This is hands down the best beach I have ever been to in my life. They have trains going around the…read morewhole day.

Knew I wanted to go to the beach, and randomly stumbled upon this one being in the area at the…read moreoutlets. This is a small quiet beach, right next to the Metrolink station. Parking was a little confusing at first, but you can park at the Metrolink station and pay at one of the little yellow kiosks. It was about $0.75 per 30 minutes, which felt pretty fair. The water is definitely colder here, even on a warm day. We had direct access to the beach itself from the lot. It wasn't super busy on the day we went, so it felt super calming to walk while the waves crashed against our feet. It's a bit narrow, but from the Metrolink, you could walk all the way to the pier. It was also cool to see the train pass by as well, right next to the beach! One noticeable thing was that the beach felt very pebbly, and there were many small rocks along the waters so we had to be really careful about where we were walking. There's also a restroom and a feet/body cleaning shower station if you're coming from the Metrolink parking lot.

Pico Park is a small park located a few minutes from The Outlets at San Clemente…read more I love dropping by when I am in the area. There is a basketball court and playground, and an entryway to the neighborhood stairs. You can do a quick stair workout and there are benches throughout where you can take breaks and watch the sunset. Come check it out!

Great little park, only issue we've encountered are the rude and unwelcoming parents whose kids are…read morejust as rude.

I was in the area for work and had some time to kill. The park itself is tiny but well-equipped,…read morewith restrooms, covered picnic tables, and a grill. There are several trail entrances, many of which offer great ocean views. If you're after a proper, low-key sunset without the whole circus, this is your spot. Quiet. Honest. The kind of place that doesn't try too hard and somehow nails it anyway.

Beautiful park. Clean and amazing views. I had a great time hiking the coastal trails of Vista Del…read moreSol park.

This is always been one of my favorite parks, especially for concerts in the summertime…read more "Yachty by Nature" was the star entertainment for Sunday. The park is very organized. People are so pleasant.. It's just a great community of partygoers. Dog, friendly kid, friendly. Everyone was very polite about putting their umbrellas down when the performers came on. We really enjoyed the kickoff concert at Sea Terrace.

This park is beautiful and one of my favorite places to visit when I want to enjoy some nature. I…read moreespecially love the abundance of Pride of Madeira flowers throughout the park. These vibrant purple blooms attract all kinds of birds, especially hummingbirds, which is a big reason I keep coming back. Most of my visits have been for bird photography, and the flowers provide endless opportunities to watch and photograph hummingbirds feeding on the blossoms. Even if you're not into birding, it's a wonderful place to take a leisurely walk, enjoy the scenery, and soak in a little peace and quiet away from the busy city. My only complaint is the parking situation. Street parking is very limited, so finding a spot can be a challenge, especially during busier times. Other than that, it's a lovely park and a hidden gem for both nature lovers and photographers.

So, paved paths are my favorite find considering I have to tote my 18 month around in a stroller &…read moreI easily get bored with sticking to the beach trail/seeing the same view every day. There are definitely some not so very stroller friendly parts of this trail unless you're looking for a hardcore leg workout! We ended up ditching the stroller at the bottom of the hill with the benches so we could get up the steep incline to absorb the view. My 18 month old did better than I did walking up this monster...good lord I am out of shape. Beautiful view though all around though! It's a nice little getaway from city life while being able to observe the city below you. Don't follow the vague directions listed on the SoCal hiking website that say to park at the end of Calle Cordillera unless you like being confused, worried about all of no trespassing signs, & lost like me. However, if you're like me & you're already frustrated trying to find a trailhead after following the above directions: pass the gates clearly marked private property/utility access road (you daredevil) and FOLLOW the winding paved road all the way up. You will come across an "intersection" of the trail going through this utility road. You should see a water tower standing in front of you as well. If you make a right, it's a short hike to the top where the benches are. If you make a left, I'm assuming there are more trail options. Looking at google maps, it seems you can park at the end of La Pata around the Richard Steed Park and reach it from there as well. Oh and don't forget to say hi to the friendly people and their dogs! I got a nice little doggie kiss from a friendly Golden Retriever this morning

San Clemente, CA is famous for its small-town vibe, scenic beaches, and its epic surf spot,…read moreTrestles. However, this quaint beach town also boasts some premier hiking trails, especially in the Rancho San Clemente area. About 2 miles inland from the beach, the Rancho San Clemente Ridgeline Trail is a 3.5-mile paved path that allows for pedestrians, bicycles, and dogs on leashes. It offers vast views of the San Clemente and Dana Point coastlines. This hike has several steep grades, but the majority of it is easy, long grades - perfect for new hikers! Where to Park: We started this hiking trail near the San Clemente Dog Park and Skate Park at 301 Avenida La Plata. There's a free parking lot, and the trail can be found behind the Dog Park. Once you climb the steep upgrade, you can either go left or right on this hiking trail. The right-side offers more trees. When to Go: Year-round. This hike is perfect year-around. Winter months can offer both cool temperatures and very clear skies to enjoy the ocean views. During the summer months, we recommend doing this hike in the early morning to avoid high temperatures. During the spring, the trail is most lush. Dog Friendly: Yes!

I have to give this 5 stars because I got married here and it was the perfect spot for a small…read morewedding. Cost was $150 to rent the park for 4 hours... can't beat that. It's in a neighborhood so very quaint and dog friendly as well.

If you're thinking about this park to host your wedding, don't do it. Smells horrible! Strong dog…read moreurine odor and strong dog poop order throughout the whole park. This place is essentially a dog park. Residents will bring their unleashed dogs here to roam through your reserved areas and pee right near your ceremony. We had THREE separate unleashed dogs traipse through the wedding ceremony. Even though you reserve the park for private use, nearby residents think they own this place. They all come here to drink. Very loud and rowdy even while the couple was saying their vows. We had at least 5 or 6 people want to come down to the lower area during our rental period and they would argue with us saying "it's a public park". We spoke with the park rangers and they said we have the right to the space for our use and don't have to let people in. PROS: The view and rental price. CONS: Dog urine smell, dog poop everywhere, dog poop smell, entitled residents/neighbors, heavy alcohol use here among neighbors/residents. Zero respect from the public. No restrooms. Ceremony area down below is very slanted.

Love this park. So gorgeous. So many beautiful views. Love the trails. Basketball courts…read more Baseball. Soccer. Playground. Picnic tables

This park is insane…read more It features (a) green open areas aplenty, (b) ocean views, (c) clean restrooms, (d) baseball/softball diamonds, (e) soccer fields, (f) tennis/pickleball courts, (g) plenty of parking, (h) a playground with an ocean view, (i) cute little critters running around, (j) picnic tables with some shade, and (k) so much more. It would have been the perfect sandwich park, except that we had already eaten a late breakfast followed by Balboa Bars as we walked around Balboa Island and Little Balboa Island, so we weren't hungry yet. Oh, well, next time! The neighborhood that surrounds the park is cute as well, but it still looks and feels 1970s middle class even though it's 2020s upper class. As in most parks, the playground is surrounded by benches so that parents/uncles/aunts/older siblings/nannies can take a load off while their charges are at play, but one of the benches has its back to the playground, because who wants to watch kids when you can relax and watch the ocean and the tops of the cliffs surrounding it--all from the comfort of the edge of a playground? That wisely rotated bench is what brings the rating up to five stars.

This is a nice corner neighborhood park perfect for people with small children. The most prominent…read morefeature of the park is the playground equipment and some benches allowing one to gawk at the ocean. The problem is that the size of the park is rather small and coming here to sit down and enjoying the view may entail listening to shrieking children or gossiping mothers. There are many other benches down the hill that one can enjoy the peace and quiet better if that's your thing. The view and the weather to enjoy there is lovely regardless. Parking is easily found in and around the neighborhood also.

This is one of the brand new parks built in the Sea Summit housing area. It's kind of small but…read morewell kept up, has a cute little butterfly, flower, ladybug, and bee theme for the playground & an amazing view of the ocean below. Designed for 2-4 years old, and the kids at heart ;) . There's 1 baby swing , and 2 big kid swings, a sheltered picnic area, as well as restrooms. This park sits in a location that's easy to access the sea summit trail from two different starting points too, if you feel like hiking to the beach!