Kirkland Kountry: Cali Trip Day Three: Dana Point and Laguna Beach

Our third day was probably the best because it wasn't to jam-packed, but we definitely made use of our time! My uncle wanted to take us to a different type of beach since Laine didn't LOVE the kelp, waves, hot sand, etc. at the regular beach. He took us to Dana Point's harbor and there they made a "kiddie" beach area that was perfect for little ones. It was similar to a lake beach because there were no waves, it was shallow and roped off. Around the kiddie beach there was a lot of green grass to play in and a beautiful harbor with huge boats and a bunch of amazing homes that overlooked the harbor. Above us there was a wedding going on that looked out over the harbor/ocean and I have to admit I was slightly jealous of that couple! Laine had a blast playing in the sand and water while my uncle and I paddle boarded!! If you know me at all, then you know I have a fear of deep, dark water and also of fish. Not only did I conquer that fear, but I did it on a 9 foot long board that was about 2 feet wide. Paddle boarding is just like it sounds, you get on a surfboard looking thing and use an oar to guide you through the water. I practiced in the lagoon area and once I got my balance and felt confident enough, we paddled around the little island in the harbor. During the first leg, we paddled next to a rock jetti where the waves here crashing up on the rocks. Then, we came to the opening where boats come and go from the wide open ocean! That was probably the scariest part because when you caught the wake of a boat the board would rock back and forth and I had to stop and hold on for dear life with my feet. I didn't fall off once though! Then, once we were past that part we came in to the harbor area where the boats were. I loved this leg because we were really close to all these huge, beautiful boats and other paddle boarders, kayakers and people coming in on their boats off the ocean. I honestly cannot believe I did that, but it was so worth it! I hope if we go back I can do it again and maybe Jackson will join me! Once we got back to the lagoon area, my mom got on her knees and paddled around the shallow area with me and that was fun too. We took back the boards and played in the sand with Laine before we took our stuff back to the car and went to see the actual point in Dana Point. You walk along the dock area and then come to a trail where it takes you to the point of Dana Point and it's absolutely breathtaking. We sat on a bench and just watched the waves come in and crash on these huge rocks. There was one lone house sitting on the edge of this cliff and I couldn't believe that they spent everyday watching the beautiful ocean day in and day out. After that, we headed back towards San Clemente and ate at a fish taco place called Wahoo's. I really think it would be a big hit here in Dallas, so maybe one day they'll venture to Texas! That night we drove back through Dana Point to Laguna Beach and spent the evening there. We took a walk that was next to the ocean. We took stairs up to this beautiful path lined with lush green plants and the most colorful flowers you've ever seen. I found the condo that I want to live in because the view of the ocean is amazing from the balconies. I can't even put in to words how beautiful this walk was. It's something I never even imagined existed. After the walk, we went down into the downtown area and walked around. The town happened to be hosting two huge events that night, so it was very crowded so we only stayed for a little bit. That area would've been more fun without a three year old, so I quickly bought a Laguna Beach sweatshirt, we bought Laine some candy from this awesome candy store and then some ice cream at a famous place there in Laguna. Then, we went back to the car and drove out of the downtown area and at a really good place called Coyote Grill. The view from the patio at that restaurant was supposedly awesome, but since it was dark we just sat inside. It was late by that time and we were all exhausted from our busy day so we ate real fast and headed back to San Clemente. We decided since we had such a busy two days we'd probably lay low for our last day and hang at the beach. Day four was just as fun as the first three!