San Clemente

Top Things to See and Do in San Clemente

No visit to San Clemente can be complete without experiencing and exploring the many wonders our beautiful city has to offer.

Walk the San Clemente Pier to enjoy stunning coastal views, the sunset, ocean-view dining, surfing, or a fun day at the beach.

Jog, bike, or walk the Beach Trail and enjoy stunning coastal views and great views of the pier.

Stroll down Avenida del Mar and shop the many boutique stores. Del Mar has plenty to browse including gift shops, clothes, and treats.

Visit Casa Romantica and explore the original estate of the City’s founder, Ole Hanson, this historic icon of San Clemente, or catch one of the many hosted events.

Enjoy the many beaches, whether it’s surfing the many world-class breaks, boogie boarding, relaxing and taking in the sunshine, or warming up in the evening next to a beach campfire while cooking up s’mores.

Our favorite places to dine, grab a drink, or enjoy the nightlife

San Clemente has a vast selection of restaurants and bars offering some of the best dining and nightlife experiences in Southern California.

RESTAURANTS & BARS

Table Service

• The Cellar – located on Del Mar – great wine and cheese bar. Check out their website…they have live music most nights. 0.9 mile
• Nick’s – located on Del Mar – one of everybody’s favorites…great food.  1.0 mile
• South of Nick’s – Located just off Del Mar on El Camino Real, same quality of food, but south of the border. 0.8 mile
• Vine – located on El Camino, great food…perfect for a date night. 0.7 mile
• MRK Public – Love this place…look up their website! 1.5 miles
• Drift Distillery – Off the beaten path, but not far…best BBQ in town, and they distill their own whiskey, which is fantastic. 2.2 miles
• Café Rae – located just across the street…this funky breakfast place serves great food. 150 feet
• Antoine’s – located on El Camino Real…very good breakfast place, serving up food with a French flair. 0.9 mile
• Café Mimosa – located on Del Mar…serving mimosas with several juice options, and delicious food. It is a perfect place for brunch. 1.0 mile
• La Gallette – Located right across from the pier, in our opinion, the most charming place in town…great food for breakfast and lunch. 1.3 miles
• Sonny’s – A San Clemente local favorite for Italian food in a casual setting. 0.6 mile
• The Fisherman’s – The only restaurant on the pier. Enjoy food and cocktails while looking out over the Pacific Ocean.  Clam chowder is a must! 1.3 miles

Casual Counter Service

• Guichos Eatery – located on El Camino… this is excellent Italian food. You can take out or dine in…either way, you can’t go wrong. 1.4 miles
• Beach Hut Deli – Not far at all, this beach side Deli serves up some unique delicious sandwiches, along with beer, wine, cider, and much more. 0.5 mile
• Chelas Mexican Kitchen– This is great Mexican food with only the freshest ingredients.  2.8 miles
• Board and Brew – Grab a sandwich, and hit the beach…they’re great!  Serves craft beer.  2.4 miles
• Active Culture – Located on El Camino, this café offers healthy food that tastes amazing. Oh my…the OG sauce is an obsession! 0.8 mile
• Bagel Shack – Located on El Camino…this shack is very popular. They serve great bagel sandwiches and more.  1.1 miles
• Pedro’s Tacos – This drive-through or walk-up Mexican place is so good, and a great value. If you like steak, the Carne Asada soft tacos are it. 0.5 mile

Coffee

• High Tide – Just down the street, the best coffee in town!  0.3 mile
• ZebraHouse – A quaint San Clemente café. You can dine in, drive through, or order out. 1.3 miles
• Bear Coast – Located across from the pier…they offer many specialty coffee drinks, and baked goods… locals love this place. 1.3 miles

Breweries

• Los Molinos Brewery – Right around the corner.  Great craft beer and live music on weekends!  0.3 mile
• Artifex – A great craft brewery with two locations in town. You can’t go wrong! 0.8 mile
• Lost Winds Brewing Company – A fun brewery that hosts a classic car meet once a month. 2.1 miles
• Left Coast Brewing Company – a favorite SoCal brewery that occasionally hosts food trucks. 3.4 miles
• Docent Brewing – a popular brewery on Del Mar with great beer and food. 0.9 mile

Our favorite places to shop

San Clemente has a number of great places to shop and features a wide selection of boutiques and an outlet mall that make for a fun-filled day.

Avenida Del Mar has many specialty shops for browsing through including clothing, health & beauty, wine, candy, San Clemente gifts, home furnishings, clothing, and shoes.

The Outlets at San Clemente offer 60+ big brand shops at deep blue discounts in a stunning, Spanish-style village overlooking the Pacific Ocean, including a new 10-plex movie theater that offers an unsurpassed movie-going experience.

Rainbow Sandals Factory and Retail Outlet produces and sells the world-famous flip-flops that every beach-goer, surfer, and sun-worshiper must own.  No other flip-flop sandal can compare.

Upcoming events in San Clemente, CA

• San Clemente Certified Farmers Market – Every Sun, 9 AM – 1 PM – 249-229 Avenida Del Mar
• South OC Cars and Coffee – Every Sun, 9:00 am – 11:00 am – The Outlets 101 W Avenida Vista Hermosa San Clemente
• Puttin’ on the Glitz – Sat, December 3rd – Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente
• Dana Point Harbor Boat Parade of Lights – Sun, Dec 11, 6 – 9 PM – Dana Point Harbor, 34571 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, CA
• Ocean Festival – July 15-16, 2023 – San Clemente Pier, San Clemente
• Fiesta Music Festival – Sunday, August 13, 2023 – Avenida Del Mar, san Clemente
• 2023 WSL Women’s World Championship – Sep 7 – 15, 2023 – Lower Trestles, 3929 S El Camino Real, San Clemente, CA
• Taste of San Clemente – Friday, Oct 27, 2023 – Casa Romantica, San Clemente