Calafia Beach(Calafia State Beach, San Clemente City Beach)

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.

Calafia Beach offers a number of activities including sunbathing, beach walking, snorkeling, body-boarding, surf-skimming, surfing, canoeing and kayaking, kitesurfing, biking, paddle boarding, wildlife watching, beachcombing, paddle boarding, tide pooling, swimming, and snorkeling.

The water near the beach produces mellow, long waves, which is ideal for beginner surfers. During low tide, you can find dry sandy areas to sit down and sunbathe. Calafia Beach is known to have unpredictable rip currents, so be careful if you’re swimming or surfing. We also recommend being careful while visiting the beach as a large number of wasps and bees are known to be present in the beach area, especially around the trash cans. We also recommend wearing footwear while visiting the sandy beach to avoid being stung by stingers of dead bees in the sand. There are a number of animals present in the waters near the beach area including seals, sea-lions, dolphins, and migrating whales. The southern portion of the beach near San Clemente State Beach also has a variety of tidepools you can explore. Calafia Beach has a variety of interesting shells which can be collected during low tide. The Calafia Beach Park is situated up a bluff side walkway present at the parking lot near the beach and offers some great oceanside views. You can explore other beaches along the San Clemente waterfront using the pedestrian beach walking and biking trail situated adjacent to the beach area including Lost Winds Beach which has volleyball courts and the T-Street Beach which is a famous surfing spot.

A short walk south of Calafia Beach is the San Clemente State Beach which offers a number of activities including hiking and fishing. There are a number of interesting attractions near Calafia Beach including the Casa Romantica Cultural Center, which hosts performances, tours, and exhibitions, and the Surfing Heritage and Cultural Center which offers an interesting peek into the California Surf Culture. Every year the city of San Clemente hosts the San Clemente Ocean Festival which sees athletic competitions, art shows, automobile exhibitions being organized throughout the city of San Clemente and its beaches, along with spectacular children-friendly events including rubber duck races in the water and kid-friendly surfing competitions.

Calafia Beach offers a number of activities including sunbathing, beach walking, snorkeling, body-boarding, surf-skimming, surfing, canoeing and kayaking, kitesurfing, biking, paddle boarding, wildlife watching, beachcombing, paddle boarding, tide pooling, swimming, and snorkeling.

The water near the beach produces mellow, long waves, which is ideal for beginner surfers. During low tide, you can find dry sandy areas to sit down and sunbathe. Calafia Beach is known to have unpredictable rip currents, so be careful if you’re swimming or surfing. We also recommend being careful while visiting the beach as a large number of wasps and bees are known to be present in the beach area, especially around the trash cans. We also recommend wearing footwear while visiting the sandy beach to avoid being stung by stingers of dead bees in the sand. There are a number of animals present in the waters near the beach area including seals, sea-lions, dolphins, and migrating whales. The southern portion of the beach near San Clemente State Beach also has a variety of tidepools you can explore. Calafia Beach has a variety of interesting shells which can be collected during low tide. The Calafia Beach Park is situated up a bluff side walkway present at the parking lot near the beach and offers some great oceanside views. You can explore other beaches along the San Clemente waterfront using the pedestrian beach walking and biking trail situated adjacent to the beach area including Lost Winds Beach which has volleyball courts and the T-Street Beach which is a famous surfing spot.

A short walk south of Calafia Beach is the San Clemente State Beach which offers a number of activities including hiking and fishing. There are a number of interesting attractions near Calafia Beach including the Casa Romantica Cultural Center, which hosts performances, tours, and exhibitions, and the Surfing Heritage and Cultural Center which offers an interesting peek into the California Surf Culture. Every year the city of San Clemente hosts the San Clemente Ocean Festival which sees athletic competitions, art shows, automobile exhibitions being organized throughout the city of San Clemente and its beaches, along with spectacular children-friendly events including rubber duck races in the water and kid-friendly surfing competitions.

If you're looking for a restaurant, Flights and Irons San Clemente is an upscale bar and restaurant which offers fabulous dishes prepared on an open-air flame and is famous for its signature deep-fried bologna sandwich while also featuring a variety of cocktails, wines, and craft beers. A more family-friendly budget dining option is Sugar Shack which offers great breakfast dishes served along with refreshing coffee and sports a low-key old school vibe. Another great dining option is La Colombiana which serves authentic Colombian cuisine and offers excellent churros, empanadas, and authentic Colombian coffee.

If you are looking for a hotel near Calafia Beach, there are many great nearby options. The 4-Star Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa offers opulent suites and features a variety of amenities including an in-house restaurant, spa, fitness center, and pool. A more affordable accommodation option is the 3-Star Casablanca Inn offers well-furnished rooms, a pool, a hot tub, barbecue spots, and a fitness center. The modestly priced 2-Star House of Trestles exudes a funky vibe and offers a great budget accommodation option.