The original inhabitants of Doheny were the Acjachemen (Juaneno) tribe who occupied the land that is now considered Orange County.

[3] It is estimated that they inhabited the land for close to 9,000 years before their first contact with Europeans in 1769 with Gaspar de Portola and his Spanish soldiers and Franciscan missionaries.

An additional 21 acres (8.5 ha) was later added by acquisitions from the Santa Fe Railroad, University of California Regents, and the Union Oil Company.

[6] In the late 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps built campgrounds, picnic areas, and custodian lodges in Doho under the "New Deal" program under the Roosevelt administration.

[8] The California coastline has been rapidly eroding, causing concern, and there is a need for policymakers and land-use planners to develop effective strategies for coastal management.

[11] The idea was first heard in 1964 when it was said the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce was seeking gov and military assistance for the installation of the harbor.

The beach is home to several types of marine life, such as abalone, anemone, several types of sea bass, crabs, the common dolphin, harbor seal, kelp, California moray, sea urchin, octopus, stingrays, several varieties of sharks (including the Great White), as well as many other marine life.

Several types of birds also live at the beach such as brown pelican, great blue heron, snowy egret, and several other species.