If 19th century fur trader Henry Dana declared Dana Point as the most romantic place on the California coast, perhaps he missed the charms of Corona del Mar, Spanish for Crown of the Sea. We believe that the two locations could easily share title for romance and views. Many a romantic proposal has been made on the hilltop overlooking the beaches of Corona del Mar, an Orange County, California beach city just 15 -20 miles north of Dana Point. Part of the City of Newport Beach, Corona del Mar is operated by the City of Newport Beach, but certainly maintains its own identity, zip code, and chamber of commerce.

Like Newport Beach the residential streets and coves keep Corona del Mar limited in its ability to host millions of visitors like beaches to the north in Huntington Beach and Los Angeles. But the mansion and cottage-lined streets of Corona del Mar are what protect it from becoming overrun with too many tourists and traffic. When the street parking and beach parking lots are full, then on you must go to another nearby beach.

As you stand on hills with paths or steps leading to the beach (you can also park right at the beach for a fee), colorful red flowers frame your view of a curving coast, strewn with houses above rocky structures that jut into the water. Known for flowers, Corona del Mar streets have flower names. Poppy, orchid, marigold, poinsettia, narcissus, larkspur, jasmine, iris and goldenrod are some of the flower-named streets.

To start your flower tour, stop and Sherman Gardens and do a tabulation of how many street names in Corona del Mar are represented in the gardens. For those seeking a charming village environment, veer away from Pacific Coast Highway and drive down one of the flower-named streets to the beach. You'll be amazed at what you may have missed, had you not ventured toward the flowers.