Dana Point has a better claim to literary fame than most harbour towns in Orange County. In 1835 a young Harvard dropout named Richard Henry Dana Jr. spent months hauling cow hides on this stretch of the California coast as a common sailor, and he later wrote it up as Two Years Before the Mast. He described the bluff here as the only romantic spot on the coast, and the town took his name. Today the bluff holds a headland park and a harbour full of yachts, and a replica tall ship sits at the dock as a reminder of the age of hide and tallow.
The Pacific Coast Highway starts to feel like itself around here. South of Dana Point it is hemmed in by suburbs and surf shops, but heading north the road runs along cliffs and beaches, through Laguna Beach and Newport, and on toward Los Angeles and the long, wild coast beyond. This is a ride for the open morning, when the marine layer lifts and the road is quiet. The corners are gentle, speeds are low and traffic can be heavy, particularly on summer weekends, so patience is the main skill. Fog in May and June can persist well into the afternoon and is locally known as May Gray and June Gloom.
Just inland is San Juan Capistrano, about five kilometres away, with the old Spanish mission founded in 1776, its ruined stone church and its gardens. The swallows that nest there are said to return each year on the nineteenth of March, St Joseph's Day, and the town still holds a festival. It is worth a short detour from the coast for the quiet courtyards.
Fuel and food are no issue. Stations line the highway, and the harbour has plenty of fish tacos and clam chowder, along with cafes where riders gather on weekend mornings. Parking for motorcycles is usually easy at the harbour and at the state beaches. Doheny State Beach, just north of the harbour, is a long stretch of sand where surfers have been riding the small, steady waves for generations. In winter, grey whales pass offshore on their migration south, and you may see them from the headland with a good pair of binoculars.
Start early, ride north with the ocean on your left and take your time.