San Clemente is the last city in Orange County before the San Diego county line — after it comes only Camp Pendleton, a US Marine Corps base. With about 65,000 residents, the local agent describes it as a laid-back city, with a calm climate and a strong beach identity.

Its most famous beach isn't even in the city

San Clemente is closely associated with the surf spot known as Trestles — one of the spots that hosts professional surfing competitions. Interestingly, the Trestles area administratively belongs to San Diego County, not Orange County, even though the most common access is from southern San Clemente. It's a common mistake even among locals.

Architecture and history

The city has strong Spanish/Mexican-inspired architecture, and is home to Casa Romántica, a local historic landmark. San Clemente is also known for having been, in the 1950s and 1960s, the summer residence of then-President Richard Nixon — the house, nicknamed at the time the "Western White House," still exists and is a city landmark.

Housing market and who lives there

Average home prices in the city run around $1.6 million, according to the local agent. San Clemente is often described as a commuter town: a good portion of its residents work in or around Irvine, about 20-25 minutes away, and come home looking for a calmer, family-focused pace of life.

Sources and verification

• Description of San Clemente, Trestles and the housing market by agent Sammy Veicer in the episode.
• Transcript of episode 4 of the Cadê Moradia podcast (March 2026).

This topic comes from the full episode — watch it:

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