The hours are limited here and the first time I discovered this place, I came after it closed but I…read moremade a mental note to visit when back in San Clemente. Today, I was on my way back from Irvine and remembered that I wanted to come here and made it here before they closed at 2pm. They have very limited hours so check their schedule. Admission is $8 and they have a ample parking here too. This place is just gorgeous. This is one of the homes of Ole Hanson, who is the founder of San Clemente. He also had residence in LA. He built San Clemente to resemble a Spanish village and that explains why I love San Clemente so much. I came here a few months ago and just loved walking around San Clemente and it reminded me of the Mediterranean. Two hours is plenty of time to explore this house with devastatingly beautiful views of the ocean. The breeze coming into the Museum part of the house is just lovely and made me want to linger just that much longer. You see, I love the ocean and seeing the water is so calming and relaxing. There are beautiful trees, plants, flowers here and I found myself wanting to just have a picnic here. Or lay in the grass and read a book. There is a gift shop here and beverages and light snacks can also be purchased there. I also grabbed a calendar to see what events they have here and I will def be back one evening to see the sunset here. Dont miss this place in San Clemente, it is such a treat to visit!

I went on a free day which definitely influences my review, but the rainy weather also impacted…read morethis specific experience. Regardless, the free entry automatically made the visit a great value. This is a small museum (and even smaller now due to unfortunate damage caused by landslides in recent years) with a gorgeous interior, a vibrant garden, and regal ocean views. The interior includes many collected works of fine art that betray quite good taste, something to be attributed to the provenance of the home. I liked that because it was during the winter holiday season, the house was decorated accordingly; I wonder what the house looks like during other times of year! I am not sure how involved the museum docents are meant to be, but they appeared happy to show us around and give further explanation on some details of the house. Important note: public restrooms are available, and also there are even functional in-situ bathrooms. Using one made me feel like I was a proper guest to the home. This will probably be a good time for the whole family, if art and culture is something yours values. I'm bringing my mother on my next visit, hopefully on another free day.

This is a historic landmark maintained by the California Parks service. It commemorates the first…read moreChristian baptism in the name of the Holy Trinity that occurred in Old California. The first convert to Christianity in California was a little Indian girl. "Jesus shall reign where'er the sun, doth his successive journeys run."

I saw this on instagram and decided to check it out. It's a cute little spot with great views…read more Not really big but you can't beat the view!! If you are nearby, definitely worth stopping by.

Stumbled upon these beautiful arches while walking my dog. Feels like you're in Europe! The view of…read morethe marina is beautiful on a clear day. Nice stroll to take after lunch in Dana Point.

It's hard not to notice the beautiful Historic City Hall building in downtown San Clemente. It sits…read moreat the end of Avenida del Mar, on El Camino Real. Its Spanish architecture with Moorish influences is stunning! It's impossible not to stop by for a minute and admire its sight! The white walls shine in the sun and the whole Avenida del Mar spreads down. City Hall is on the National Register of Historic Places, which is run by the National Park Service. I didn't have the chance to check it out inside as well, but I hope it'll happen next time! The view from up here is gorgeous, nice spot! Beautiful gem of San Clemente architecture!

The Historic City Hall, (HCH), is a historic Ole Hanson building, located at the top end of Del…read moreMar. Looking down from the HCH, you can see the ocean, and all the mom and pop shops on Del Mar. If you were to venture inside, you would be pleasantly surprised to see how beautifully preserved this multi unit office building is! There are two entrances serving the Historic City Hall, and the offices all have unique and quirky touches to it that add a certain atmosphere of older times. I love looking at the old Spanish Tile that line the staircases, and the white plaster of the building's exterior. At night, the wrought iron chandeliers out front light up, and it gives the top of the old village a warm glow. Down a few doors is another chandelier building. These two gems are well preserved buildings from the past of San Clemente, in Spanish flavorings. What sort of town preserves these relics from the past? A cool town, that's who!!!

Beautiful piece of history! The staff was very friendly, and you're provided with a handheld audio…read moreguide that gives you fascinating, in depth historical details about the grounds. Everything is beautiful and extremely well maintained. The chapel is absolutely stunning, with so much incredible detail, and it's such a peaceful place of worship. The gift shop has a great selection of unique gifts, along with sacred pieces from holy places around the world. Definitely worth spending a few hours here. A beautiful, peaceful, and fascinating place to visit!

We had a wonderful time! We made it a point to stop here when driving from Temecula as we had never…read morebeen to a mission before, and we are so glad that we did. When getting the tickets, the lady helping us was so nice! We got our audio tour and started along the way. It really was beautiful and full of history! It's as old as the country! The audio tour and plaques along the way provided a lot of information and we spent at least 2 hours here wandering around and taking everything in, you could easily spend more time than that here. Beautiful grounds and it was amazing to see the original and uncovered structures that existed so long ago. You end up at the gift shop at the end and we left with a postcard and a magnet for home. Very reasonable prices in there and some cute things! Overall we had an amazing time and would love to visit other missions. Give this one a go!

The San Onofre Power Plant might be shut down, but its "boobies" are still the most iconic landmark…read moreon the 5 freeway. You can't miss 'em! SoCal's biggest inside joke! Iykyk

Where to begin... this majestic "set" overlooking the west coast has gotten me through many hard…read moretimes. Driving to LA makes any man think about ending at times but getting there by the 5 and looking to your left to see a real life Greek goddess's set makes it all worth it. After hearing the rumors that they will be torn down I can't help but wonder how many young men will dream of them from years to come. I pray I don't forget the look of the sun setting in-between those two gorgeous reactors.

This little hidden area of San Juan Capistrano is definitely worth a visit! In fact, Los Rios…read moreStreet Historic District is the oldest continuously inhabited neighborhood in California, and it features historic structures dating back to the late 1700s. This area also preserves three original adobe homes built around 1794--the Rios, Montanez, and Silvas adobes. Later in the 19th and early 20th centuries, wooden board-and-batten houses and Victorian buildings were added to the street. There's a spacious park including a butterfly garden, Hidden House coffee shop, a tea shop & a few little stores and several restaurants. There's also an adorable petting zoo! It's quaint and easy to see in under an hour, or you could spend a few hours relaxing & taking your time. It's easy to access to Los Rios from the 5 & there is plenty of free or low cost parking. Additionally, the train stops right in SJC and you can easily access this area from the stop. Peace.

7/26/26 What a gorgeous place to take the family out for a lazy Sunday afternoon! There are plenty…read moreof adorable places to visit and take a stroll. My family took the Metrolink from the Anaheim station ($10 per person) and it took about 45 minutes. Hubby and I drove from San Gabriel which took a little over an hour. My usual go to is The Hidden House Coffee shop with affordable and well made drinks, offering a sizable outdoor patio. The Ramos House Cafe is a few steps away, as well as the Los Rios Tea house. All of these are historic homes, vintage and picturesque. Within a few feet from the public parking lot is the Montanez building, where a nearby butterfly sanctuary is located. The Los Rios Cottages are for rent which are located next door to the Ramos House, very pretty but these are right alongside the train tracks, if you don't mind that racket, it'll be fine. It's an easy stroll and a beautiful destination. Come check it out. There are plenty more shops that I haven't visited. Today, I am limited as I have a medical boot (and a crutch) that's preventing me from my usual nosiness in discovering things on foot, until next time.

We went on the San Juan Capistrano tour. Heather was an amazing guide. She is a wonderful…read morestoryteller and facilitates a truly interactive experience. My daughters and I had a great time! I highly recommend the tour!

Oman House lockdown 8/8/26. Pretty active night. Always have a good time with this group. They…read morekeep things going on a good schedule and are a good group of people.

I like walks on the beach. Or more like, by the beach. A favorite of beach trails that I've enjoyed…read morecoming to - lots to see and explore with vibrant flowers, the horizon of the ocean, the sounds of the Amtrak and Metrolink trains passing by. All of it is just amazing. And the best part is, there's so many ways to just have a good time and a good workout on this trail. The Beach Trail is about 2.3 miles long in total, but it can feel like a pretty long walk. AND that's only one-way. Coming back, you have to do another 2.3 miles, if you're returning to the beginning of your route. But you'll really see everything. Love the Beach Trail!

We love weekend trips to San Clemente and loved the idea of this walking/bike trail that parallels…read morethe beach along with the metrolink rails. We parked at the Metrolink Avenida Estacion (North Beach). This is a paid parking lot which we initially missed seeing. Our destination from here was the San Clemente Pier which is about 2 miles. To find the Beach Trail, walk east, all the way to the end of the parking lot. Our walk started out great until we were about 1/2 mile in. Unfortunately, the trail was closed due to construction for the erosion happening in the area. A construction worker told us it would be a long walk through the neighborhood and he was right. We headed up the stairs into the neighborhood, hoping it would be a doable walk. With no sidewalks and no straight road towards the pier, we decided to turn around and head back to the car. It would have been helpful from the start if there was a sign indicating that a portion of the Beach Trail was closed. Make sure to check for closures before heading to this trail.

This Nature Interpretive Center is small, but good learning opportunities for small kids. It…read moreprovides information on geology, biology, and history on Dana Point Headlands. We spent about 20 minutes learning about animals, marine life, and surrounding plants. It explains how compact this place is. So will take you most about 30 minutes. Very informative displays and artifacts to explore. Parking is free and located in front of the facility. Afterwards, head down to the trail overlooking magnificent ocean views and lush green surroundings. Perfect activity to spend with your family.

Nice little spot to take the kids or even yourself to learn some of the local history. There are…read moredisplays inside and outside of the nature center. It could take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to see it all. You can go on a short hike that has magnificent ocean views . There is a marked trail available right behind the center.Parking is available right in front of the center.