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City guide

San Clemente, California

San Clemente is a coastal city in southern Orange County, California, United States. It was named in 1925 after the Spanish colonial island.

Type CityPopulation 64,293

Why go

  • City in California, United States.
  • 1 curated must-see attraction on record, including Talega Golf Club.
  • Served by Camp Pendleton Helicopter Outlying Landing Field.

History

San Clemente is a coastal city in southern Orange County, California, United States. It was named in 1925 after the Spanish colonial island. Located in the Orange Coast region of the South Coast of California, San Clemente's population was 64,293 in the 2020 census. Situated roughly midway between Los Angeles and San Diego, San Clemente is a popular tourist destination in Southern California, known for its beaches, Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, and hospitality industry. San Clemente's city slogan is "Spanish Village by the Sea."

Must-see attractions

San Clemente, California
Outdoor

Airports

John Wayne Airport Orange County (SNA) 23 mi to the centre
Santa Ana, CA, US — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 13 airlines (Southwest Airlines, AirTran Airways, American Airlines, United Airlines…) · direct flights to 21 destinations incl. Atlanta, Denver, Phoenix, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Serves Los Angeles (34 mi) — the low-cost way in
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 13 airlines, 21 direct destinations

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor
Oceanside Municipal Airport (OCN) 21 mi to the centre
Oceanside, CA, US — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day.
Indoor | Outdoor
Camp Pendleton Highway Strip 12 mi to the centre
Oceanside, CA, US
Outdoor
Camp Pendleton LHD Practice Strip 12 mi to the centre
Oceanside, CA, US
Outdoor

Getting there by ferry

Dana Wharf
Ferry terminal · 5.1 mi from the centre
Outdoor
Dana Point - Avalon
Ferry route · Catalina Express
Outdoor

Where things are

Full geo-intelligence in Better Mapping →
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping base map © OSM

Photographs

When to go

Tourist season
May – September

The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.

Shoulder season
April, October

Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.

Worth avoiding
Deep winter

Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.

Getting there & around

Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Camp Pendleton Helicopter Outlying Landing Field; 2 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By water: 1 ferry terminal within 12 mi (nearest: Dana Wharf, 5.1 mi); routes include Dana Point - Avalon.

Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for San Clemente, California. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.

Local transit

Bus · Orange County, California · Schedules & GTFS data (official feed)
Bus · San Diego, California · Schedules & GTFS data
Public transit · Schedules & GTFS data

Trains & rail

National rail

Coaches & shuttles

Intercity coach
Intercity coach
Intercity coach
Intercity coach

Private aviation

On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.

Jet card, management · Managed fleet across US bases · Locally based jet card and aircraft management with private terminals in ~20 US cities.
Helicopter, by-the-seat · Helicopters, seaplanes, jets via partners · By-the-seat helicopters Manhattan–JFK/Newark and the Hamptons; jet charter through partners.
Membership charter · King Air 350i, Citation, Hawker, Global · US membership and on-demand charter; Delta Air Lines is a major shareholder.
Semi-private scheduled · Embraer 135 (16 seats) · First-class-only scheduled flights from Van Nuys to Aspen, Sun Valley, Cabo and Europe in summer.
Charter, management, FBO · Managed fleet, light to ultra-long-range · Charter, management and FBOs at Van Nuys and Orange County; the original Hollywood jet operator.