Boating in Orange County: Newport, Huntington and Dana Point

Orange County boating centers on three harbors: Newport Harbor, Dana Point Harbor and Huntington Harbour. Newport is one of the largest recreational harbors in the country, Dana Point is a county-owned harbor with a six-lane ramp, and Huntington Harbour is a residential canal harbor behind a Navy-controlled entrance.

Where to launch

• Newport Dunes Launch Ramp is the public trailer launch for Newport Harbor, on the Upper Bay. The Orange County Sheriff's Harbor Patrol estimates about 40 minutes at 5 mph to reach the breakwater.
• Dana Point Harbor Launch Ramp is a six-lane ramp listed as open 24 hours. Confirm the posted fee at the ramp. Embarcadero dry boat storage is on the same site.
• Sunset Aquatic Park and Marina in Huntington Beach has a launch with two boarding floats, dry storage and wet slips.
• Baby Beach is a calm spot to hand-launch kayaks and paddleboards.

Harbors and marinas

• Newport Harbor runs more than three miles, with a roughly 20-foot main channel and about 1,600 moorings. Marina Park has 23 guest slips, bookable up to six months ahead.
• Newport Harbor Yacht Club is private. Visitors need a reciprocal membership card. See also Newport Beach.
• Dana Point Harbor has more than 2,400 slips and is in a long-running redevelopment. Dana Point Fuel Dock sells diesel and gasoline in the east basin. See also Dana Point.
• Huntington Harbour has about 680 acres of canals and five islands, entered through Anaheim Bay.

Islands and destinations

Balboa Island sits in the middle of Newport Harbor, with public docks of varying time limits. Keep clear of the Balboa Island Ferry lane. Newport Beach to Avalon, Catalina is about 26 nautical miles.

Rules every boater should know here

• Newport Harbor is a 5 mph, no-wake, no-discharge harbor, with only clean tap water released. Anchorage use is limited to 72 hours and quiet hours run 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
• Dana Point Harbor is 5 mph and no-wake. Anchor only in the two designated anchorages, for up to five days in any 30.
• Anaheim Bay, the Huntington Harbour approach, is controlled by the Navy. Stay in the marked public channel. Personal watercraft must be towed, and kayaks and paddleboards are prohibited.
• Harbor Patrol (OC Sheriff) monitors VHF 16, (949) 723-1002 for emergencies at Newport and Dana Point.
• California Boater Card: required for every operator of a motorized vessel, regardless of age, since January 1, 2025.

Conditions and seasons

Newport's upper reaches are shallow, with about 8 feet of controlling depth outside the main channel, so watch the tide. The City began a large dredging project in November 2025, expected to take 10 to 12 months. Baby Beach is routinely posted for bacteria, so check OC Beach Info before swimming. Dana Point puts you in open water in about five minutes, and whales and dolphins can be seen across the year.

Boat services in the region

Salt-water slips and moorings call for regular bottom cleaning and detailing. Boatyards, fuel docks and dry storage are concentrated at Newport and Dana Point, and dry storage reduces bottom growth. Pump-outs are common, with 10 public stations at Newport.