This beach is really nice and clean as well as spacious. They have a cool pier that stretches over the water and has a good seafood restaurant right at the beginning. They also have a large downtown area with lots of shops and restaurants as well. A very nice outting. Parking is pretty tough to find along the streets, but they have a parking lot nearby. read more

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Lots of wildlife tucked into bluffs for you to enjoy. Pet owners and parents beware: Coyotes found a place to stay near the park's entrance. Many different birds fly through and stop in the enormous trees surrounding the campground. Squirrels dot the bluffs and duck into burrows. There are a few bathroom facilities that could use maintenance or repair / update. Most are fine and cleaned regularly by dedicated and kind staff. There is group camping, non hookup camping, and full hookup camping. A dump station and clean fill station on the way to the day lot. Quieter campground vibe than neighboring Doheny / Bluffs in my experience. The way down to the beach from the campground lot is a nicely graded path but it is very steep in places, beware stroller and wagon tuggers or those with heart conditions. If you drive right down Calafia to the end the beach is easier to access on foot. A cute state park gift shop is open from late morning to afternoon. The beach is more of a bodysurfing and swimming beach most days are shore breaks. They do have areas for each activity marked with flags. It's a relatively busy beach but not to the point of you having to walk far to find a comfortable spot. If you have the state parks pass and haven't been here, its so close the freeway there's no point in not making it a relaxed stop when road tripping. Safe travels and have fun! read more

This is our favorite beach because I went here a lot as a child. It has swings, the best fisherman's restaurant, soft sand and walking paths up and down the beach. The bathrooms are close by and they have life guard towers close by. read more

San Clemente State Beach - Beaches Near Me - San Clemente, California

Stopped by this beach the other day, it's on the smaller side but nonetheless beautiful. The beach was clean and fairly populated, some rocky areas that hurt a tad bit when walked on with bare feet. It was a stunning summer day, the sun was shining and the water was lovely. Saw some pelicans, and a train passing by read more

San Clemente State Beach - Beaches Near Me - San Clemente, California

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Pretty views and wasn't crowded at all! There is a big parking lot next to the pier. You do have to pay for parking. I'm not sure if the rates vary by the day but we went on a Friday morning and paid around $5 for a few hours. There's a ton of things to do nearby. It's close to Avenida Del Mar which is where a majority of the shops and restaurants are. We were able to walk there from the pier in about 10 minutes. read more

San Clemente State Beach - Beautiful day at the beach (: - Beaches Near Me - San Clemente, California

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Nice and quiet on the Thursday that we came on. A very clean beach compared to what I'm used to in OC and LA! read more

San Clemente State Beach - Shorefront next to the pier - Beaches Near Me - San Clemente, California

Recently came on a camping trip with my wife and family. I was able to book for a handicap spot because my nephew is disabled and is slowly losing the ability to walk and needs a wheelchair. This trip was meant for my nephew and his young cousins but my sister and parents also tagged along. We had about 8/9 people and three tents. We had one large tent that we got from Costco, a rooftop tent for my 4Runner, and a rooftop tent on my trailer. At first the camping spot looks small but upon arrival, it was pretty big and we were able to fit two cars and our small trailer there. The bathrooms were extremely close by and was easy for my nephew to be pushed there on his wheelchair. We stayed here for 2 days and checked out on a Friday. We had zero issues until checkout day when we woke up to a ton of ants crawling on our car/trailer and they were starting to crawl into our tents. Luckily we woke up on time and were able to clean up. It was annoying. The kids were able to play catch/baseball & other games in the grass area with no issues. The kids had a great time and we really enjoyed the campsite. My only complaint is that I saw online that you can rent a beach wheelchair for free and its meant to tread sand easily so I went to the check in booth on two separate occasions before my trip to make sure I had everything prepared. The first time I went, the employees indicated they never heard such a thing so I left and confirmed online that they do have the wheelchairs available at SCSB so I called the number provided and it was a phone tree that leads to a voicemail no matter what time of the day you call (absolutely messy). So then I called several other numbers and got the same response. The 2nd time I stopped at the visitor booth on a separate day and indicated what I saw on the website and asked about the wheelchair in which the gentleman told me he didn't know and did not want to provide me with incorrect information so he told me to contact the headquarters which was about a 5 min drive away, however, they were closed so I later called and was told to contact the booth at check in and they would communicate with the lifeguards who would later deliver the wheelchair. Upon check in, the employee shut it down immediately and told me they didn't offer that, at least in the past 3 years he has worked there. It was frustrating because there is obviously some kind of miscommunication. Luckily we didn't end up needing the wheelchair but I can only imagine the frustration a person who absolutely needs the wheelchair would feel. Especially because it's advertised on the reserve california website. read more

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Right next the beach, quiet, clean, and fun for a couple on a romantic getaway, college kids having fun, or a family vacation. read more

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More chill than Laguna Beach, it is just so far to drive to. Parking meters did not work. The tides come up quick as the shoreline is narrow. Fun to watch the trains pass by. Overall nice beach read more

San Clemente State Beach - Beautiful and peaceful - Beaches Near Me - San Clemente, California

Camped there this weekend and won't return. Coyotes are running all over the campground night and day. Not safe for pets. Also beware of the ants read more

This review is for the campground. We camped there over Labor Day Weekend, in the RV only section. Pros: quiet at night, not like other campgrounds that are very noisy late at night. Pull through sites that are easy to level your rig. Some sites with privacy bushes between Spectacular views!! Con's: Our biggest was non working showers!! Out of the six in the only open bathroom/shower buildings only 2 worked. The ADA shower was broken and no sign on the door till we complained, and then nothing was done about the other showers, except a sign on the ADA shower that it was closed for repairs. It's is a good campground centrally located to several fun things to do, but with several issues. Unless maintenance problems are addressed, not sure if I ever want to go back. read more

Check in was smooth. $15 a night for parking. Get your date booked early. It's full and packed. Be cautious of fast drivers. No shade so bring your shade shelters. Lots of aunts and wildlife so pack your things in crates, totes or boxes. Throw trash away in dumpster every night or you will be picking it up off the floor when the critters tear into it. Dogs allowed at campsite but not on beach (I don't think. . . Check) bring bills if you want to shower, they require tokens. Nice fun getaway spot near the beach. They have camper parking and you can rent our little campers as well. Bring sunscreen and lots of water! Beware of bees. Bring your Benadryl. read more

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We camped here at the beginning of April and it was a blast. Our campsite was right by the cliff so wet could hear the water all day and night. The camp ground is maintained well and there are bathrooms and wash stations in several locations. The train passes right under by it's pretty quiet and it didn't bother us at all. You have to take a pretty steep path to get down to the beach. There was a golf cart going around selling wood which was nice. They have some camp sites with larger capacity. Dogs are allowed on site just on leash. Lots of kids playing around on bikes and skateboards. We had a great time. read more

San Clemente State Beach - Gorgeous views from the campground up top. We even saw dolphins - Beaches Near Me - San Clemente, California

Lovely beach. Off season. Relaxing week with friends. Near restaurants, or eat in. Lovely sunsets. read more

San Clemente State Beach - Beautiful flowers along the road near the beach - Beaches Near Me - San Clemente, California

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Nice campground with level & very generous spaces. Each space has power, water and sewer as well as a picnic table and fire pit. Like most of the camping facilities, everything is a bit dated, but for the most part it is clean. We did encounter a "drifter" asking for food, but he took off quickly. There seems to be regular patrols through the park which is always welcome. You will NOT hear the waves from here unfortunately. You will hear the cars on 5, but it's not horrible. Great little gift shop and museum to visit. The day use area is right next to the CG. Good access to beach, but you'll need to hike down a steep path (paved) and cross the RR tracks. Very overpriced for what you get, but the location is good for exploring the area. read more

This review is about the campground. We really enjoy this place as the facilities are in good shape and campsites well maintained. Showers are .50 cents for 2-3 minutes and you have to buy the tokens. Nice hike to get to the beach and great views of the ocean from the edge of the cliffs. The visitors center has a ton of gift items and taxidermy local wildlife. Lots of ground squirrels and rabbits and an occasional coyote. I didn't have issues with securing food i.e. racoons raiding. I liked that bathrooms were abundant and clean. Beach near the campground is a bit rocky. Overall, one of the better campsites on the coast. read more

I accidentally went to the state camp site. The nice park ranger said go back down the hill and make a left.He said the lot at the bottom is metered,but I could put my state parks pass in the window and it world be fine. The lot was medium filled ,but it was easy to find a spot. The walk over the railroad tracks and down to the beach was nice. I would classify this as a chill spot to visit. I would go back. read more

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This is a pretty cool State Beach. It's really hidden, and if you don't take Amtrak or Metrolink you wouldn't know it's there. The entrance is on a hill. You enter, and see a giant camp ground, and a parking area for day use. They have plenty of restrooms some with showers for the tent campers. I don't know what the fees are for parking since I have an annual pass. I saw a pre pay parking machine, and there's a booth as you drive in. I got there early and the gate was open for the campers. I'm used to Huntington where people line up an hour before opening. At the day parking lot there's a visitor center, and a restroom. There's also a ton of picnic tables. The trail to the beach is steep but manageable. At the bottom go through the tunnel to the beach. During peak season they have lifeguards. The tracks are right there so you can watch the trains all day. If you like to walk the pier is only a couple miles away. read more

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This is my favorite state campground! We got Group Site 1 this time around and had 6 trailers varying in sizes of 18'-40'. 3 were 5th wheels, 1 RV, 2 pull trailers. It was a little windy 2 of the four days we were here but it wasn't unbearable. This site is right on the bluff. Being that we had the best site in the whole park we weren't gonna complain. Cons: SKUNKS! We seen them the first morning but didn't realize there were that many. One of our camp dogs got sprayed. So you can imagine that fiasco! Def recommend trying to get a spot here. You can book 6 months out but more often then not I just randomly check and always find days available. read more

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We started at Calafia beach trailhead. It's the most south part of the trail and made our way to the pier. We went on Saturday evening, parking was $6/hour and there's a lot of space to park the car! Restrooms are available, um, don't expect much other than running water. There was no soap when I went, so make sure to bring wipes or hand sanitizer. We went with a regular stroller, and it was able to get us to the pier. The path is mostly wide and flat, however there are some areas where the path narrows and full of soft sands - so get ready to push through or have someone lift up the stroller a bit while you push. Right before you get to the pier, there are swing sets for baby and older kids. Love it! Overall it's a really beautiful place for a stroll or run - be careful of bikers! read more

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How can you go wrong here? It's a gorgeous beach where you can escape from it all. It was a sunny 63 degree day here today and it wasn't crowded at all! There are nice easy walkable trails and on the other side of the train tracks, you have an amazing beach and the beautiful Pacific Ocean..,WOWZA!! read more

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I surfed Dana Point, San Clemente, and of course Huntington Beach. Every morning, you could find me at the hot water pipe -- Dick Dale I don't surf, but I admire those who do. And I admire this beach. The restaurants are nothing great, the downtown is too far away, but the sunsets, pier and waves here make for pretty, pretty pictures. It's 4 miles from the parking lot to the other and back, so a nice work out too. They have a paved path or you can stay on the beach. The sand is usually hard too, so another way to stay or get in shape in lovely surroundings. Highly recommend especially if they move downtown within normal walking distance ;-) (That's a joke by the way) read more

San Clemente State Beach - A panoramic shot of a lovely afternoon... - Beaches Near Me - San Clemente, California

Beautiful cliffs leading to the beach. Loved the historical Spanish bungalow visitors center. Perfect for running or walking on an improved fort path that goes all the way to the pier. The campground sits on cliffs above the beach. You will need a wagon to haul your stuff and kids down to the sand. The train runs through the park. Amazing views from the day use area. Charcoal barbecues are in the picnic area. Bring your own soap for the bathrooms. California residents can pick up the California Parks pass at their local library and park for free. A nice bonus with gas prices going up. read more

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Came here for the first time. Beautiful coast line with beautiful rock formations. We didn't walk down to the beach this time around but enjoyed the coastline views from up top. While there we saw a train go by and soaked it all in. Next time we will walk down to the actual beach. read more

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The Park Rangers are so helpful! Answered all my questions on purchasing a State Park Pass and handled the transaction. Looking forward to a year of California Beaches read more

In an effort to see all of the beaches on the California Coast, my boyfriend brought me to San Clemente State Beach. We were taking a coastal drive up to visit his family and stopped off to check out the view. It was a beautiful beach, great to explore and take photos of the waves. I just love the warm sun, gentle breeze and great views. Fun stop to break up the drive and check out another beautiful beach. read more

Beautiful camping. I definitely recommend spots in the 80s and 90s. You're closer to the beach trail. It does get windy, so bring warm layers read more

My family loves coming here every summer to camp. We have been in all areas and really enjoy it! Recently it seems they could do better with keeping things in better repair - like the restroom, showers (which take tokens for hot water) and the token machines. All in all, we will continue the tradition. It's super relaxing and a beautiful walk down the bluff trail to the beach! read more

San Clemente State Beach - The beach scene is mainly just those who are camping. - Beaches Near Me - San Clemente, California

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Among Doheny, San Onofre and San Clemente, this is the best beach for kids and family. San Onofre is for the surfing (geared to young adults, not recommended for families with kids who don't surf) and the camping spots are really small and there is no views. Doheny is the closest to San Clemente. I don't think you can go wrong with either. What I do like is that at San Clemente you are above the beach and that you walk down to the beach. Other tidbits, there are hot showers here which San Onofre doesn't have. read more

In order to enter you must pay ($14) UNLESS you are riff raff walking in or on a bike. If that is the case NO ONE will monitor this group. It used to be a nice spot to park, view the ocean / use the bathrooms on a long drive. Now with these non paying admissions you get people spending hours next to the bathroom smoking, using the outlet inside the bathroom next to the Ocean view area. I am being nice in my descriptions - not a safe feeling if you have a family. read more

One of the best campgrounds, state or private. Pull through sites, full hookups (E/W/S), clean restrooms, and super friendly and helpful rangers. There are also tent sites with better ocean views. There are two paths to the beach. The walk was a bit sloped, but it was not bad. We had no trouble carrying one tent, two very small foldable chairs, and some sand toys, but would not recommend to carry too many things. For people concerned with accessibility, we saw several parking lots and drop off locations around the same level of the beach towards to pier direction. Those will be better options. There is a restaurant and bar at the pier. read more

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Gorgeous beach and great place to hang around at! A lot of great places to eat near by too! read more

This is a great camp spot, right on the beach bluff. The little town is awesome with many great places to eat. The only draw back to this place is 1) ants and 2) coyotes. If you have a small dog, DO NOT let it out of your sight. If you walk with it early morning or evening/night, keep it right at your side. The coyotes run along side you in the bushes and can jump out and take your dog. While we were camping there, a woman's dog was bitten as she walked it, when a coyote tried to take it. She was able to fend it off. The park rangers tell people about the coyotes when they pull in, but don't give enough tips on how to keep your pet safe. And re: the ants... you can buy diatomaceous earth from the camp host to put around everything that touches the ground and leads up to your rig. It KIND OF helps. We did that and they still came in. :(( Would I come back? Yes, absolutely. But beware and be safe! read more

We camp a lot, usually primitive but spent Father's Day here with the grandkids. This campground really stood out for the layout of the campground, the easy access to the beach, the cleanliness of the showers/bathrooms, and the view! It is also very well managed, with rangers or hosts who routinely drove around to ensure no one needed anything and that quiet hours were observed. The tent sites can easily accommodate two 4-people tents, have covered picnic tables, and a fire pit. We will definitely be back to make more memories - Everyone left relaxed and happy! read more

San Clemente State Beach - Gorgeous view! - Beaches Near Me - San Clemente, California

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Camped in rv site. Very clean campground. Friendly staff. Walking distance to beach. Great views. Cloudy day and warm beach. Definitely coming back. read more

San Clemente State Beach - Beaches Near Me - San Clemente, California

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First, the beach is not that assessable. If you are handicapped or have someone who isn't too steady on their feet. And if you are steady on your feet, this is one of the few beaches I've been to along the coast that there's no path for walking or running or biking. The sand is very porous which makes for a difficult place to ride a bike. There's no pathway like many of the beaches have. My sister, who is not ambulatory, likes to sit on a bench and look out over the water. This beach has none. I've stayed in San Diego numerous times and once I went to the beach here, I just wasn't impressed. The tram runs right by the beach so you have to climb over the tracks to find a small access to the water. So as a result we found ourselves driving down the road to find a better situation. read more

Terrible super loud at night. They allow group camping and they played loud music and talk loudly for two nights in a row basically having a party until 3 am with no regard to any other campers Quiet time is supposedly 10 pm. No noise enforcement whatsoever. read more

Nice gorgeous awesome beach on our SOuthern tip of Orange County California. Took my girl here yesterday now that we finally have some good hot sunshine in California. One of the best underrated beaches in Orange County. Real clean here at this beach. More locals kick it here and they got rid of alot of the homeless hanging out here. Beautiful restaurants and a more family vibe beach here. Awesome surfers and great life of the ocean community. read more

The San Clemente State Beach is where I camped for the very first time. It was my "training " and where I learned to love to camp. For anyone new to camping, it can be a very scary thing. Luckily you are not far from any store if you are in need of anything. I do love that it is not a far walk from your camp site, and to the beach. The downside is there is a hill that leads down to the beach and it can be a little difficult walk back up. What I find s cool but somewhat annoying is the train tracks that you go under to go to the beach. Yes sometimes you hear a train passing and blowing its horn at night and early morning but I find it to be cool to watch them go by. Especially from above. I highly suggest to camp here for first time campers or even to just to spend the day at the beach. read more

Really nice spacious campgrounds. We were in campsite 83 which overlooked the ocean. There was a fence between the bluff edge and the ocean. It did get windy at times and sometimes the cars were loud. The train runs right along the edge of the beach but I did not find it disruptive. Each campsite came with a grill, fire pit, a picnic table, and a shaded wood structure. The firewood was $10 a bundle. read more

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