Pirates and Tall Ships Coming to a Harbor Near You

If you want to feel like Johnny Depp's character Jack Sparrow in any of the Pirates movies, you need to attend the Toshiba Tall Ships Festival in Dana Point Harbor this weekend.

It's a show—with beautiful ships with billowing sails and rowdy pirates—that will take you back to another time.

The festival, in its 27th year, begins Friday, Sept. 9, and runs from 3:30-7:30 p.m. It continues Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

A flotilla of tall ships enters the harbor the first day. The ships are then made available for visitors to climb aboard and explore throughout the festival.

Interactive living-history encampments including blacksmiths, scrimshaw artists. The Port Royal Privateers will also be on hand.

Inside the Ocean Institute, visitors can explore work being done to protect the local watersheds through hands-on labs and art activities and can get up close and personal with sea creatures, including sea stars, jellies, rays and octopuses.

Kids can participate in the Friendly Pirate school, where they can learn  to walk, talk and sing like a pirate.

During the festival, parking in the harbor area will be limited, and there will be no parking at the Ocean Institute.

Free parking and shuttle service will be available at Salt Creek Beach Park at Pacific Coast Highway and Selva Road. There is no parking allowed on Dana Point Harbor Drive during the festival. 

Salt Creek Parking Lot
If traveling on the I-5 south: Exit on Pacific Coast Highway. If traveling on the I-5 north: exit at Beach Cities. From either off-ramp, go past Dana Point Harbor Drive about 1.7 miles. Turn left on Selva Road. Lot will be on the right.

For more information, call the Ocean Institute at 949-496-2274 949-496-2274 or visit tallshipsfestival.com/2011.

Admission is free. Prices vary for admission to the Ocean Institute and cruises.