Ocean Institute

Ocean Institute is a museum in California, at a modelled elevation of 3 m. Santiago Peak stands 1,734 m to the north-northeast, 20 miles off. The nearest named place is Baby Beach, a beach 0.2 miles away. 43 named summits stand within 25 miles.
The story
The Ocean Institute is an ocean education organization located in Dana Point, California. Founded as the Orange County Marine Institute in 1977, it offers ocean science and maritime history programs for K–12 students and their teachers. Over 100,000 students and 8,000 teachers from Orange County and the surrounding counties participate yearly in immersion-style programs in the institute's oceanfront labs and abroad. The institute is open to the general public on weekdays, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., and weekends, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.; visitors can see marine animals and ocean-themed exhibits. While creating the Nickelodeon animated television show SpongeBob SquarePants, biologist and cartoonist Stephen Hillenburg drew inspiration from his time teaching at the Ocean Institute. Moored at the institute is its 70-foot marine science research vessel, the R/V Sea Explorer, used for student programs and to take visitors on trips to see marine wildlife, including whale watching on weekends. The institute also partners with the Lazy-W Ranch, a camp located in the Cleveland National Forest where students study the ecosystem and California history. It provides outreach programs via a mobile laboratory provided by the "Ocean in Motion" van and distance learning via video conference.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Wikidata Q3348664, referenced by the OpenStreetMap record.
What to expect
How to reach it
Named places within 25 miles
- Dana Point Marine Life Refuge: 0.3 mi
- Heritage Park: 0.6 mi
- La Plaza Park: 0.6 mi
- Strands Beach At Salt Creek: 0.6 mi
- Lantern Bay County Park: 0.9 mi
- Made In OC: 3.7 mi
- Bird Houses: 4.9 mi
- Gandhi: 6.7 mi
- Marie Curie: 6.7 mi
- Laguna Beach "L": 7.0 mi
- USA HOUSE: 1.8 mi
- Dr. Michael John Mammone: 2.1 mi
- Reikers Point: 3.3 mi
- San Juan Capistrano Veterans Memorial: 3.7 mi
- The Great Stone Church: 3.8 mi
- Niguel Hill: 3.9 mi
- Aliso Peak: 4.0 mi
- Temple Hill: 6.8 mi
- Pocket Mouse Hill: 7.7 mi
- Signal Peak: 11.6 mi
- White Oak Springs: 13.3 mi
- Hot Spring: 14.0 mi
- Dobe Spring: 14.0 mi
- Los Chinos Spring: 14.1 mi
- Carrillo Spring: 14.3 mi
- Mission San Juan Capistrano: 3.8 mi
- Giant Wheel at Irvine Spectrum Center: 13.2 mi
- The Balls: 14.7 mi
- Great Park Balloon: 14.8 mi
- Great Park Carousel: 14.8 mi
- Baby Beach: 0.2 mi
- North Day Use Beach: 1.2 mi
- Group Campsite: 1.6 mi
- South Day Use Beach: 1.9 mi
- Poche Beach: 3.2 mi
- Blas Aguilar Adobe: 3.8 mi
- Surfing Heritage and Culture Center: 6.6 mi
- Laguna Art Museum: 7.4 mi
- Pretend City Children's Museum: 12.6 mi
- Irvine Historical Society: 15.7 mi
- Niguel Botanical Preserve: 4.9 mi
- Butterfly Garden: 10.1 mi
- Garden Center 1: 10.9 mi
- Sherman Library & Gardens: 13.7 mi
- Aldrich Park Rock Garden: 15.0 mi
- Old Corral Picnic Area: 10.3 mi
- Group Picnic #1: 14.4 mi
- Calit2 Patio: 14.8 mi
- Vista Point: 15.2 mi
- Sunset View Picnic Area: 17.3 mi
- Trestles Wetlands Natural Preserve: 8.4 mi
- San Onofre State Beach: 8.6 mi
- Buck Gully Reserve: 12.6 mi
- William R. Mason Regional Park (wilderness area): 14.9 mi
- Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park: 15.9 mi
- Dana Point Seasonal Waterfall: 0.3 mi
- Lion Canyon Falls: 18.2 mi
- Tenaja Falls: 19.0 mi
- Holly Jim Falls: 19.5 mi
- Harding Canyon Falls: 19.5 mi
- Rayzilla Viewpoint: 6.7 mi
- Rayzilla Rest Area: 6.7 mi
- Aliso Creek Rest Area (Southbound): 20.0 mi
- Aliso Creek Rest Area (Northbound): 20.5 mi
- Coyote Bluff: 3.6 mi
- San Onofre Bluff: 11.8 mi
- Willard: 23.4 mi
- Rancho Temescal: 24.7 mi
- Three Arches: 2.6 mi
Summits around it
The highest named summits within 25 miles of Ocean Institute. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.
| Summit | Bearing | Elevation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santiago Peak | NNE 30° | 1,734 m | 19.9 mi |
| Modjeska Peak | NNE 28° | 1,675 m | 20.2 mi |
| Clark | E 99° | 1,527 m | 21.6 mi |
| Trabuco Peak | NE 39° | 1,401 m | 21.3 mi |
| Los Pinos Peak | NE 44° | 1,373 m | 19.5 mi |
| Horsethief Peak | NE 42° | 1,315 m | 21.2 mi |
| Pleasants Peak | NNE 14° | 1,211 m | 23.9 mi |
| Bald Peak | NNE 26° | 1,197 m | 22.6 mi |
When to go
Light through the year
| Date | Sunrise | Golden hour | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 06:55 | 18:30 | 19:03 |
| June solstice | 05:42 | 19:28 | 20:05 |
| September equinox | 06:40 | 18:16 | 18:49 |
| December solstice | 06:52 | 16:10 | 16:48 |
Local time (America/Los_Angeles).
Climate normals
Months averaging 50–80 °F: year-round.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg °F | 56 | 56 | 59 | 61 | 65 | 67 | 70 | 71 | 70 | 66 | 60 | 56 |
| Precip in | 2.8 | 3.4 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 1.9 |
1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Laguna Beach, 7 mi away.
Where this comes from
Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.
OpenStreetMapWikipediaWikidataOfficial siteOpenStreetMap element node/7087589651
Day trips start here
- Dana Point · 1 mi
- Laguna Niguel · 4 mi
- San Juan Capistrano · 4 mi
- Laguna Beach · 6 mi
- San Clemente · 6 mi
- Aliso Viejo · 7 mi
Take the scenic way to Ocean Institute.
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