When I was a kid the SoCal summer days stretched out like rows of palm trees on any L.A. street: forever. Since becoming a parent, however, every summer season feels shorter and shorter. Perhaps this contraction of time is just my perspective as an adult, but I worry that summertime magic is slipping through my fingertips, nonetheless.
One remedy? A sweet weekend getaway with my family to Dana Point, the picturesque coastal town about 60 miles south of L.A., for swimming, stargazing, sea life encounters and more seaside fun.
Checking in: Easing into coastal time
Our eldest, Naomi, counted down the days until we could stay at the “ho-tail” (at 6 years old she still mispronounces words, and I hope that never stops). Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa, a 378-room hotel overlooking the Pacific Ocean was the perfect place for our family of four to check everything off our wish list: pool for Naomi, sprawling lawn for 2-year-old Juna to release her toddler energy, gourmet dining for my foodie husband and scenic spots to enjoy my morning coffee ritual.
After check-in we raced over to Coastal Kitchen barely making our reservation due to frustrating, albeit predictable, Friday L.A. traffic. The hip casual restaurant is in the heart of the Lantern District, where parking difficulty rivals WeHo on a Saturday night. But jumbo shrimp cocktail, their famous crab cakes and delicious smoked trout dip that even our kids were devouring quickly made our car woes subside. In fact, when I asked Naomi what her favorite part of our entire weekend was, she said “my ice cream sandwich!” which comes with every kid’s meal—a true mark of a family-friendly establishment.
Soaking it all in
The next morning, I woke up eager to keep my promises to the girls (beach and pool) and anxious to sneak in a moment for myself. At home, scoring solo time requires a lot more negotiation between my husband and me but at Laguna Cliffs, a quick stroll across the lawn to Lantern Bay Park leads to a picturesque playground fit for our girls’ boundless energy. Taking advantage of this easy access, my husband took the girls so I could spend a blissful hour on the water at I Heart Yoga’s stand-up paddle board class in Dana Cove.
Our instructor Dave led a sweet mother-daughter duo, a local who recently discovered the joys of SUP yoga, a pro who arrived with her own board and me past sailboats and stingrays to an open spot in the bay where we attempted vinyasas and balancing poses on wavy water. As we rocked side to side in our final resting pose Dave reminded us, “Life is about capturing moments, and this is one of them.” Suddenly time started to expand, rather than contract. He’s right, I thought, this shavasana, this weekend with my family and even this whole summer, is a moment in this beautiful phase of parenthood to remember.
Grounded and recharged, I joined my family for our next venture at the Ocean Institute, a nonprofit that hosts an interactive learning center, teaching labs and tours aboard their two historic tall ships and an oceanographic research vessel. You could easily spend all day there, but even a quick visit will impart a bevy of fun facts like, sharks can be as small as the palm of your hand, stingrays can have a wingspan over 20 feet and Juna, apparently, finds fish hilarious. Enough learning about the ocean, Naomi was begging to see the real thing, but Juna was harder to convince as she was delighted by the touch tanks where she pet starfish and stingrays.
Eventually we made our way to Salt Creek Beach, a popular spot for tourists and locals alike, just below The Ritz Carlton, Laguna Niguel. So popular, that I decided to hop out with the girls while my husband circled the lot searching for a space to open. “This parking lot is like winning the lottery,” my husband texted me while Naomi and I waited in line at Young’s Beach Shack, the modern beachside café serving up locally sourced California cuisine, plus fresh smoothies, beer and wine. We won the (parking) lottery and soon our whole family was enjoying clam chowder, tuna melt and chips, veggie rice bowl and ice-cold lemonade before moseying down the steps to dip our toes in the ocean.
A poolside afternoon & stargazing evening
We spent the rest of the afternoon exactly how I pictured an end-of-summer family vacation: lounging by the pool. Juna was delighted by the splash pad and shallow kids pool, while Naomi relished in the freedom of bouncing from pool to hot tub to mini golf on the lawn. Another moment, captured. Time, expanding.
After a little refresh back at our room, we headed to Lantern’s Edge, the resort’s onsite restaurant overlooking Dana Point. Admittedly, I’m often skeptical of hotel restaurants, but Executive Chef Kristine Davis proved me wrong from the very first dishes, Hamachi crudo and grilled maitake mushrooms. My daughters and I were just in Japan, so the chef’s Asian spin on California cuisine were a welcome surprise. We also enjoyed the lobster risotto, picanha and yucca fries, a glass of wine and an incredible dessert plate inspired by the chef’s Filipino roots that was almost too pretty to eat.
As the sky slowly transformed into a tangerine pink, we ran out onto the lawn in front of the restaurant for an impromptu family stroll. “Ocean!” exclaimed Juna, one of her favorite words this summer. “Yes, ocean!” I replied. “We’re going to go tomorrow, so let’s get some rest.” My husband scooped her up to get ready for bed, while I had some rare one-on-one time with our eldest. Naomi and I held hands as we roamed the grounds looking for the evening’s final event. “We’re really going to see the moon?” Naomi asked. “You’ll see!” I replied.
Finally, we found a giant telescope pointing towards the sky. Cassandra, founder of Stargazer Events and member of the Los Angeles Astronomical Society, enthusiastically welcomed us over. “I found my passion in this universe, and it’s to stop people from looking down, and begin to look up and wonder and have curiosity to what’s out there…,” she told the small crowd gathered around her two high-power telescopes. Suddenly, self-conscious about taking notes on my phone for this very article, I slipped it back into my pocket. “That’s my mission tonight, is to explain things in a different perspective.” Her passion and enthusiasm were contagious, sparking Naomi’s curiosity in the night sky and reminding me, once again, to capture the moment.
Grand finale: Sailing into summer memories
Our Dana Point grand finale, a dolphin and whale watching tour with Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching, was the perfect way to end our summer getaway. “Ocean!” Juna exclaimed once more as we boarded the catamaran with other families. The two-hour excursion led by marine naturalist experts guarantees marine mammal sightings—if you don’t see a whale or dolphin, you get a voucher for a future free trip. About a half-hour into the ride Naomi was getting restless. “I’m hungry,” she whined. Suddenly, a din ascended from the boat when we realized, a few passengers had spotted the first dolphin!
We quickly made our way up to the deck to see schools of dolphins joyfully splashing all around us. “Aww, they’re so cute!” Naomi squealed, hands gripping the rail at the tip of the boat, her sister by her side. In awe, Juna gasped, “Wow!”
Vacations are always a good idea, but another remedy for summer magic slipping away? Capturing moments, each and every one of them.
Nina Harada is L.A. Parent’s Digital Editor. When she’s not spending quality time with her husband and daughters, she’s working on her art and writing. You can find her on Instagram at ninaharada and ninaharadaart and on Substack at motherside.substack.com.
