Festival of Whales 2027 in Dana Point: History, Whale Watching and Where to Stay

• Dates: Friday to Sunday, March 5 to 7, 2027
• Where: Dana Point Harbor, Lantern Bay Park and the Lantern District
• Cost: Most festival events are free. Whale watching cruises and select experiences are ticketed separately.
• Parade: Confirm 2027 day and time. In 2026 the parade stepped off Saturday at 10 a.m.]
• Getting around: The free Dana Point Trolley
• Full schedule: festivalofwhales.com and our Festival of Whales 2027 event listing

Gray whales make one of the longest migrations of any mammal. According to NOAA Fisheries, they travel about 10,000 miles round trip, and some cover more than 14,000, between Arctic feeding grounds and the warm lagoons of Baja California. From mid-February to May, they head north along the West Coast, right past Dana Point. Most towns celebrate a comeback after it happens.

Dana Point started celebrating before anyone knew there would be one. When Hansen, who founded Dana Wharf Sportfishing and helped bring recreational whale watching to Southern California, organized the first festival, the gray whale's future was uncertain. The population was not removed from the Endangered Species Act list until 1994. The festival has been there for every chapter of the recovery. That story is still being written. NOAA estimated the population peaked at about 27,000 whales roughly a decade ago, then declined. Its 2025 count of about 13,000 was the lowest since the 1970s, close to where things stood when the first festival was held.

The newest 2025/2026 survey showed an apparent increase, though scientists are still studying what is behind it. That makes the 2027 festival a hopeful one, and a good reminder of why this town has never skipped the party

In January 2021, the World Cetacean Alliance named Dana Point the first Whale Heritage Area in the Americas. The designation recognizes responsible whale watching, education, research and a community's cultural connection to whales and dolphins. The Festival of Whales, then 50 years running, was part of the case. Learn more about responsible coastal travel in Dana Point. 

Hotel rooms go fast on festival weekend, so choose your base by how you want to spend it.

The bluffs above Dana Point Harbor give you height, and height makes spouts easier to spot farther offshore. Go in the morning, when the water is often calmer before afternoon wind. Bring binoculars and watch for the blow, not the whale: a puff of vapor can hang above the water even when the whale barely surfaces. Our guide to the Bluff Top Trail and coastal walks shows where to go.

Where to stay: Blue Lantern Inn sits on the bluff above the harbor, and Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa is on the cliffs nearby. For a full resort weekend, The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel and Astoria Monarch Beach overlook the water at Salt Creek and Monarch Beach.

Whale watching cruises leave Dana Point Harbor all weekend, putting you right on the migration route. Dana Wharf Sportfishing and Whale Watching, founded by Don Hansen, still runs from the harbor where the festival began. Capt. Dave's Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari sails catamarans with underwater viewing pods. Festival weekend boats fill up, so reserve ahead. Our watching guide covers the season.

Where to stay: Dana Point whale Dana Point Marina Inn and Best Western Plus Marina Shores Hotel put you closest to the docks and the parade, so you can walk to the first boat and skip harbor parking.

Prefer a beach base? Doheny State Beach, California's first state beach, and nearby Capistrano Beach make an easy home for families who want sand time between festival events. Browse more Dana Point beaches. Where to stay: Hilton Garden Inn Dana Point Doheny Beach, Capistrano SurfSide Inn or The Beachfront Inn & Suites. Ride the free trolley to the harbor instead of hunting for parking.

Want more options? See our beachfront hotels or browse all places to stay in Dana Point

• Friday: Check in, catch the opening festivities, and watch the sunset from the bluff. Then have dinner by the water at one of the Dana Point restaurants near the harbor.
• Saturday: Scan for spouts from the bluff with your morning coffee, then claim a parade spot before 9 a.m. Spend the afternoon at the festival and the Ocean Institute, where hands-on programs bring local marine life to life for kids.
• Sunday: Take a morning whale watching cruise while the water is calmer. Book a whale watching tour, then finish with lunch in the Lantern District and a walk on the beach.

• Rooms: Festival weekend is one of the busiest of the spring. Book as soon as your dates are set, and check current Dana Point hotel offers.
• Whale watching cruises: Festival weekend boats sell out. Reserve ahead.
• Parking: Harbor lots fill early on parade morning. Arrive before 9 a.m., take the trolley, or stay within walking distance of the harbor.
• What to pack: March is mild but mornings can be overcast. Bring layers, a jacket for the boat and binoculars.

The festival is a party for the whales, so give them room. If you are kayaking or paddleboarding, NOAA's Be Whale Wise guidelines ask you to stay at least 100 yards away, about the length of a football field, and never move between a mother and her calf. Mothers with calves may travel closer to shore on the northbound trip, which is part of what makes spring viewing here so special. Choosing a local operator that follows responsible viewing practices helps keep Dana Point a Whale Heritage Area