Amazing views and easy trails may be a bother for some with stairs but worth the effort added plus…read morewalking distance to san Clemente outlets for shopping and food.

There are two small parking lots, so parking is convenient. The hiking route is relatively short,…read moremaking it perfect for a relaxing walk. From here you can overlook the Pacific Ocean and Highway 1. If you come around sunset, the view should be especially beautiful.

So, paved paths are my favorite find considering I have to tote my 18 month around in a stroller &…read moreI easily get bored with sticking to the beach trail/seeing the same view every day. There are definitely some not so very stroller friendly parts of this trail unless you're looking for a hardcore leg workout! We ended up ditching the stroller at the bottom of the hill with the benches so we could get up the steep incline to absorb the view. My 18 month old did better than I did walking up this monster...good lord I am out of shape. Beautiful view though all around though! It's a nice little getaway from city life while being able to observe the city below you. Don't follow the vague directions listed on the SoCal hiking website that say to park at the end of Calle Cordillera unless you like being confused, worried about all of no trespassing signs, & lost like me. However, if you're like me & you're already frustrated trying to find a trailhead after following the above directions: pass the gates clearly marked private property/utility access road (you daredevil) and FOLLOW the winding paved road all the way up. You will come across an "intersection" of the trail going through this utility road. You should see a water tower standing in front of you as well. If you make a right, it's a short hike to the top where the benches are. If you make a left, I'm assuming there are more trail options. Looking at google maps, it seems you can park at the end of La Pata around the Richard Steed Park and reach it from there as well. Oh and don't forget to say hi to the friendly people and their dogs! I got a nice little doggie kiss from a friendly Golden Retriever this morning

San Clemente, CA is famous for its small-town vibe, scenic beaches, and its epic surf spot,…read moreTrestles. However, this quaint beach town also boasts some premier hiking trails, especially in the Rancho San Clemente area. About 2 miles inland from the beach, the Rancho San Clemente Ridgeline Trail is a 3.5-mile paved path that allows for pedestrians, bicycles, and dogs on leashes. It offers vast views of the San Clemente and Dana Point coastlines. This hike has several steep grades, but the majority of it is easy, long grades - perfect for new hikers! Where to Park: We started this hiking trail near the San Clemente Dog Park and Skate Park at 301 Avenida La Plata. There's a free parking lot, and the trail can be found behind the Dog Park. Once you climb the steep upgrade, you can either go left or right on this hiking trail. The right-side offers more trees. When to Go: Year-round. This hike is perfect year-around. Winter months can offer both cool temperatures and very clear skies to enjoy the ocean views. During the summer months, we recommend doing this hike in the early morning to avoid high temperatures. During the spring, the trail is most lush. Dog Friendly: Yes!

I like walks on the beach. Or more like, by the beach. A favorite of beach trails that I've enjoyed…read morecoming to - lots to see and explore with vibrant flowers, the horizon of the ocean, the sounds of the Amtrak and Metrolink trains passing by. All of it is just amazing. And the best part is, there's so many ways to just have a good time and a good workout on this trail. The Beach Trail is about 2.3 miles long in total, but it can feel like a pretty long walk. AND that's only one-way. Coming back, you have to do another 2.3 miles, if you're returning to the beginning of your route. But you'll really see everything. Love the Beach Trail!

We love weekend trips to San Clemente and loved the idea of this walking/bike trail that parallels…read morethe beach along with the metrolink rails. We parked at the Metrolink Avenida Estacion (North Beach). This is a paid parking lot which we initially missed seeing. Our destination from here was the San Clemente Pier which is about 2 miles. To find the Beach Trail, walk east, all the way to the end of the parking lot. Our walk started out great until we were about 1/2 mile in. Unfortunately, the trail was closed due to construction for the erosion happening in the area. A construction worker told us it would be a long walk through the neighborhood and he was right. We headed up the stairs into the neighborhood, hoping it would be a doable walk. With no sidewalks and no straight road towards the pier, we decided to turn around and head back to the car. It would have been helpful from the start if there was a sign indicating that a portion of the Beach Trail was closed. Make sure to check for closures before heading to this trail.

No tickets needed, it's free. It is an amazing view. It's one of my fav places to visit, read a…read morebook, chill, party, or hangout with some friends. Also very romantic for a date spot. Watch out for mountain lions at night!

Beautiful views and an easy spot to enjoy Laguna's scenery!…read more Top of the World is l worth visiting if you're in Laguna Beach. The panoramic views of the hills and coastline are gorgeous, and there are several nearby trails if you want to turn it into a longer hike. It can get busy on weekends, but the views make it worth it. Wear comfortable shoes, bring water, and go on a clear day--sunset is especially beautiful! Definitely recommend for a quick scenic hike, photos, or a peaceful outdoor escape.

Beautiful! The way it was easy but I found the way back more challenging haha probably because I…read morewas tired. The sky was beyond beautiful the day I went and it is now a core memory. Towards the end, there were beautiful wildflowers that I was not able to capture due to low storage on my phone :|

Great trail! We came out on a Sunday, and we were shocked that it wasn't too crowded! We saw plenty…read moreof bikers, runners, walkers, and a good amount of dogs! Definitely a dog friendly trail. This area was nice because there was a larger loop, but many trails within that loop where you could branch off to another trail. We did las Ramblas to the patriot trail, with the flag on top. I would say this is a very easy hike, but beautiful scenery!

San Onofre really is a hidden gem as far as SoCal beaches go. Lots of different terrain, plenty to…read moresee and experience, good surf, lots of nature, and just a great place overall if you're taking in the area. :)

San Onofre State Beach is one of the most iconic Southern California beach day destinations…read more Erosion from high surf and winter rains the last couple of years is rapidly diminishing the beach facilities and parking at San O, I don't know how much longer this classic Southern California beach spot will be accessible by car. Enjoy San O while it's still here, and if SanO is a "Bucket List" spot for you get there sooner rather than later!

Oops my secret is out! This is probably one of my most favorite spot to go for a walk or a mini…read morehike! Even better, if you're there when it's sunny because the ocean views are breathtaking!! This is also dog friendly since there are poop bags provided at intermittent part of the trail. Please keep in mind that this is in a neighborhood so there will be houses really close to the trail (almost like we're in their backyard) and private property that you can't enter. There are signs to guide you so just stick to the signs and you'll be ok.

Hidden gem in LN. Quick hike around the area to the park area to see the interesting…read moregeology/history. Hike also wraps around the mountain side, giving you a view of the ocean.

Pretty far walk from the parking lot to the beach but once there the steps going down is not too…read morebad. Because of the distance the bathrooms and showers are awkwardly placed closer to the parking lot and you might be dry already by the time you make it back. On the right side is a shallow sea cave, the cave itself isn't so deep but the rock formations around it are super unique and interesting. There is a viewpoint on top we saw people at so you can park a lot closer than we did. On the left you can go all the way down to another beach. There is an interesting rock shelf along the way. Some of the waves were quite high so I recommend coming with swim shorts if you are coming all the way to this area. The rock shelf area has mini tidepools to check out, depending on the weather you might also see a mini waterfall.

This is an amazing place to go and have fun! Parking is on…read morethe street so u gotta wait if it's to busy, Please make sure to pick it up your trash lets keep clean this amazing place I would come back again for sure !

A great hike for a great view of Laguna Beach. It's just 1 mile total round trip, but it's very…read moreinclined, so it's not exactly easy, and on a hot day, you gotta bring plenty of water or you'll overheat. There are some trees on the way up that give a tiny bit of shade, but there's not much breeze until you reach the very top where there is one bench.

This hike is moderate because it is short. It's about a mile round trip but the stairs can be…read morebrutal, especially if you are short. The views are worth it. There is only bench at the top.

I go to this place a lot. Not always to lay out at the beach, but to run the stairs. The beach…read moreaccess or beach trail access is by stairs from the above residential street up on the top of the cliff. Running or walking the stairs is an excellent workout. I stop halfway sometimes (there are benches on both sides, so you can get out of the way of the stairs) and do some extra exercises by the benches. Beautiful view! A lot of people also go surfing here and usually go halfway done the stairs to check the surf out. It has direct access to the beach trail that goes along the San Clemente coast line. The shore is not very long, so at high tide sometimes it may be hard to lay out or you might get swept out to sea - you can't say I didn't wan you! haha.

This is one of the best and most hidden beaches in San Clemente! For many reasons one of them being…read moretheres FREE parking on the street above! The surf is generally pretty good here I mostly believe that it's due to the fact that there is a small reef not to far from the beach. Keep in mind that the tide here is usually pretty high this is not the type of beach to bust out the lawn chairs at unless you wanna go swimming for them! The name 204's some will say it comes from how many steps there are but I believe it's deprived from the sign on the train tracks that says 204 not sure what its meaning is to the trains but the name has definitely stuck over the years. I've spent countless days on this beach over my years of growing up in San Clemente and every time it's been fun I will keep coming back to this beach because of the location it's beautiful and a great place to just chill and ease your thoughts or to catch some waves! Ride On!