North Beach
Park at Avenida Estacion and walk the sand north toward the pier. Morning light hits the bluffs clean. Evening, the beach clears out and you get the strand to yourself. Skip midday unless you want to sit in a crowd.
- Address
- Avenida Estacion, San Clemente, CA 92672, USA
- Find it
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San Clemente Pier
4.8★Walk · Heavy hitter
Walk the pier at 4 o'clock when the light sits right on the water and the fishermen aren't talking. There's a bench halfway out where you can watch pelicans work the swells. The walk back is when you realize why you drove down here.
Vine Restaurant & Bar
4.8★Dinner · Local favorite
Sit at the bar and order the short rib. The kitchen does the simple stuff right. By 7 pm the place fills up with people who live here, not through people. Come before that if you want to actually talk to your date.
Nick's San Clemente
4.7★Dinner · Heavy hitter
Nick's is the spot locals actually go to on Avenida Del Mar. Fish tacos that don't need the tourist markup, fresh ceviche, cold beer on the patio. The kitchen knows what it's doing. Sit outside, watch the surfers walk by on their way home.