The friendly, laid-back people and surfer-town feel make San Clemente a relaxing place to spend a Saturday. On a clear, sunny day, which most of them are in southern California,  it’s hard to keep your eyes on the road as you take in a landscape that includes San Clemente’s long stretches of the vast blue ocean.

Arriving at the pier, is like arriving on a movie set. It’s massive pillars tower over the majestic ocean and the illumination from the sun gleaming around ever corner adds to the Hollywood feel. San Clemente is a hidden gem in an oasis of beauty.

The beach is one of the main attractions of San Clemente; it’s possible to walk five miles on the wide, scenic, and best of all, hardly used by tourists beach. The consistent surf draw surfers and boogie-boarders, but there are lots of waves to go around. We usually spend an hour or so struggling to surf before switching to our familiar boogie boards and really enjoying the day.

When we’re looking for a weekend get away from the endless search for parking at Laguna Beach or Newport Beach, this is the spot.