Welcome to San Clemente
Beautiful beaches in the Spanish Village by the Sea.
San Clemente is an oceanfront Orange County city located at the midway point between Los Angeles and San Diego. Known as “the Spanish Village by the Sea” for its Spanish Colonial-style architecture, San Clemente was developed as a seaside resort in the 1920s. Iconic local properties include Richard Nixon’s Western White House, a grand Spanish-style mansion in a gated community perched atop the Bluffs close to San Onofre beach. Most downtown shops and restaurants are adorned with Spanish-style stucco walls and red-tile roofs, with similarly-designed homes dotted throughout the Lausen and North Beach neighborhoods. Southwest San Clemente features original 1920s style properties and lavish oceanfront estates, while the Southwest Riveria neighborhood is composed mostly of newer properties, with many designed in the Cape Cod architectural style. San Clemente’s convenient location and idyllic climate and scenery have made the city a popular destination for young professionals.
Avenida Del Mar in San Clemente’s downtown main street, running just below Interstate 5 to San Clemente Pier. Stylish New American restaurant and wine bar
The Cellar and art-adorned Californian coastal-style eatery and cocktail spot
BeachFire feature live music most nights of the week. Other dining standouts include
Nick’s for elevated American comfort food, family-run
Avila’s El Ranchito for homestyle Mexican cooking, and
Muse for sushi and other Japanese dishes. Avenida Del Mar is also a popular shopping destination with many stylish fashion boutiques.
The Fisherman’s Restaurant & Bar at the end of San Clemente Pier combines delicious fresh Pacific Northwest-style seafood with captivating ocean views. In the North Beach area,
Outlets at San Clemente in California’s only coastal shopping outlet, offering big discounts on famous brands.
San Clemente and
San Onofre State Beaches offer glorious sandy oceanfront stretches backed by dramatic sandstone bluffs. The 3,000-acre area surrounding San Onofre State Beach comprises one of California’s top five most-visited state parks. San Onofre’s world-famous surf spots include Trestles, which hosted World Surf League Tour contests between 2000 and 2017. Other beach-based activities include volleyball at San Clemente Beach, laidback evening bonfires, and taking in the view from San Clemente and T-Street Piers. The North Beach area’s iconic 1930s
Casino Building hosts jazz concerts and other events throughout the year. A wide range of arts and cultural events and workshops also take place at the
Casa Romantica Cultural Center, the historic home of San Clemente founder Ole Hanson.
