20 Attractions to Explore Near San Clemente State Beach

A beautiful beach located in the city of Dana Point. The beach is a popular surf spot located at the mouth of San Juan Creek, which flows from the Santa Ana Mountains southwest to the beach, where it forms a fresh-water lagoon. It is also one of the most polluted beaches in Southern California. It is one of California's most popular state beaches and attracts almost one million visitors per year.

This is the Birthplace of Orange County. It was founded more than two hundred years ago as the 7th of 21 missions statewide and features a chapel still standing where Saint Serra once celebrated Mass. Today, it is a monument to California’s multi-cultural history, embracing its Native American, Spanish, Mexican and European heritage. The mission was damaged over the years by a number of natural disasters, but restoration and renovation efforts date from around 1910.

A wonderful museum located in Laguna Beach, California, which collects, cares for, and exhibits works of art that were created by California artists or represent the life and history of the state. The museum's collection ranges across all periods and styles since the nineteenth-century, maintaining a dynamic balance between the historical and the contemporary.

This is a a large oceanfront park that provides access to several beaches, including Picnic Beach and Rockpile Beach, both of which are located on either side of Monument Point at the center of the park. Start your stroll at the northern end of this Highway 1 stop and you'll be treated to plenty of grassy spaces, stately palm trees, patches of wildflowers and some beautiful sculpture work as you venture down the park's waterfront pathway.

Crystal Cove State Park is a state park of California, United States, encompassing 3.2 miles of Pacific coastline, inland chaparral canyons, and the Crystal Cove Historic District of beach houses. Crystal Cove is one of Orange County's largest remaining examples of open space and natural seashore. It has 3.2 miles of beach, 2,400 acres of backcountry wilderness, which is popular for outdoor enthusiasts and an offshore underwater area.

A wonderful museum features 17 interactive exhibits designed as a small, interconnected city. Pretend City aims to “build better brains” through purposeful play, hands-on learning experiences, role playing, and educational programming. The exhibits include an Amphitheater, Art Studio, Mind + Body Center, Sandy Beach, Restaurant Café, City Hall and Lobby, Construction Site, Emergency Services with Dispatch Station, Police Station, and Fire Station and so more.

The Great Park is a public park located in Irvine, California, with a focus on sports, agriculture, and the arts.Recognized as one of the most modern metropolitan parks in the world, the carefully designed Orange County Great Park at once pays homage to the military history of this legendary air base while creating exceptional experiences for a new generation. Encompassing a total of 1,300 acres, more than 200 are currently developed and 688 acres are in planning and design.

Tanaka Farms is a living reminder of Irvine's agricultural past. An organic, family-run operation that, offers year-round, hands-on tours of its gardens and U-Pick Pumpkin Patch in the fall. It is one of the iconic attraction in this area and also offers visitors a beautiful experience.

Fashion Island is a regional shopping mall, features world-class shopping and restaurants. in Newport Beach, California. Its stores include prestigious department stores and specialty boutiques, more than 30 dining options and restaurants, including Fig & Olive, CUCINA enoteca, True Food Kitchen, and Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar.

A popular fishing spot. The pilings are home to a large population of starfish that feed on the large colonies of mussels growing there, and are easily spotted at low tide.

Balboa Island was originally a sandbar that developer William S. Collins turned into an island between 1905 and 1913. It is accessible to the public via bridge, ferry and several public docks. It is home to local small businesses including restaurants, bakeries, fishing & tackle, and local crafts. The island also has a fire station and a post office. The community is surrounded by a paved concrete boardwalk open to pedestrian traffic, designated as a public walking trail by the city.

Third Legoland park to open. Legoland California is a theme park, miniature park, and aquarium. It comes with over 60 rides, shows and attractions.

South Coast Plaza is a global shopping destination with more than 250 extraordinary boutiques, critically acclaimed restaurants a nd so more. Its 275 retailers represent the highest concentration of design fashion retail in the U.S., with the second highest sales-volume in California. The South Coast Plaza is the largest shopping mall in California and the 4th largest in the United States.

This is a modern and contemporary art museum presently operating in a temporary space at South Coast Plaza Village in Santa Ana, California. The museum's collection comprises more than 4,500 objects, with a concentration on the art of California and the Pacific Rim from the early 20th century to present. Exhibits include traditional paintings, sculptures, and photography, as well as new media in the form of video, digital, and installation art.

A majestic 120 acre zoo focusing on the animals and plants of Central and South America. The Santa Ana Zoo hosts more than 270,000 people annually. The zoo maintains an extensive primate collection with over a dozen species from around the world.The Zoo is a place to play, a place to learn and a place to spend time with your family.

Huntington Beach Pier is one of the longest piers on the West Coast. It is well known for surfing, beautiful ocean views, and legendary bars.One of the main landmarks of Huntington Beach, also known as "Surf City, USA", the pier is the center of the city's prominent beach culture. A popular meeting place for surfers, the ocean waves here are enhanced by a natural effect caused by the edge-diffraction of open ocean swells around Catalina Island, creating consistent surf year-round.

An art museum with a permanent collection of more than 100,000 objects and features notable strengths in the areas of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, Native American art, the art of Asia, Africa, and Oceania, and California Plein-air painting.

A science museum with more than 100 hands-on science exhibits designed to spark children's natural curiosity.

At 37 acres (150,000 m2), the garden includes rare bamboo groves, desert gardens, a tropical rainforest, California native plants, Mediterranean climate landscapes, and a subtropical fruit garden.

A beautiful beach and a famous surfing mecca at the south end of Encinitas, CA. The park at Swami’s Beach is a great vantage point for watching surfers and has shaded areas to enjoy a picnic as well. Several cafes, including Swami’s Cafe, and other restaurants are just a short walk north on Highway 101.