, great food and shops. This year holiday decorations and really special, especially Christmas tree made out of small surf boards. I will be back in the evening few more times to enjoy walk and lights. read more

Dana Point Harbor - Christmas tree made of small surf boards 2019 - Marinas Near Me - Dana Point, California

A short ten minute drive and I'm here. Its a great place to come early in the morning, afternoon, evening... 'Or really late, late evenings... 'Or early, early, mornings, depending on how you look at it. 8) I stopped by here this afternoon, on my way back from San Juan Capistrano. I thought of taking a drive up PCH up through Laguna Beach but quickly settled on a brief sojourn to Dana Pt., always refreshing. It's around 3:30pm on a Wednesday and Spring Break is in full swing. There was a decent amount of people out but not crowded by any means. The bulk of the people were down by the sandy, water's edge where most of the swimming and grilling take place. I prefer to cruise a bit further north where the Ocean Institute and themed ships are located. I've never had a really hard time finding parking... It's free, it's beautiful, it's perfect. It's a great place to walk, run... 'Or neither. Chilling is always nice especially when most aspects of our lives seem to be traveling at warp speed. I didn't have a lot of time today so I just stopped by for a short dunk of the metaphysical soul and paused for a moment to breath. I love looking out over the harbor, see the people on their boats and think how awesome that would be... 'Rich bastards. - Aloha Food: n/a Ambiance: 5 Serivce: n/a Value: 5+ read more

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I love to be here. Of course, I love the ocean. It's a beautiful place to kayak or paddle board - though rental fees are higher here than several other locations - basically ANY other location. But a great place for kids - even very young ones, to learn. Such calm water. They have a great boat show annually, and the yachts here are beautiful to look at. Makes a nice walk any time of year. There are several festivals held here, and plenty to do. If you sign up for email updates - you can be aware of fun things to do in this very gorgeous setting. read more

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It's so beautiful here, and so many things to do from beach, kayak, bicycles, shopping, dining, meeting new people on the street and more. Go and see for yourself. There are some unusual peeps here though although not seeming dangerous. When I parked my car in the lot there were these two guys just hanging out in their old pickup trucks together in the small lot across from the Ocean Institute with a ton of crap in them like they were living in them. I get back to my car 7 hours later--same two guys still hanging out in the lot in their trucks. Generally, I don't like peeps hanging out in a parking lot anywhere because it's one of the signs of casing for a burglary, but apparently all those hours, no one cared, so it must be OK in Dana Point. read more

Dana Point Harbor is a favorite place of mine for running. I usually park down by the Ocean Institute and then run to Capo Beach and back. You can also run around the island in the middle of the harbor. Every Thanksgiving, the Dana Point Turkey Trot starts and ends here. www.turkeytrot.com. There is a 10K run/walk and also two 5K run/walks (one for people 40 and above, and the other for 39 and under). I had a freak accident running here last year in the 10K and tripped over a cone and broke the ball of my humerus bone in my shoulder. It was not at all funny. Despite my fall, I still enjoy the harbor, and I don't hold a grudge. Well, maybe a little, but that's mostly aimed at whoever put that stupid cone in the middle of the road. Afterward, I enjoy eating at one of the many restaurants in the harbor. It makes for a perfect morning. read more

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great atmosphere, relaxing, pleasant, peaceful, dog friendly, helpful people, lots of dining options

This place always brings out the best in me. Nice breeze, gorgeous boats, people kayaking and paddle boarding. Plus, all the fun doggies and their owners. Whether there for a quick bite, picnic, or out stretching my legs it's always uplifting. Get out there and have fun!!! read more

Dana Point Harbor - Overlooking the dock - Marinas Near Me - Dana Point, California

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Dog friendly! My review will be based on a dog walker's perspective, someone who just came here to see sights, and walk their dog. Came on a Monday morning, used the directions on yelp and it led to a large parking lot for local businesses with FREE(!) parking for 4 hours. You can't beat that. After getting out of the car I had a hard time figuring out what to do or where to go. On one side of the lot is a park like area that follows along side the street, on the other side is the harbor. We discovered that there's a small walking path right along the harbor, so we decided to take that. Met a lot of other people walking along, many other dogs included. Nice views I suppose, but it is a harbor, so its mostly just boats. The walking path we took (to and back) was about 2 miles total. read more

Dana Point Harbor - Marinas Near Me - Dana Point, California

A beautiful beach located between San Diego and LA. It's easy to get in and out of and there's tons of free parking within walking distance. There are several grills and benches available for use as well camping spots. Not as beautiful as Waikiki but still picturesque. read more

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Very nice place to visit and enjoy the older Southern California lifestyle. Hurry before they re-build the harbor and turn it into another Newport/Huntington Beach/Laguna high end spot where you have to pay for everything. Parking is still free in most spots. Reservations are always a good idea, but not mandatory. You can often get a good seat at the last minute. Be sure to get out on the water--that is the best. read more

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Okay, this post and this review is only for Dana Point Harbor, and not for the seafood category that I see this under. Well, first off, Dana Point Harbor was one of my favorite getaway spots, whether early morning, afternoon, evening or night time. I enjoyed getting away, sitting out along one of the near waterside benches and staring out into God's vast, blue ocean. I still recall feeling the ever-present, cool, offshore breeze gently drifting past you. The ocean scent, with its fresh supply of oxygen, seemed to lovingly minister, when I'd needed times of healing. I spent many moments in devotion to God here. Praying to God and pondering, many times weeping before my Heavenly Father. Some of my fondest memories of California were right here, at Dana Point Harbor. I'm from this area, and now live in New York City. Still, when I visit CA, the only physical location where my heart yearns to come back to, is this quiet and peaceful harbor. read more

Dana Point Harbor - Dana Point Harbor. This is my bro Glenn. - Marinas Near Me - Dana Point, California

If you're on the island, the harbor is nice and relaxing. If you're on the mainland side, near the shops, it is loud and crowded so just pick your battles (and if you're a boat owner and you're near the shops...don't plan on sleeping in late on weekends or over summer). There has been talks for years of revamping the harbor but I have yet to see any signs of that happening. read more

It is a must see if you live near the area or you are visiting. there is ample free parking, you can come relax on the rocks and play in the waves or stack some rocks. wear good shoes if you plan on going on the rocks for a better grip. went in the winter months and it is still so sunny and gorgeous. read more

Dana Point Harbor - dana piont - Marinas Near Me - Dana Point, California

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Came for the Clam chowder cook off... Zero signage anywhere saying where each event is being held. Who ever is in charge of this event, should be FIRED!! The Event Staff was NO HELP, as not one of the 5 we asked knew of its location, and where public restrooms are located. Who holds an event and doesn't educate the staff. We final found a sign located at a booth, after parking at the central most parking space available, only to find out we were no where near baby beach.. it's 2:30pm and with 30 mins left before the event is over, we hiked back to our car. Drove over to the parking lot as it was empty of vendors. 11-3 were the posted hours. But apparently hearing from one vendor it was over by 1:30pm.. Again.. if you hold an event.. and there are hours for an event.. Better planning as not everyone can be there at 11am... what a joke, especially if it says "come hungry ".. as we left hungry for a FAILED EVENT read more

Dana Point Harbor - CLAM CHOWDER COOK OFF 2020 - Marinas Near Me - Dana Point, California

Can't go wrong with Dana Point Harbor. It's a great, family friendly spot that has plenty of accessible parking and is clean. You can walk to the jetty and see the waves crash against the wall, or hang out on the mellow side behind the jetty, where tons of families swim and play in the water. There are no waves, so it's pretty mellow. There are usually big crowds on weekends and evenings, and high schoolers love to come here to take their school dance photos. Every time I come, there is a school dance photo session. The marine institute is also here. One of my favorite things to do is check out all the boats parked in the harbor. They're fun to check out while taking a walk along the sidewalk. This is definitely a family focused area, and dog friendly too along the sidewalk and the jetty area. Parking is free near the jetty as well. read more

What a beautiful place! There is so much to see and do here it almost needs a full weekend or more! One of my favorite things to do here is to just relax and walk the whole harbor... listening to the water, gulls and boats... yeah boats cause you're in a harbor. There is nothing more relaxing than the sound of a boat moving in the water. The harbor if very dog friendly, so bring your buddy and have a blast.. just make sure to clean up after your pooch. There is nicknack shopping aplenty all over the harbor which comes in handy when you've just broke your sunglasses or when you desperately need a super touristy CA shirt. There are a ton of restaurants all over the harbor, from fancy sit down places to the scoop deck which serves breakfast stuff and sandwiches. Jon's fish market has some crazy fresh fish and some of the best fish n chips you'll ever have. You can catch some history and go check out the pilgrim, one of the older tall ships around. You can gets some learning in over at the Ocean Institute, they have a ton of tanks set up with lots to see. The harbor has ships you can charter for a fishing trip or just jump aboard one of the larger fishing boats with 25 of your closest friends for a day out on the open water. The harbor has a few Whale Watching tours daily throughout the year. I'm sure there are better months to see more whale activity but really here in southern CA you will see some stuff year round. And if it's a beach you must have because your 6 year old has been screaming about making a sandcastle... they have a beach too. It's a "baby" beach so it is protected with the jetty so no big waves.. perfect for the lil kids to get their swim on... or rent a paddle boat or kayak or paddle board.. it's all good and it's all fun!! Also it's worth mentioning that all around the harbor is great grassy areas with cover picnic tables with a grill. So if you are coming for the weekend or even just the day... and don't want to break the bank at the many eateries.. hit up the Albertsons just up the street and get your grill on. read more

I love Dana Point Harbor. If you are ever traveling down PCH this is a must stop. Beautiful harbor, plenty of shops and many restaurants to choose from. read more

Dana Point Harbor - Marinas Near Me - Dana Point, California

This place was my sons favorite.... he enjoyed spending time here with me and his family. It's great to be back, I seldom come here, but I do, I love it! read more

We stumbled upon this area while looking for a brunch place. We were pleasantly surprised to find all the hidden shops around the marina. Apparently this is a well known area because as the day went on people filled the walk ways. The shop as are adorable and it was a lot of fun to see what each place offered. There ar a lot of restaurants and walking between the buildings allows you to take in the view of the marina and all the boats. This is a great area and I noticed a lot of the restaurants have great views! read more

I've been coming to Dana Point Harbor for as long as I remember. I have fond memories as a kid getting Hot Chocolate at the coffee shop along the Harbor, running up and down the walk way by the boats, yelling at my parents to hurry up and watching in awe as the dogs walked by (this dog love started young). Even as an adult, some things don't change. I still come here, get Hot Chocolate at the SAME coffee shop (yup, it's still there--and to this day I despise coffee) and run up and down the walk by the boats, yelling at my parents to hurry. Well, maybe now I do a brisk walk and I yell at my parents because they now are hard of hearing, but it's still the same effect in the end. I even still look at awe at all the dogs walking by. Some loves never die with age. This Harbor is so quiet, quaint and peaceful. It's a wonderful place to go to relax and get your mind off of life, to go on a date to or take your family to for an outing. All in all, it makes for a wonderful day or night out and be able to create memories that last a lifetime. Go find out yourself how simply a drive down the 5 South or North to Dana Point can be amazing. Happy Harbor going!! read more

I really think that Dana Point Harbor is one of prettiest Harbor. There's a lot of restaurants, coffee shops, walk way all around the Harbor. I love to the convenience of it since it's only 5 minutes away from my home. The city is also in the process of renovating the Harbor to make it even more beautiful. I'm so blessed and thankful that I live in this paradise. read more

2 stars for the restaurants we went too: Proud Mary's, Waterman's, and Harpoon Henry's. Had the chili at Proud Mary's, kind of dry and too much non-chili stuff in it: celery, mushrooms, some kind of green pepper, and it was kind of bland, no kick at all. Waterman's is too expensive, and the calamari is gross, swimming in some gross gravy. Harpoon Henry's was the best of the 3, but it's stuck in a '90's time warp. The server had absolutely zero personality, and though we sat down before Happy Hour ended, by the time she came she said it was over and the "computer" controlled it and there was nothing she could do, total BS. They definitely need some fresh restaurants, hopefully the planned remodeling will happen in my lifetime and things will improve. 5 stars for the sunset! read more

We have been coming to the harbor for many years. Some hints: Parking used to be a problem. Now, it is a monitored 4-hour daytime system meaning cars either have to move or be ticketed. I think the cutoff is 7 p.m. then it is open through the evening. Also, there is valet service outside El Torito on weekend afternoons (for the price of a tip) and a service nightly outside Wind and Sea. Spots are no longer filled all day by daytrippers to Catalina or on extended fishing trips. That has made a huge difference to the locals like us who avoided the harbor from Memorial Day to mid-September. It is a great place to walk - if you don't mind dodging the kids on scooters and skates and the adults and children on bikes and skateboards weaving along the narrow harborside walkways. Yes, it is forbidden. But hey, who would ever tell a kid no even if the little darling has rammed into an elderly woman using a walker? Evening or early morning is safer for the harborside walk. Boat watching. Lovely for-sale yachts line the slips along the walkways. If you ever wanted to see a $250k yacht, this provides a lookee-loo delight. Maintenance. Infrastructure is a banned word nowadays but surely some money could be found to spruce up the place before it falls into the harbor. For years there has been talk about revitalizing the area. It doesn't take a close look to see the rotting beams across the walks (especially outside the restaurants such as El Torito) and the decaying wood on the mid-60s architecture. I know there is no money for maintenance but one wonders what will happen when the beams break in a stiff wind. The rusted crosspieces holding up the railings along the water have been replaced. The bits of landscaping look nice. Restaurants. Don't go for the decor - it is all really really old. I suspect none of the restaurateurs want to update figuring that someday the county will come in and bulldoze it all. We like El Torito for brunch (yes, it is cheap but hey, we are on budgets too.) The Harbor Deli has fat sandwiches, double-baked rye and brined pickles. Try the chili (made from the end cuts of pastrami, corned beef and brisket) for a meaty lunch. Dinner offers Italian specials as well. Wind and Sea as Harpoon Henry are nothing-special steak and seafood places but boost great views. Harpoon offers outside dining when the weather is decent as does Wind and Sea. (The Jolly Roger is the most worn-out of the restaurants both in decor and menu offerings.) There is a coffee spot, two ice cream spots and a to-go sandwich place for those who want to eat at one the several umbrella-covered tables outside. Farther down outside the boat tour stand is Johns for fried fish offerings. Johns and Harbor Deli offer outside dining among the seagulls and tourists. Shops: Take a walk through the mostly mom-and-pop places. These deserve your business. We like Momilani's when we need a Hawaii fix. Water sports: There is a boat launch (for a fee) and the baby beach is a favorite for kayakers and others. There is jet-skiing outside the breakwater and a tall ship for viewing. Alas, Baby Beach and Doheny often show up on bad-water-quality beach warning lists. Blame the breakwaters that now block the cleansing flow of ocean water into these beaches. Events: The community has many special events including a Thanksgiving 5k (Turkey Trot); Tall Ships Festival; Doheny Jazz Festival etc. Check on line for dates etc. on either the harbor homepage of the Dana Point City homepage. read more

Love this area! Me and the BF always run to the harbor to grab some food or ice cream by the boats and enjoy a beautiful all year round great weather. Dog friendly everywhere!!! Shops are so-so.. The restaurants are OK too... I just love to come here and hang out. They have all sorts of places to have picnics and get togethers. BBQ areas in different areas. Its clean and everyone is soo friendly and happy. Beautiful place to just spend a beautiful day. Tons of outdoor activities! They have tour boats, you can fish, paddle board, canoeing, speed boat it too if you have one!! Just an overall great location for a great harbor. Not to mention the sheriff's dept is right there so it's a safe place for everyone! Catch us running around! read more

We love going to the harbor for breakfast. There are lot of dining options (Proud Mary's is our favorite) and tons of free parking. It is crowded on the weekends with lots of dogs and fishing/whale watching tours but it's beautiful little area. There are also security guards present, who are always very friendly and diligently working. We love going to the harbor and appreciate them keeping everyone safe! read more