Agape doesn't just host events; they curate lifelong memories with a level of sophistication and…read morewarmth that is genuinely rare. From the moment we stepped onto the grounds, we knew we were in the best hands possible. A massive, heartfelt thank you to Malea Jenkins. Malea is an absolute rockstar who guided us with poise and expertise from our very first contract draft through every intricate detail of the planning process. Having her support throughout every step of the process was a game-changer; her guidance ensured our day was not just special, but flawlessly executed. Her passion and dedication made our event everything that we could have imagined and more. The entire team at Agape has redefined hospitality for us. Every staff member we encountered was remarkably kind, attentive, and went above and beyond to be accommodating. The food was simply incredible and was easily a highlight of the evening for our guests. Agape has officially set the highest bar for what a premier event venue should be. If you're even considering them, do yourself a favor and attend one of their Happy Hour or Date Night events to experience the magic firsthand. We are already looking forward to hosting all of our future milestones here. Highest possible recommendation!

This is a very cute historical building for your smaller events. My friend had her wedding for…read moreunder 200 attendees here and it was lovely. The only caveat is it's next to a big street so you can hear the car noise during quiet moments. They charge around $400 to cut a wedding cake which is a little steep.

We started working with Simone/Aventura Ocean Club/Orange County Beach Weddings in…read moreSeptember/October 2018. I (the bride) was working in the area when I stopped by Aventura Ocean Club by myself at first to check the venue out. I loved it so much I had to bring my now husband back as soon as we got back from a mini vacation and on that day, we secured the location. Just imagine an amazing view of the harbor and sailboats while feeling relaxed in a room that is modern, intimate and designed well. This venue is NOT old school like some weddings that we have all been to, its updated and amazing. Besides the view, another huge selling point is the largest wrap around balcony I have seen at a wedding. Aventura Ocean Club sets up couches, chairs, and a firepit outside for the guests to enjoy while they are not inside. We had our wedding on 8/10/2019 and we have nothing but great things to say about the venue. We got married at Heritage Park in Dana Point (Simone coordinated all of this) and had our reception at Aventura Ocean Club. I am still getting compliments to this day about the venue, the view, the decorations, the food, the grand entrance that we did (think sail boat entrance) and even the florals, DJ and photographer we used (all who came recommended from Simone). We could not have asked for a better wedding and we are truly pleased. It is obvious Simone cares about her clients and truly believes in marriage and happiness, she was wonderful to work with. A few helpful hints about this venue: 1. It is intimate but fit 100 people on the inside with no issue. 2. Your guests will rave about the sail boat grand entrance if you choose this option. 3. If you use their wedding package/coordinating services (which you should in a heartbeat) your event will look even better than you imagined but with your style through and through. 4. Simone/Aventura Ocean Club/Orange County Beach Weddings and all her recommended vendors will give you the wedding of your dreams. 5. This was in our price range where a lot of other beach/beachy/coastal venues were significantly more money and you had to do everything yourselves.

I've been to the harbor a few times and never had the chance to visit this venue. I met Jeff who…read moreworks here who was amazing and welcoming. The drinks were good and let's talk about the view! Wow! There's a TON of parking so that's always good too. I would highly recommend this venue. Service, food, drinks and the view. Can't beat that!

The Community House in Dana Point is a beautiful rental space with a great outdoor area that can…read moreprovide plenty of seating, and an indoor space as well. It's great for a wedding reception, baby shower, birthday and more. I love the location with plenty of free parking and just a short walk from other shops and restaurants.

From the owner: Community House venue rentals keep events affordable, not only because of our rates, but because…read morecustomers can cater food and beverages themselves. What’s really unique is that all profits from Community House rentals help maintain and preserve the building and fund Dana Point Women’s Club’s local philanthropic programs. Check out our lower rates for non profit organizations!

After my meal here I felt so peaceful…read more They did such a great job with the atmosphere of their restaurant while providing easy, yet delicious food options. I'm very impressed by the biscuits and gravy. Some of the best gravy i've ever had. Very flavorful. Plus the Biscuits had a beautiful crisp on the edges so they never got soggy. One detail I admired was the chilled water glasses instead of using ice. This just leveled the experience up a few notches. I'm surprised how quickly we were seated considering it was a Saturday around 10 when we arrived. Well done! When my husband and I are back in SoCal we will be visiting again.

Loved it here on a Saturday (Labor Day Weekend) around noon, party of four…read more Really busy around this time. Parking was definitely busy, cars are always pulling in and out, it can be hard to navigate the small parking lot with big vehicles, trucks! Atmosphere was pleasant, you get the nice breeze from the coast line. Staff were friendly and welcoming. Plan to wait in line around 30 minutes or so just to be safe, and plan for 5 to 10 minutes while you navigate the parking lot. Food was really good to be honest, we did enjoyed our meals, their coffees, and lattes! Definitely a worthwhile visit of you find yourself here around Dana Point!

Terrific wedding venue! In the summer the sunset is just gorgeous and the lawn is well-manicured…read moreand well-equipped for ceremony throughput. The Spanish-style steps are really neat and the view that overlooks the beach is something else. Bear in mind there are noise ordinances in place that are pretty darn strict: the processional music is going to be quiet, and the wrap time is 10 PM (if not a little before) to ensure that the neighbors don't complain. The inside area where the dancing is can get pretty hot and steamy and the ordinance forbids having the doors open to air the place out. But the view/grandeur of the space to cost ratio is pretty unbeatable, just hope that there aren't any trains passing by during important parts of the ceremony! Would love to come back for another wedding!

Ole Hanson Beach Club has been a staple to San Clemente since I can remember. I used to take…read moreswimming lessons there as a kid, and now my friend's kids too. They offer some awesome classes to the community, as well as a kids club in the summer, swim lessons and can be rented for various events, like weddings. This has always been the spot for high schoolers to take prom pictures too! The building itself is beautiful and the surrounding views are amazing. There's a ramp that leads down to north beach and the train station. Also, there is a walking trail right at the beach too. There's also some great restaurants nearby, like Moulin, Beach Hut Deli and a new Steak restaurant. Just note that all parking is metered and you will get a ticket if you don't pay. Ultimately, this is a gorgeous venue for a party, picnic and more!

After touring over 10 venues across California, we landed on Casino San Clemente to host our…read morewedding reception with about 190 guests and couldn't be happier with the choice. The venue has an incredible beachy and laid-back California vibe -- the outdoor patio with lounge sets and fireplace, the impressive ballroom with its stunning ceiling, and the ocean views make it a truly charming space. Being so close to the beach also meant we were able to sneak away for sunset photos on the wedding day. The staff was easy to work with throughout the planning process, and everything ran smoothly on the day of, from the bartenders to the security personnel. Public (paid) parking is available in the lot across the street but is currently only $1.50/hr. Note that the ballroom can start to feel tight around 200 guests, especially when factoring in the dance floor and buffet space. Alcohol must be purchased through the venue, but this did make planning easier for us, and we found the bartenders' service exceptional. Unfortunately, there have been some recent venue policy changes since our event, such as having only one exclusive caterer, additional fees for cake-cutting, and restrictions on late-night food vendors. Overall, an absolutely amazing venue.

Run don't walk from this location!!!!! you will be treated like shit from their Staff!!!…read more This is a picture of the employee that works at The Casino San Clemente. He was extremely RUDE AND NASTY to my husband and I. We were in the neighborhood looking at possibility of using the place for an upcoming wedding. And he basically said we were trespassing and asked us to leave in a VERY rude manner. He also threatened to call the police for supposedly "trespassing" even though we're locals that live in the neighborhood and just wanted to get a brief peak at the facility that they were decorating for a wedding. Even one of the vendors said please come take a look. What a stupid and horrible, horrible way of providing customer service to Potential clients. This person should be fired and reprimanded for his behavior. Nothing I would expect from a San Clemente Community center.

Love, love this area of Dana Point. This has been my families spot to learn about the ocean and to…read moreenjoy sea life. We have always come to the Marine protected area when the tide is low and walked along the beach and sand outside the Institute to see all sorts of sea life. It is amazing what you can see, even saw an octopus one time. Just make sure that you know when the tide is rolling in and out to not get caught out on the rocks! On the backside of the Institute there are also benches to sit at and listen to the ocean. The Institute itself is filled with wonderful sea life and is a great learning experience no matter your age. Outside, there is a calm bay area where paddle boarders are all over as well as the educational ships filled with history. There is nothing that you cannot do in this area!

We came to the Ocean Institute for a homeschool field trip and was it ever worth it for waking up…read moreat 6am! The initial lesson part was split into groups and we were assigned to Sydney. She was absolutely delightful! Very knowledgeable and receptive to the questions the kids have! After the lesson, we headed out to the open sea. To our delight we got to see dolphins, sea lions, and even spotter a whale! Overall it was a great experience and would highly recommend it to anyone wanting a lesson on ocean mammals!

TRAGIC!! I grew up…read moresailing with my dad being an active yacht club member and was excited to potentially join DPYC as a local business owner. However, once I ventured upstairs, I was shocked seeing how dilapidated all of the decor & stained carpets were. Outside tables were fold-down plastic picnic tables & even the women's restroom was outdated & dirty. The view is beautiful but taken away by screaming little kids standing on chairs with drunk father stammering around picking arguments with surrounding tables. Food, including calamari, charcuterie, and chicken lettuce wraps were inedible, overly breaded/fried, and simply disgusting. When I spoke with the General Manager, he shook my hand aggressively, avoided eye contact, and spoke condescendingly. When my colleague, who is an executive for a prominent news channel, tried to calmly explain the complaints, GM made it evident he was not interested in receiving any sort of constructive feedback before we joined as members. Being an active member in the equestrian community, I was looking forward to recruiting more friends to join, as well. However, I would not waste time or money on a membership for such an outdated, rude, poorly serviced establishment. The ocean is free to look at and there are plenty of elegant restaurants to enjoy excellent food, quality service, and especially treat patrons with basic etiquette.

We were invited by some lovely friends who own a boat here at the Dana Point Harbor, to come dine…read moreand enjoy the beautiful atmosphere of the Dana Point yacht club.. we met some lovely people . they were so gracious to let us bring our own wine of choice. The music was playing, we were sitting outside it was a beautiful evening. We had the delicious mussels and even one of their tasty burgers with sweet potato fries, the deviled eggs were delicious... super fun early evening before a sail out to the Pacific...

This place can get very crowded, but that's honestly part of what makes it so much fun. The energy…read moreis always great, and there's always something going on. I've attended their trivia nights, and they were a blast--well organized, engaging, and a perfect activity for a group of friends. The drinks are fantastic. The Sauvignon Blanc sangria and the frozen rosé are both amazing and have become some of my favorites. The food is consistently good, and the lively atmosphere keeps me coming back. On my most recent visit, I had the opportunity to beta test one of their murder mystery events, and it was such a unique and entertaining experience. It added a whole new level of fun to the evening and made for a memorable night out. If they offer the murder mystery event again, I highly recommend checking it out. It's a great way to enjoy good food, drinks, and an interactive experience all in one place.

I enjoyed visiting Five Vines Wine Bar in downtown San Juan Capistrano. It's conveniently located…read morenear the Amtrak railroad tracks, which adds to the charm and character of the area. There is public parking nearby, making it easy to find parking @ $2/hour. The wine bar is cozy, cute, and welcoming, with a great selection of wines and delicious food options. I especially enjoy their happy hour and the outdoor balcony seating, where you can relax with a glass of wine and watch people stroll through historic downtown. The waitress is fast and friendly....just all around well worth the drive to this area.