History Ashore in Dana Point

Dana Point, named for a sailor who visited the area in the trading ship Pilgrim during the first half of the 19th Century, retains a nautical flair.

On weekends, it is possible to visit the tall ship Pilgrim--a replica of the brig that carried Richard Henry Dana here--now moored in scenic Dana Point Harbor, as well as an interactive museum display depicting marine life, in the adjacent Orange County Marine Institute. On weekdays, however, these attractions are limited to private groups, so you have to go up the road apiece to get your fix of local historical lore.

11 to noon: The Nautical Heritage Museum is housed in a Cape Cod-style building also known as the Dana Lighthouse. The property and collection within belong to a man named Steve Christman, and it’s one of the great little surprises of the area.

The focus of the museum is miniature ship models, though it is chock-full of artifacts from the 18th and 19th centuries, paintings, documents written by prominent U.S. and British naval officers and much more. Christman had these items in his home but discovered he was running out of room. Eventually the collection grew to the point where he decided to share it with the public.

Among the more interesting items are a scaled-down version of H.M.S. Victory, Adm. Horatio Nelson’s celebrated warship; a bubble sextant, used to navigate when the horizon is not visible, and various antiquated weapons of destruction such as muskets.

A number of the paintings and model ships can be bought, though that is not the primary intent. Make Christman an offer he can’t refuse, and you’ll probably find yourself with a talked-about centerpiece in your living room. Otherwise, content yourself with the fact that the museum has no admission charge and let your imagination run to thoughts of gunships, naval skirmishes and great white whales.

Noon to 1: Thai This is one of Orange County’s most creative and appealing Thai restaurants. The sunny, cheerful dining room has lots of tropically themed furniture, such as bamboo chairs and cane-framed mirrors, plus a surfeit of elegant Thai artifacts. The large menu contains an interesting spin too. Traditional Thai dishes are given bizarre, sometimes amusing, names that don’t exactly connect with reality. (For example, num kon --a Thai take on Chinese chicken salad--is called John Says Yes. And sam lum --a homage to taquitos consisting of minced fish, shrimp and cilantro in a fried shell--is dubbed Golden Triangle.)

The talent behind Thai This is a great chef named Somlak Kaewampai, who combines a firm hand with an artist’s touch. For $9.95, you get a remarkable appetizer combination plate, four delicacies, each with an accompanying sauce. Her multicolored curries are nothing short of magic. Don’t miss the $4.95 lunch, which consists of one main entree plus a fine, clear vegetable broth, a cabbage salad with an unctuous peanut dressing, poh piah-- the dense, meaty Thai egg roll--and a mound of fragrant Thai rice. This lunch is an outright steal.

1 to 2: The Landmark is one of the most diverse and densely packed antique places anywhere. It is housed in a charming wooden building dating from the ‘20s, first built as a land lease office. Co-owner Connie Veldkamp recently sandblasted the paint off the front of the building, in the process discovering lost layers of paint revealing that it was once a dance hall, pottery shed and garage.

The antique mall houses 20-odd dealers selling items from lamps to clocks to crystal to silver. Among the more diverting pieces spotted include a 10-foot burled walnut dresser with marble top, a red Coke machine and an Art Deco jewelry stand depicting a ballet dancer in solid silver. One dealer, whose work is kept on the mall’s lower level, does beautiful hand-painted designs on antique furniture. There are enough pieces in this mall to keep your attention for hours.