Ellie's Table
Get there before 10 on a weekend or the wait kills the whole morning. Order the eggs and whatever pastry looks fresh. Sit at the communal table if they have one. This is the breakfast Capistrano locals actually go to, not the tourist version down the street.
Eggs and pastry. Ask what came out of the oven that morning. Skip the coffee, it's fine but not the point.
- Address
- 31892 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675, USA
- Find it
- Open in Google Maps →
More in Dana Point
See all →
Dana Wharf Whale Watching
4.8★Activity · Heavy hitter
Book the 8 a.m. boat. Bring seasickness meds even if you're confident. The whales are usually there. Morning light on the water beats the overcrowded 10 a.m. tour. You'll see dolphins, sea lions, maybe a blue whale. Bring a hoodie.
Mission San Juan Capistrano
4.8★Activity · Heavy hitter
Arrive before 10 when the courtyards are still quiet. Walk straight through the adobe buildings to the Serra Chapel, the small sandstone church where the swallows actually return. The stone floors are cool. Tour the museum if you want context, but the walk is the thing.
Salt Creek Beach
4.8★Walk · Heavy hitter
Park at the lot and take the bluff trail south toward the cove. The tide pools sit exposed at low tide, striped with anemones and starfish. Most people stay on the main beach. Walk the rocks instead. The light hits different down there.