San Clemente Pier, United States
Also within 20 km of San Clemente
- San Clemente Kite spot · 0.8 km from San Clemente
- Linda Lane Beach Surf spot · 1.2 km from San Clemente
- T Street Surf spot · 1.3 km from San Clemente
- 204.0 Surf spot · 1.5 km from San Clemente
- Calafia Surf spot · 2.4 km from San Clemente
- Riviera Surf spot · 2.4 km from San Clemente
- Lost Winds Surf spot · 2.9 km from San Clemente
- State park Surf spot · 3 km from San Clemente
Watch this spot We email you when San Clemente Pier is worth the trip.
About San Clemente Pier
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces SW (223°), so it takes swell from the SW. The wind blows offshore from the NE (43°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 3–10 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 500 m out (1 in 50). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 15°C in January, its coldest month (4/3 wetsuit and boots), and 22°C in August, its warmest (2 mm shorty). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually April and May, with about 3 good days in 7; in February and November, about 1. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is San Clemente, 1.2 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 11 surf spots and 1 wind sports spot.
Water about 20°C: 2 mm shorty. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
Save this trip A link to come back to, or to send to the group.
Book the trip
From Chicago: about 7 h 10 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to SNA, direct.
See flights ORD → SNA · Skyscanner from about £215 returnAdGetting there. 1 h from the airport to San Clemente Pier.
Accommodation.
Stay in San ClementeAd
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in San Clemente (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
San Clemente 2 min by car · rooms from £100 a night · 35 places to stay · where San Clemente Pier stays
Places to stay in San Clemente · Booking.com AdDana Point 16 min by car · rooms from £100 a night · 22 places to stay
Places to stay in Dana Point · Booking.com AdSan Onofre 16 min by car · rooms from £100 a night · 1 places to stay
Places to stay in San Onofre · Booking.com AdLaguna Beach 36 min by car · rooms from £100 a night · 49 places to stay
Places to stay in Laguna Beach · Booking.com AdNewport Beach 55 min by car · rooms from £100 a night · 33 places to stay
Places to stay in Newport Beach · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in San Clemente · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in San Clemente · GetYourGuideAd
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Where it is
San Clemente Pier on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Score for intermediates | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 61, good | 3 ft13 scrumbling | 358kJ | offshorewind from the east-north-east, 1 knot, offshore | 27°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 72, good | 4 ft13 scrumbling | 418kJ | offshorewind from the east-north-east, 0 knots, offshore | 26°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 66, good | 4 ft12 scrumbling | 345kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 1 knot | 24°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 58, good | 3 ft12 scrumbling | 253kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 4 knots | 22°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 48, good | 3 ft12 smushy | 243kJ | wind from the west, 6 knots | 20°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 45, fair | 3 ft6 smushy | 53kJ | offshorewind from the east, 4 knots, offshore | 22°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 37, fair | 2 ft12 scrumbling | 135kJ | wind from the west-south-west, 2 knots | 24°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 31, too small | 2 ft12 scrumbling | 99kJ | wind from the south-west, 2 knots | 24°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 25, too small | 2 ft11 scrumbling | 70kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 1 knot | 25°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 20, too small | 1 ft11 scrumbling | 39kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 2 knots | 25°C |
Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for intermediate surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Direct flight ORD to SNA, then 1h by road. About 7h 10 door to door
- Tue 20 OctSurf Trestles
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 4 ft at 12 s, wind 1 kn (2 km/h).
- Wed 21 OctSurf Calafia
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 3 ft at 12 s, offshore wind.
- Thu 22 OctSurf Trestles
Best 14:00 to 17:00 local time: 3 ft at 12 s, wind 6 kn (10 km/h).
- Fri 23 OctSurf Churches Point
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 3 ft at 5 s, offshore wind.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Direct flight ORD to SNA, then 1h by road. About 7h 10 door to door
The plan picks the best of 15 spots near San Clemente each day: 204.0, Birdhits, Calafia, Church (Trestles), Churches Point, Cottons, Linda Lane Beach, Lost Winds, Riviera, San Clemente Pier, San Onofre, State park, T Street, Trestles, Upper Trestles.
Rough cost
About £960–£1,740 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return ORD to SNA, estimated from distance and season, 2 airlines on the route, with a hold bag | £215–£445 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Taxi | airport and back, shared | £65–£105 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £270–£455 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £260–£480 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £115–£190 |
| Total | £960–£1,740 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near San Clemente
- Banzai BowlsPoke · in the centre
- Drift DistilleryBarbecue · in the centre
- DukesBurger · in the centre
- 9 Style SushiSushi · 0.1 km from the centre
- Aha SushiSushi · 0.1 km from the centre
- Franco's Famous Cocktail Bar & KitchenMexican · 0.1 km from the centre
Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits
Book the trip
Where to stayAd
Places to stay · Booking.com (ad)Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.