Private Whale-Watching Trips Make a Splash in Dana Point

COMMUNING WITH THE CETACEANS? There are a number of ways to behold the majesty of a blowhole, the fabulousness of a fluke, and the sheer splendor of gliding atop the great deep. And while that splendor is, well, splendid at any time of the year, in any area of the Pacific, finding a knowledgeable guide to help you seek out whales, dolphins, and other oceanic icons in a region that is rich with such wonders can up the splendor quotient. Look to beautiful, dolphin-strong Dana Point, which the World Cetacean Alliance recently named a Whale Heritage Site. The burg is known for its annual Whale Festival, a celebration so large it swims through not one but two weekends, and it is celebrated for the whales that pass its shores while moving along ancient migratory pathways.

STEPPING ABOARD... a vessel helmed by Captain Dave's Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari is a step in the right whale-admiring direction, and the Dana Point-based company is giving whale lovers several ways to make that move in the spring of 2021. There's the Super-Safe Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari, which boasts "underwater glass viewing pods," and there's the experience of seeking the mammoth mammals while on low-to-the waves "zodiac-style boats." And if you want to book a private whale-watching adventure? That can happen, too. If the idea of a day spent in the bracingly briny air already makes you a tad sleepy, there's a way to catch a z or two in Dana Point, in addition to possibly catching a glimpse of a whale.

LOCAL WHALE PACKAGES, like the ones offered by the Dana Point Marina Inn and DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel Doheny Beach, have been fashioned for those fluke fans who'd like to stay awhile in the area and find a dolphin-cool deal or two. And speaking of the coolness of dolphins, check out a dolphin stampede video shared by Captain Dave a few years back. Pure poetry in watery motion...