I've Traveled Southern California for 20+ Years-This Is the Beach Town Everyone Should Visit at Least Once

"Situated on the southern border of Orange County and easily accessible to travelers by Amtrak train or car, San Clemente has all the charm of a close-knit community and all the liveliness of a surfer's paradise. Plus, it's one of the most beautiful towns in the area, with the rolling San Joaquin Hills on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other."

"San Clemente was established in 1925 as one of the first planned communities in the U.S. and was designed to resemble a "Spanish village by the sea." Some 100 years later, the town is still peppered with handsomely preserved Spanish Colonial Revival-style homes. I've lived in Orange County for years now, and no matter how many times I visit, it never fails to impress me."

""What makes San Clemente special is that it hasn't tried to become something else," Don Kindred tells Travel + Leisure. A San Clemente resident since 1980, Kindred is the founder and publisher of the quarterly San Clemente Journal. "It's still an authentic community with real people. Its beauty isn't just the ocean or the architecture, it's the sense that life here is meant to be lived outdoors and together.""

San Clemente sits on Orange County's southern border, easily reached by Amtrak or car, combining close-knit community charm with vibrant surf culture. The town sits between the San Joaquin Hills and the Pacific Ocean and was established in 1925 as a planned community modeled after a Spanish village by the sea. Many Spanish Colonial Revival-style homes remain well preserved. Recent beach revitalizations and new hotels have arrived without eroding the town's original character. The community remains authentic and outdoor-oriented. Famous beaches include Trestles, known for world-class surf breaks, family-friendly North Beach, and San Clemente Pier City Beach.

Read at Travel + Leisure