Best Surf Beaches in San Clemente

Located at the west end of Esplanade Street in the city of San Clemente, T-Street Beach (also known as Esplanade Beach) is a popular surfing spot. There are two theories about the origin of the beach’s name - some sources say that T-Street Beach is named due to the intersection point of Esplanade Street into Paseo De Cristobal, which forms a "T" shape; others say that it's named after the Trafalgar Canyon which is a rock formation located near San Clemente. The beach area is connected to other beaches along the San Clemente waterfront through a 2.3 mile-long dirt trail known as San Clemente Beach Coastal Trail (which is also called San Clemente Beach Pedestrian Trail).

T-Street Beach is often considered a part of San Clemente City Beach, which is located to the north of the beach area. T-Street Beach has light brown sand and several palm trees dot the beach. The beach area is adjacent to a railway line running along parallel to its length. The beach features a backdrop of San Clemente city skyline having residential houses and hills.

Located in the southern portion of the city of San Clemente, Boca del Canon Beach is narrow and has light brown sand. There are also patches of gravel on the beach. It is popularly known among locals as "The Hole." Portions of Boca del Canon Beach are fixed with rocky embankments. Although Boca del Canon Beach has no lifeguards or other amenities, some restrooms can be found a short walk to the north of the beach. 

Located in the middle of the San Clemente waterfront, San Clemente Pier City Beach is one of the most popular beaches in San Clemente. The narrow beach has light brown sand, patches of gravel, and a wooden pier that 1,300 feet into the sea. It features a backdrop of a grassy park and palm trees. 

Located in the northern part of the City of San Clemente, North Beach is a wide beach area stretching from San Clemente Metrolink Railway Stationto Dije Court Beach. The beach has light brown sand and some portions of the beach area also contain gravel and pebbles. The beach is situated beside bluffs running along Avenida Estacion. The bluff side areas of the beach have been fixed with artificial boulder embankments to prevent erosion. The beach is situated directly to the south of Ole Hanson Beach Club and is adjacent to San Clemente Metrolink train station. The area around the Metrolink station is dotted with coffee shops and other stores used by railway commuters.

Located near US Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Trestles Beach is a two-and-half mile-long popular surfing spot renowned among surfers throughout the United States. Trestles Beach is a part of a 3,000-acre state park called San Onofre State Beach. Trestles Beach has pale cream sand and is named after a wooden train trestle bridge that used to run near the beach. The San Mateo Creek forms a wetland near the beach. The beach is also mentioned in the hit Beach Boys song "Surfin’ in the U.S.A." 

Located in the southern part of the city of San Clemente, Riviera Beach - also known as Montalvo Beach- is a beach area whose entrance often can be hard to locate. This beach is a bit wider in the area compared to other beaches in San Clemente including Mariposa Beach and the Linda Lane Access Point Beach area. The beach has light brown sand. Two creeks flowing down from nearby canyons drain at the beach area and during heavy rains can pool up and make the beach and the adjacent area waterlogged. Adjacent to the beach is a railroad running parallel along the beach area. The San Clemente Pedestrian Beach Trail (also known as San Clemente Coastal Trail or San Clemente Beach Trail) also runs near the beach area, connecting Riviera Beach to other San Clemente beaches along the coastline.

Located in the southern part of the city of San Clemente, Calafia Beach (also known as Calafia State Beach) is a popular beach situated near California Interstate Highway 5. The beach is connected to a bluff-top park called Calafia Beach Park through a bluff side walkway present near the beach parking lot. The beach area is a narrow strip of sand stretching along the San Clemente coastline and has light brown sand. There is a live railroad running parallel to the length of the beach area. Calafia Beach rarely has any dry sand during high tide due to constant contact with water and the northern part of the beach area has rocky man-made embankments to prevent erosion. While Calafia Beach has lifeguards, lifeguard deployment is generally seasonal and runs from June 23 through Labor Day weekend. The beach has a number of other amenities including showers, trash cans, restrooms, concession stands, and walking paths. The beach is easy to access - the beach entrance is located near 300 Avenida Calafia. There is a paid parking lot available near the beach. However, we recommend arriving early as the lot fills up early. From this parking lot, you can access the beach by crossing a tunnel under the railroad and opening up to the beach.

Located in the northern part of the city of San Clemente, El Portal Beach– which is also known as Buena Vista Beach and 204’s Beach, is narrow and has light brown sand that is mixed with gravel patches. The beach has multiple names because it is located near the intersection of West El Portal and Buena Vista streets, and also because 204 is the number sign along nearby railroad tracks.