On October 31, 2026, the restaurants and shops in Buildings 2 through 5 of the Wharf at Dana Point Harbor serve their final customers. The Wharf closes to the public on November 1 so Phase 4 of the Commercial Core revitalization can begin. The harbor itself keeps running. Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching and Catalina Express will move into temporary trailers and keep running excursions seven days a week. So October is the last month the harbor's dining and its boats share the same waterfront. After that, the boats carry on from beside a parking structure while the restaurants leave for other locations, retirement, or a hoped-for spot in the rebuilt Wharf.
The rebuilt Wharf has limited room for returning businesses. Phase 4 calls for about 20,000 square feet of new waterfront buildings, eight new tenants and as many as four returning ones. At least five departing businesses have been named as being in talks to come back, and the published reporting describes those as discussions, not finalized returns. That makes this October more than a farewell. For some of these places, the visits they get this month may be the last ones at this address for good.
Who is leaving, and where each one stands
The first closure has already happened. Wind & Sea Restaurant served its final customers on September 15 so abatement and demolition could start on Building 1. The harbor's tribute marked 54 years. Owner Bob Mardian told the Dana Point Times he plans to make Sun Valley, Idaho, his primary home and spend winters on Oahu. Talks with Dana Point Harbor Partners on a reimagined concept in the finished project are being led by general manager Jay Styles. Mardian had earlier said he was offered a second-story space in the Boathouse, a planned food hall, and no agreement has been finalized.
Here is where every other Wharf business stands as of the most recent reporting.
| Business | Last day on the Wharf | Reported status |
|---|---|---|
| Turk's | October 31 | Plans to serve daily through the closure; in return discussions |
| Proud Mary's | October 31 | Owner Steve Zdrakas would consider reopening only in an existing restaurant space; no plan in place |
| Top Brass | October 31 | No relocation or return plan reported |
| Golden Galleon | October 31 | Looking for a temporary local site; wants to return to the redeveloped harbor |
| Art Sea Gift Chateau | October 31 | In return discussions; no temporary address reported |
| Frisby Cellars & Brewing | October 31 | In active talks for a harbor lease, none signed; staying open in Rancho Mission Viejo |
| Vintage Yacht Club | Not specified | Exploring local relocation options |
Dana Point Harbor Partners has named Wind & Sea, Turk's, Art Sea Gift Chateau, Golden Galleon and Frisby Cellars as the businesses still in discussions with Burnham-Ward Properties' leasing team about the finished project. Bryon Ward, president of Burnham-Ward Properties, asked the community to support these businesses "not only now, but into the next chapter for these businesses as well."
One harbor business has already confirmed where it's going next. Coco Bloom Coffee is leaving its temporary harbor storefront and plans to open a café this winter at 1500 W. Balboa Blvd. in Newport Beach.
The two shops running closing sales
The two longest-running retailers on the Wharf are both holding sales through the last day. Golden Galleon, whose owner the harbor profiled after 46 years in Dana Point Harbor, is holding a storewide "Golden Sale" through October 31. Art Sea Gift Chateau's harbor calendar listing shows 50% off storewide through the same date. Golden Galleon's co-owners have said they want to come back to the redeveloped harbor. Nobody has reported a temporary address for either shop, so after October 31 there's no confirmed place to find them.
Frisby Cellars gives the Wharf its last party
Frisby Cellars & Brewing has made the most detailed plans for its final month. The business came to the harbor in 2018. In June 2025 it moved into the former Waterman's Harbor restaurant space. Wags & Wine, Taco Tuesday and Sunday live music continue through October 31, along with private and upgraded waterfront tastings. The last night falls on Halloween. Frisby's "Last Boorah" runs from 5 to 9 p.m. with a live DJ, a costume contest, wine, beer and food.
Owner Josh Frisby, a San Clemente native and Orange County Fire Authority fire captain, told the Dana Point Times that he hopes to come back:
"The harbor is our first choice. We love the harbor."
While construction is underway, wine club members from Dana Point keep their benefits at Frisby's 6,000-square-foot Rancho Mission Viejo tasting room, about nine miles from the harbor. That location recently signed another seven-year lease. The wine bingo nights, pairing nights and club pickup parties that used to happen on the Wharf move there too.
October on the harbor calendar
Several pop-ups and events fill out the month around the closing businesses. Culture Pizza, a sourdough pizza pop-up set up outside the former Jon's Fish Market next to Frisby Cellars, soft-launched on August 21 and is scheduled to run through the end of October. It hasn't secured a permanent harbor lease. Its own event calendar lists it on select weekends, so check its schedule before you go.
Dated events for the rest of the month:
- Tuesdays in October. Half-price whale-watching trips with Dana Wharf.
- Wednesdays, October 7, 14, 21 and 28, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Certified Farmers Market. Harbor sources describe its location near the parking structure in slightly different ways, so look for posted signs.
- Friday, October 16, 1 to 7 p.m. The Parlor pop-up in the Wharf Courtyard.
- Saturday, October 17, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The second annual Dogapalooza at Bump Out Park, with dog yoga, a pack walk, a costume contest, food trucks and a beer-and-wine garden run by Frisby Cellars.
- Sunday, October 25, 1 to 7 p.m. A second The Parlor pop-up.
- Friday, October 30, 10 to 10:45 a.m. Little Folk Club.
- Saturday, October 31, 5 to 9 p.m. Frisby's Last Boorah, the final event on the Wharf before it closes.
What carries on after November 1
The working harbor carries on through Phase 4. Dana Point Harbor Partners says access to harbor businesses outside the Wharf will stay uninterrupted. That includes Dana Point Yacht Club, Dana West Yacht Club, Aventura Sailing Association, Captain Dave's Dolphin Safari, Ocean Institute and Pure Watersports. The construction fence set for Phase 5 on July 7 was drawn to keep the public boardwalk and boater docks open.
For anyone heading out on a fishing trip, a whale watch or a Catalina crossing, the change is mostly about where you walk once you park. Dana Wharf and Catalina Express are moving to temporary trailers next to the Harbor Parking Structure, and the structure will have dedicated parking for excursion guests. The harbor's parking page sends those customers to Level 3 of the 984-space structure at 799 Harbor Way. The first four hours are free. After that it's $6 an hour, up to $24 a day, while spaces last. Neither source gives a trailer address or a marked walking route yet, so allow a few extra minutes on your first trip after the closure.
Work on the water is ahead of work on land. Phase 12 of The Marina at Dana Point opened for occupancy on September 14. The marina is now more than four-fifths of the way through its 15-phase rebuild, with Phase 13 set to start this fall. The two proposed harbor hotels are a separate case. They're stalled after the Orange County Board of Supervisors deadlocked on August 25 over the ground leases needed to finance them. Dana Point Marina Inn remains open and is taking reservations through December 2026.
The harbor's holiday events move to the parking structure area. Happy Harbor Days lights are scheduled from November 12, 2026, through January 10, 2027. Harbor After Dark, a new holiday night market at the parking structure, is listed for November 19 from 4 to 8 p.m., with rotating food trucks and seasonal drinks.
On November 1, the Wharf's shops and restaurants close. The fishing boats, the Catalina ferry, the yacht clubs, the Ocean Institute and the Wednesday market keep going, all a short walk from the same parking structure.
When the Wharf reopens, its new mix of businesses will change how people experience the harbor-front addresses nearby. Kathy Samuel has followed Dana Point Harbor through every stage of the revitalization and can give owners near the waterfront a clear read on what each phase means for their homes. Request a Private Home Valuation to see where your property stands as the Wharf's next chapter takes shape.
