You can check in and never get back into your car—there is just so much you can walk to from this unpretentious, surprisingly affordable inn. Fifty paces south is whiskey bread pudding at the Brig; farther on, you can drink until you're hammered at Turk's. Sleep it off in your king room or one-bedroom suite, then get in on some outdoor action: fishing or whale-watching, standup paddleboarding, shopping, biking, exploring at the Ocean Institute or the tide pools nearby. Come sunset, nab a fire pit at Doheny and watch the sky go dark around the flames. Visit in summer and take the free trolley, which connects to Laguna Beach's free trolley—you can go all the way to the Sawdust Festival and back, or even down to Capo Beach. Better yet, to truly enjoy some throwback, uncrowded harbor life—despite the Times Square makeover Dana Point has under way on the cliffs up above—pick a couple of weekdays when there's no festivals (whale, tall ship or otherwise) on the schedule for your stay. Then, you know, get back in your car.
