I could write a book about how wonderful this venue is! A truly hidden gem in the historic art…read moredistrict in Dana Point. What makes it even more amazing are Cynthia and her husband Doug! Cynthia helped me coordinate and plan our event for my son's Baptism reception and she brought the ideas in my head to life!! I've been disappointed with coordinators before. Cynthia is amazing! She took all of my stresses away and eased my mind with her guidance, experience, and professionalism. And one of the most important things to mention is that she worked with the budget I had to create that wonderful evening for us. She and Doug truly treat you like family. And they treated all of our family during the event - like family! Making sure everything was set up perfectly. And that everyone was enjoying themselves! I can't thank her enough and would absolutely recommend her catering services as well as this venue to everyone! Here are major points: Venue: Absolutely unique! They have projectors throughout the venue that can display moving backgrounds or photo montages throughout your event. So it can feel like you're in an underwater aquarium, or NY in the 50s, or in a peaceful forest! They can also display different backgrounds or photo montages in different areas of the venue. Music: they have speakers throughout the venue and also outside so you can give them a playlist or even sync your Bluetooth so you can have your own playlist going. I suggested to Doug the "vibe" I was going for - Nora Jones meets Michael Buble meets Indie Arie. He definitely delivered!! You can also hire a DJ or a live band, however that may decrease your space usage for the venue. So it just depends on how many guests you want to have. Dance floor: they can stage the dance floor almost anywhere in the venue! Again, depending on how many guests you have. Outdoor patio: cute stylish outdoor patio area with fire pit! Our guests loved lounging in this area. Flower arrangements: Cynthia showed me several examples and were exactly what I envisioned! Food and beverages: SO delicious! Cynthia has a website of her catering services and menu options to choose from, or you can let her know the type of food you're thinking of having and she can totally work with you! With her expertise, you can rest easy that she will deliver. We chose to have food served buffet style, but hors d'ouvres were butler In terms of beverages, we had water and tea station as well as a coffee and hot tea station. There is also the cutest little bar on the patio of the venue where Cynthia let us purchase our own alcohol to be served to our guests! And our bartender was awesome - professionally courteous yet super friendly and down to earth. The wait staff - professional and courteous! Very kind to all of our guests. Parking: There is a lot across the venue where guests can park and a few parking spaces right next to the venue. BONUS: We were able to drop off materials we needed to set up for the evening of the event a week prior! Depending on if the venue has events going on, Cynthia let me store most of our materials there a few days before the event which is such a time saver and stress reliever!! I was able to bring in the set up for our DIY photobooth, the frames that we were to display throughout the venue, and the beverages we purchased for the event as well as the cake! I highly recommend this venue and will definitely contact them again for future events!! Thanks so much again Cynthia and Doug for making our event so wonderfully special!!

We recently had the opportunity to DJ an event at The Fish Tank in Capistrano Beach (34233 Via…read moreSanta Rosa, Dana Point), and it immediately impressed us. Start with the owner. Cate is professional, responsive, and genuinely collaborative. Communication is clear. Load-in is organized. The space is clean and well maintained. When a venue runs this smoothly, it reduces friction for vendors and creates a better experience for clients and guests. That kind of operational competence doesn't happen by accident. The design is what makes this venue distinct. The short-throw projectors transform the walls into a fully immersive aquarium or fishbowl environment. It's not a novelty effect; it's a production tool. For weddings, the room can feel atmospheric and romantic. For corporate events, branded visuals wrap the space in a way that feels custom and high-end. Few venues at this size offer that level of visual flexibility. From an audio standpoint, the room performs extremely well. We run MagiCali, a Southern California mobile DJ company specializing in weddings and corporate events, and we evaluate every room through a production lens. We look at ceiling height, wall material, reflection patterns, power distribution, and how low-end energy travels across a dancefloor. We've worked in luxury ballrooms, outdoor coastal venues, private estates, and converted industrial spaces. The Fish Tank is one of the rare venues where you don't have to compensate for the room. Speeches are articulate and easy to understand. Dinner music sits comfortably without overwhelming conversation. When it's time to transition into dancing, the room holds energy evenly instead of creating hot spots or dead zones. That tells you the space was built and tuned with care. For clients, that technical quality translates into confidence. You don't have to worry about muddy sound during toasts or harsh reflections once the music turns up. The venue supports the event instead of fighting it. There are many event spaces in Orange County. Very few combine strong visual identity, flexible projection capability, solid acoustics, and hands-on ownership. The Fish Tank is an undiscovered gem, and for what Cate currently charges, it represents exceptional value. It would not be surprising to see this venue commanding significantly higher rates in the near future. If you're planning a wedding, private celebration, or corporate event in Dana Point or Capistrano Beach, this space deserves serious consideration. It's distinctive, technically sound, and professionally run -- exactly the kind of venue that allows a well-executed event to shine.

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!

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!

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 venue stepped in and saved my wife's birthday when high tides forced our other venue to…read morecancel. Every staff member was incredibly nice, welcoming, and invested in making sure my wife felt celebrated. A massive shoutout to the manager, Max. He recognized our situation and handled everything with absolute empathy and class. He elevated the entire experience. The drinks were fantastic, the fire pit provided the perfect atmosphere, and the service was seamless from start to finish. It made it abundantly clear that customer care is their top priority. If you are planning a special occasion and want a team that actually cares, look no further. Max and his entire crew turned what could have been a stressful evening into a high point of our year, and they have earned repeat visits.

Fabulous food which is super fresh. Outstanding service, the staff is very friendly and attentive…read more The live music and outdoor fire pits are over the top nestled into a quiet hidden spot in the hills above Aliso Creek Beach. If you're looking for an intimate outdoor experience with amazing food and service, THIS is the place. PS. It's super romantic

IF you are very lucky you may have an opportunity to come to the Wine Cellar at the St. Regis…read moreMonarch Beach. It is actually their working wine cellar but...they do private events there for 50 people or less. There IS a food and beverage minimum. A fantastic place for a rehearsal dinner or a very small elegant get together. It is beautiful in there and I want to thank Mike for his time with us. Must see photos are uploading as you read this.

Came here for a rehearsal dinner and thought it was just lovely. Very classy, the food was…read morefantastic. I get that it's a wine cellar but my only complaint was it was pretty freezing so I was torn between wanting to be comfortable and wear a sweater and wanting to show off my awesome outfit. Service was great - ambiance was fantastic. The room was small and intimate. Would recommend for sure. The only other issue was that when I pulled up to the St. Regis no one even knew where or what the Wine Cellar was so it took a minute to finally be pointed in the right direction.

Serra Plaza is a perfect, intimate, special place for someone who wants to host an outdoor wedding…read morethat feels like a small European town. Lauren from Jay's Catering was a pleasure to work with from beginning to end. She worked closely with us on menu selection, food tasting, the walkthrough of our venue, and overall moral support. Our wedding was like out of a fairytale. To this day, we still have friends and family tell us that the food at our wedding was the best wedding food they ever had - a huge compliment to Jay's Catering (and shout out to the Vietnamese Short Rib!) Wedding planning is difficult and it can feel like every decision might be the wrong thing. I am so happy that we trusted our gut and went with Serra Plaza as our spot.

Ideal for outdoor ceremonies and receptions, Serra Plaza has a Spanish summer nights things going…read moreon. It feels very romantic and makes me think of the passionate ballroom dances that could have taken place here. You're also just a couple minutes away from the Mission SJC for more photo ops.

We have been going to Young's for a few years now so I guess you could say we are regulars by now…read moresince we walk the beach path nearly everyday. I think it's about time I write a review. :) The staff is helpful and friendly and they have some pretty dang good food for a beach shack. We love the burger, the shrimp tacos, and their breakfast burrito is so delicious and HUGE! Overall, the menu is well rounded and everything comes out good. Paired with the ocean and waves as the backdrop, it's a really nice spot to chill. Thank you for making this place a great local spot to stop in for a good meal, a drink and a place our dog can take a rest, get a drink and sit in the shade.

Cute middle beach spot, pay at counter and fend for your own seating. They have fresh offerings,…read moreon the pricier side so it can rack up, but good quality food. Poke bowl- fresh tuna not mercury tasting at all but has quite a bit of soy sauce at the bottom so can be a bit salty Ceviche- a decent amount (but also consider pricier price) bouncy tezture crunchy chips Fish and chips- my favorite clean and buttery fish, tasted fresh and fried well Fried apple pie - buttery nice balance

Such a unique and personalized stay! Every little detail is covered from the fulfillment of a…read morepersonalized request during the pre-check text less than a week before to offering soothing bath salts to my wife for the large jacuzzi bath free of charge when we were asked how the room was shortly after check-in by the sweet front desk attendant Leslie while being handed complimentary champagne. Leslie also informed us of the complimentary bikes to use if we wanted to explore the town and how we were just in time to enjoy the complimentary wine and cheese from 4-5:30 in the common area. We grabbed our free bubbly, the vanilla bath salts for my wife to enjoy later, and proceeded to enjoy the cheese and assorted treats on the outdoor patio overlooking Dana Point. No better way to unwind! Pro tip: NEVER EVER SKIP THE FRESH BAKED COOKIES! The property is the perfect size to remain quaint like a bed and breakfast but big enough that you don't feel obligated to know each person coming and going. I would admit being in our mid 40's, we were on the younger side of guests during our stay, but this was a welcome surprise for us as we were looking for a quiet getaway for the evening for our 9 year wedding anniversary. The room was 212 which is an ADA accessible room but this I believe was provided at the special request of having a bathtub for my wife who values her baths on her getaways! The room faces the parking lot but this is a small sacrifice for what the true payoff was which was the special request... The giant jacuzzi tub which did not disappoint. It was large enough to fit two adults (not that we tried or anything *wink wink). The jets worked great and my wife raved about them. The room came with luxurious robes and slippers and all bath products were either local or unique brand. The room also came with a fireplace that was gas which started with the flip of a light switch. Another beautiful touch. It is always hard to find a bed that is comfortable enough while away from home as we are spoiled by our sleep number at home but this bed did the trick (which most chain or corporate hotels cannot accomplish!). The linens were soft and the room came with extra pillows and blankets on hand without having to ask for more. The complementary breakfast buffet in the morning was not your standard spread. It felt more refined and focused on the details. It was not your scrambled eggs from powder. It was two sunny side up eggs cooked to perfection. It wasn't generic underripe fruit, it was perfectly ripe fruit with an assortment of sides. My wife raved about the yogurt and toppings as did I about the oatmeal and toppings. Overall this could not have been a better short 1 night getaway for my wife and I to enjoy away from the hectic everyday life. It truly felt like we slowed down time and the blue lantern Inn accomplished all we needed in having a successful start to our anniversary celebrations.

Location, Location, Location. Dana Point Lantern District!…read moreStaff was friendly. Sisters - Given the price of the stay - Breakfast and evening apéro need some effort to stand out from a Hampton Inn. Blackout curtains for rooms facing east would be a welcome addition.