The 49th Turkey Trot Lands on a Harbor Without Its Wharf

What happens when a race that had more interest than it had spots comes back to a harbor where the Wharf is closed?

Thanksgiving is four weeks from today. On Thursday, Nov. 26, the 49th Dana Point Turkey Trot will fill Dana Point Harbor again. The harbor will look different this time. The Wharf closes to the public on Sunday, Nov. 1, for Phase 4 of the Commercial Core Revitalization, so this is the first Trot since that project reached the Wharf's restaurants and shops. This year the race spreads out to handle the crowd. It has a later start wave, two remote shuttle lots, and a staging area on the Golden Lantern corner of the harbor.

A Crowd Bigger Than the Field

Last year's race was the biggest one yet. Dana Point Times reported a record turnout of more than 12,000 runners, joggers and costumed participants at the 48th annual Trot on Thanksgiving 2025. Vickie McMurchie, president of the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce and the event's promoter, told the paper the field had already grown:

"This was our largest one yet, so we added another 500 spots this year. We sold out pretty much every race … and we could have easily probably had 14,000 to 15,000 this year, based on the calls and emails alone."

In the same interview, she said that year's runners came from 38 states and 17 countries. The Daily Pilot described the Chamber-hosted race as certified by USA Track & Field, with more than 10,000 participants every year.

The 2026 schedule has one start that didn't exist last year. The race's FAQ marks a 10 a.m. 5K Family Walk/Run as "NEW THIS YEAR" and calls it the most relaxed, family-friendly option, open to walkers and strollers. That gives three 5K starts on the same course instead of two. A 10K, a costume contest and a kids' mile surround them.

The Middle of the Harbor Goes Quiet on Nov. 1

The race returns to a smaller version of the harbor. According to the Dana Point Harbor Partners construction schedule, Wind & Sea had its last day on Sept. 15. Saturday, Oct. 31, is the last day of business on the Wharf for the remaining restaurants and shops. Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching and Catalina Express will keep running out of temporary trailers during construction.

Dana Point Times reported that the Turkey Trot and other harbor events will go on during construction. Only the Wharf is closing. The rest of the harbor stays open.

For many families, a stop on the Wharf has been part of race morning. The same Dana Point Times report covered where two of its businesses are going. Turk's, a family-owned restaurant and bar in the harbor since 1984, plans to come back to the Wharf after construction. It is looking at other local spots in the meantime. Owner Candy Varteresian told the paper her team will be "pouring and serving daily through Oct. 31 on the Wharf," and invited customers to "come down and celebrate the many memories we have shared on the water." That leaves two more days, starting today. Frisby Cellars will keep serving at its Rancho Mission Viejo location while construction runs.

Last year's men's 10K winner noticed the harbor changing even before the Wharf closed. Sydney Gidabuday ran 29:44 to win. He told Dana Point Times he had run the Trot with his family a few times over the past decade, that his first visit to the harbor was around 2010 or 2011, and that it is "growing," though "it still has the same charm."

Thanksgiving Morning, Start by Start

The race's home base sits on the Golden Lantern side of the harbor, away from the Wharf. Registration, packet pickup and the expo all share the area at the corner of Dana Point Harbor Drive and Golden Lantern, 25001 Dana Point Harbor Dr. On Race Roster, that location is listed as the Dana Marina Plaza parking lot.

Here is the published schedule:

1. Wednesday, Nov. 25, noon to 6 p.m.: Packet pickup at Dana Marina Plaza. You pick up your T-shirt and bib, and the bib number is assigned at check-in.
2. Thursday, Nov. 26, 6 to 11 a.m.: Race-day packet pickup at the same lot.
3. 7 a.m.: 10K.
4. 8:30 a.m.: First 5K.
5. 9 a.m.: Costume contest.
6. 9:30 a.m.: Second 5K.
7. 10 a.m.: 5K Family Walk/Run, new this year.
8. 10:30 a.m.: Kids' 1-Mile Gobble Wobble, for ages 2 to 12.

Medals are handed out at the finish line, not at pickup. The Dana Point Harbor event listing runs the whole event from 7 to 11 a.m.

Getting There

Race Roster lists free shuttles on race day from 5:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., making continuous loops from two parking lots:

• Dana Hills High School, 33333 Golden Lantern, Dana Point
• Costco, 33961 Doheny Park Rd., San Juan Capistrano

Both shuttles drop off at Del Prado and Golden Lantern near Ralphs, one block from the race. The page reminds riders to get on the right shuttle for the trip back to their car. Public parking is also listed at the Dana Point Harbor parking structure, 799 Harbor Way, plus street parking on Del Prado and the city's public lots in the Lantern District.

The posted shuttle details differ by source. Visit Dana Point's Oct. 6 guide lists shuttles from 5:30 to 11:15 a.m. from Dana Hills High only. If you plan to finish the 10 a.m. walk and then catch a ride from Costco, check the race site the week of Thanksgiving.

The 2026 route isn't posted yet. The official course map page still says the 2026 map is "coming soon," and the material below that note is labeled as 2025. Last year, Dana Point Times reported that the 10K started and finished at the harbor entrance and ran through Doheny State Beach, over the Harbor Island Bridge and out to the Ocean Institute. Makenna Myler won the women's 10K in 32:12 and called the course "nice and flat," with "good views as you run."

Picking a Start

All three 5Ks use the same course. The only differences are the start time and the pace of the crowd. The FAQ says the 8:30 a.m. start draws the most competitive runners. The 9:30 a.m. start is a mix of runners and walkers. The new 10 a.m. start is for strollers and anyone taking it slow. Every 5K uses wave starts, and your chip time doesn't begin until you cross the start line, so there's no reason to crowd the front of the corral if you're walking.

Families have one more new option. When you register a child for the Gobble Wobble, you can add an Adult Gobble Buddy. The adult gets a bib and a finisher medal but isn't chip-timed. You can't register for it on its own, and the organizer says spots are limited. Parents can still walk alongside their kids without one. Family members who will be out of town can sign up for the virtual 5K, and the race ships the T-shirt and medal.

Where the Money Goes This Year

The charity partners are different this year. In 2025 they were the Dana Point Historical Society, the Dana Point Women's Club and YMCA Orange County. The 2026 charity page names the Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley and the RH Dana Elementary School Booster Club. Dana Point Times reported that the race has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for local nonprofits over five decades.

Pick your start, plan to park at Dana Hills High or Costco, and check the course map once it goes up.

We'll be at the harbor on Thanksgiving morning too. If you want to talk about life near the harbor while construction runs, or just compare notes on the best start time, the team at Habig Homes is around all fall. Start Your Coastal Search with people who know where the shuttle drops off.