Local Secrets from Power Plant RecordsThings to Do in San Clemente, From People Who Actually Live Here!

San Clemente is easy to love from the outside. The pier, the beaches, the Spanish-style buildings, the surf, the sunsets, the red tile roofs, the bougainvillea, the whole thing. But the best version of San Clemente is not always the one you find on the first travel blog.
We’re Power Plant Records, a family-run record store, recording studio, and music school at 73 Via Pico Plaza. Our family has called San Clemente home since the 1950s, and our shop has been part of the local music community for over 15 years.
So this is not a corporate travel guide. This is the local version. The “where should we actually go?” version. The “what would you tell your friend who is visiting for the weekend?” version.
If you are searching for things to do in San Clemente, San Clemente hidden gems, live music in San Clemente, family-friendly things to do in San Clemente, or free things to do in San Clemente, this guide is for you.
Here are some of our favorite things to do in San Clemente:

1. Dig through records at Power Plant Records
2. Ride the San Clemente trolley when it is running
3. Walk through the Los Molinos “Surf Ghetto” creative district
4. Catch live music at Knuckleheads or Stuft Pizza
5. Visit the San Clemente Pier and Avenida Del Mar
6. Eat tacos, burritos, pizza, and local comfort food
7. Check out the Surf Ghetto art crawl on the last Thursday of the month
8. Spend a quieter beach day at Poche Beach
9. Visit San Onofre State Beach for surf, barbecue, and a full beach day
10. Stop by Casa Romantica for San Clemente history and ocean views

Now here’s the real local breakdown.
Start at Power Plant Records: A Local Record Store in San ClementeIf you are looking for things to do in San Clemente, come find us first.

Power Plant Records is a local record store in San Clemente located at 73 Via Pico Plaza, right off the 5 freeway. We sell records, run a recording studio, and teach music through Beach Cities Rock Club, our in-house music school in the back of the shop.
Come dig through the vinyl, ask us what is happening in town, and let us point you in the right direction. If you are staying in San Clemente for more than a couple weeks, book a music lesson. Guitar, piano, drums, voice, bass, ukulele, recording, songwriting, and band classes are all part of what we do.
We also care deeply about local live music. Across the street at Stuft Pizza, we helped build a stage to give touring bands, local bands, and student musicians a real place to play. San Clemente deserves live music that is accessible, all-ages when possible, and connected to the community.
Basically, Power Plant Records is a good first stop before you wander into the rest of town.

The First Local Secret: Use the San Clemente Trolley
Here is one of the easiest ways to make San Clemente less stressful: when the San Clemente trolley is running, use it.
Parking near the beach, the pier, or Del Mar can get annoying fast, especially in summer. One of the best moves is to park near the Outlets at San Clemente and catch the trolley into town. It connects you to some of the main areas people actually want to visit, including the pier, Del Mar, El Camino Real, and the beach side of town.
Schedules can change by season, so check the current trolley schedule before you plan your day. But when it is running, it is one of the easiest ways to see San Clemente without circling for parking like a lost seagull.

A Little San Clemente History, Including the Weird Parts.
San Clemente was founded in 1925 by Ole Hanson, a former mayor of Seattle who had a vision for a Spanish-style village by the sea. The white stucco buildings, red tile roofs, arches, courtyards, and ocean-view streets were not an accident. Hanson wanted the whole town to feel like one connected idea.
The town was incorporated in 1928, and a lot of that early identity still shapes how San Clemente looks and feels today.
But Ole Hanson was not just some quiet real estate guy with a love for red tile. Before San Clemente, he was a national political figure.
In 1919, while serving as mayor of Seattle, Hanson became famous for his hardline stance during the Seattle General Strike. That same year, a package bomb was mailed to his office as part of a larger anarchist bombing campaign targeting politicians and businessmen across the country. Hanson was out of town, and the bomb failed only because a clerk opened it upside down. That is not local myth. That actually happened.
After Seattle, Hanson’s story gets even stranger. He lost much of his fortune, went to Mexico, and got involved in a massive oil-field venture before returning to California real estate. The documented version is already wild enough: political fame, a failed fortune, Mexican oil fields, and then a Spanish-style village by the sea.
There are also local legends that tie Hanson’s Mexico years to even bigger stories, including rumors that he dreamed of starting another town in Mexico and may have brushed up against Pancho Villa-era money and adventure. We have not found a clean paper trail for that part, so take it as barstool history, not courthouse history. But with Ole Hanson, the rumors stuck around because the real life was already half legend.
If you want to see San Clemente history in person, visit Casa Romantica. It was Ole Hanson’s home, built in 1927, and it sits above the ocean with one of the best views in town. It is one of those places that helps you understand why San Clemente feels different from the beach towns around it.
San Clemente is not just pretty buildings and ocean views. It is a surf town, a military-adjacent town, a working-class town, a family town, an arts town, and a place that has always had a little weirdness hiding behind the postcard image.
That is the San Clemente we like.
San Clemente Hidden Gems:
The Secret Path to the Surf GhettoBehind our plaza at Pico, there is a tucked-away path that cuts toward the Los Molinos District, known locally by many as the Surf Ghetto.
Parking over there can be a nightmare, so walking in from our side of Pico is one of those little local moves that makes the whole area easier to explore.
The Surf Ghetto is one of the best hidden gems in San Clemente. It is not polished in a fake way. It is industrial, creative, surf-heavy, and full of character. You will find surfboard shapers, small businesses, artists, breweries, workshops, and galleries tucked into a district that still feels like people are actually making things.
One of the best reasons to go is the Donaldson No Joke Art Gallery. On the last Thursday of the month, the Surf Ghetto often comes alive with an art crawl from 7 to 10 PM. You might see local artists, visiting artists from San Diego or Los Angeles, live music, sculpture, painting, and people spilling between spaces.
It is one of the best things to do in San Clemente if you want something that does not feel like a tourist brochure.

Live Music in San Clemente: Knuckleheads
If you want live music in San Clemente, Knuckleheads is one of the places to know.
On the surface, it has classic dive bar energy. It is casual, loud, imperfect, and alive. But walk deeper into the place and you may find a completely different side of it: a more tucked-away, speakeasy-style wine cellar atmosphere with a darker, moodier feel.
That contrast is exactly why it works. San Clemente is full of places like that. Something rough around the edges up front, then something unexpectedly cool hiding in the back.
Check their calendar before you go. Some nights are mellow, some nights have live bands, and some nights feel like half the town wandered in at once.
Things to Do in San Clemente at Night: Stuft Pizza, Local Shows, and Loud Guitars
Stuft Pizza is right across from Power Plant Records, and it has become one of our favorite local spots for music.
We helped build a stage there because we wanted San Clemente to have more places where bands could actually play. Over the years, we have helped bring in punk, hardcore, touring bands, student bands, and local musicians.
It is not a giant venue. That is the point. It feels close, real, and community-based. You might see a student band one week and a legendary punk band another week. That is the kind of thing San Clemente needs more of.
If you are looking for things to do in San Clemente at night, check what is happening at Stuft Pizza, especially if you like live music without the corporate venue feeling.
Where to Eat in San Clemente Like a Local
San Clemente has plenty of nice restaurants, and most of those are easy to find on your own. We are going to tell you about the places and deals locals actually talk about.
Primo’s Southside San ClementePrimo’s is a local favorite, especially for tacos. When their taco deals are running, it is one of the best cheap meals in town. There can be a line during peak hours, so the move is to go at an odd time. Breakfast tacos before the crowds show up? That is a real local play.
Rico’sRico’s is the kind of place you go when you want a big burrito and you do not want to overthink it. In a beach town where everything seems to get more expensive every year, a solid burrito still feels like a small victory.
Los Molinos BrewingLos Molinos Brewing sits right in the Surf Ghetto district, which makes it an easy stop if you are already exploring the area. The food is better than you might expect from a brewery, and the poke bowl is genuinely worth trying. They also host events, so check their schedule before you go.
Pizza PortPizza Port is a San Clemente institution. It is casual, loud, family-friendly, and very much part of the town’s rhythm. Go for lunch if you want the easiest version of the experience. Pizza, salad, beer if you are drinking, and no need to make it complicated.
San Clemente Beaches:
The One You Might Miss, Poche Beach.
​Everyone knows the pier. Everyone knows T-Street. Those are great, and you should see them. But if you want a quieter beach day, look at Poche Beach on the north side of San Clemente.
It is one of those stretches of coast that people drive past without fully noticing. It feels more open, less crowded, and less obvious than the main beach areas.
Parking can take a little effort because some of the closest parking is private or residential, but if you find street parking nearby and walk in, it can be worth it. Bring what you need, keep it simple, and enjoy having a little more space.
San Onofre State Beach:

One of the Best Things to Do Near San Clemente
This is why we named the store Power Plant Records.
San Onofre State Beach sits south of town near the old nuclear power plant, right next to one of the most iconic surf zones in California. Locals call it Sano, and it has a completely different energy from the crowded beach scene near the pier.
It is slower. More spread out. More surf-centered. More barbecue-on-the-beach. More “stay all day and forget what time it is.”
Expect a state park day-use fee, and on busy surf days, expect a line to get in. It can take a while, but it is worth it if you want the full San Clemente surf experience. Bring food, water, sunscreen, patience, and something to do while you wait.
People barbecue. Families post up for the day. Surfers come and go. The waves are famous for a reason.
If you only have one full beach day in San Clemente, San Onofre should be high on the list.
San Clemente Pier and Avenida Del MarYes, this is the obvious one. But obvious does not mean bad.
The San Clemente Pier and Avenida Del Mar are two of the most popular things to do in San Clemente for a reason. Avenida Del Mar is the main downtown stretch, and it leads you toward the pier. It is the place to walk around, get coffee, shop, eat, and feel the postcard version of San Clemente.

The pier is beautiful, especially near sunset. It gets busy, but it is still worth doing. Walk the beach trail, look back at the hillside, and you will understand why people get attached to this town.
Just know this: Del Mar and the pier are the front door. They are not the whole house.
That is why you also need Los Molinos, San Onofre, Poche Beach, the local music spots, and the weird tucked-away corners.
Casa Romantica: San Clemente History and Ocean ViewsCasa Romantica is one of the best places to understand the original vision of San Clemente.
Built in 1927 as Ole Hanson’s home, it sits above the ocean and gives you a direct look into the city’s early Spanish Colonial Revival identity. The gardens, tile, architecture, and views all connect to the dream Hanson was trying to build here.
It is quiet, beautiful, and worth visiting if you want something slower than the beach or bar scene.
It also gives you a better sense of why San Clemente still has such a strong visual identity. This town was designed to feel like something.

Family-Friendly Things to Do in San Clemente
San Clemente is a great town for families because you can build a full day without making it complicated.
Start with a walk on Avenida Del Mar, visit the San Clemente Pier, grab pizza or tacos, ride the trolley when it is running, spend time at the beach, or stop by Power Plant Records and let the kids look through records.
Families staying in town longer can also book music lessons at Beach Cities Rock Club inside Power Plant Records. We teach guitar, drums, piano, voice, bass, ukulele, songwriting, recording, and band classes for kids, teens, and adults.
If you are looking for family-friendly things to do in San Clemente, music, beaches, food, and local events are a pretty good place to start.
Free Things to Do in San ClementeSome of the best things to do in San Clemente are free or close to free.
Walk the San Clemente Pier. Explore Avenida Del Mar. Visit the beach trail. Watch the sunset. Browse records at Power Plant Records. Check out the Surf Ghetto art crawl when it is happening. Walk through Los Molinos. Find a quiet spot at Poche Beach. Catch a local event or live music night when there is no cover.
San Clemente can be expensive, but the best parts of town are still simple: ocean, music, art, food, walking, and getting a little lost.
A Few More Local Tips
If you are visiting in summer, give yourself extra time. Everything takes longer near the beach.
If you are going to San Onofre, go earlier than you think you need to.
If you are trying to eat somewhere popular, go before or after the normal rush.
If you want to understand the creative side of San Clemente, do not skip the Surf Ghetto.
If you want the easiest first stop, come to Power Plant Records, dig through the bins, and ask us what is going on that week.
We are not a tourism office. We are better than that.
Frequently Asked Questions About Things to Do in San ClementeWhat are the best things to do in San Clemente?Some of the best things to do in San Clemente include visiting the San Clemente Pier, walking Avenida Del Mar, exploring Casa Romantica, spending the day at San Onofre State Beach, riding the trolley when it is running, checking out the Los Molinos Surf Ghetto, and stopping by Power Plant Records for vinyl, music lessons, local recommendations, and live music connections.
What are some local hidden gems in San Clemente?Some local hidden gems in San Clemente include the Los Molinos Surf Ghetto, the art crawl at Donaldson No Joke Art Gallery, Poche Beach, the hidden path behind Pico Plaza, local shows at Stuft Pizza, and the back-room speakeasy-style atmosphere at Knuckleheads.
What are family-friendly things to do in San Clemente?Family-friendly things to do in San Clemente include visiting the pier, walking the beach trail, exploring Casa Romantica, riding the trolley, eating at Pizza Port or Rico’s, spending the day at San Onofre, and visiting Power Plant Records. Families staying in town longer can also book music lessons at Beach Cities Rock Club inside Power Plant Records.
What are things to do in San Clemente at night?
At night, San Clemente has live music, restaurants, bars, beach walks, and local events. Check Knuckleheads for live bands, Stuft Pizza for community shows, Los Molinos Brewing for events, and Avenida Del Mar for dinner and a walk through downtown.
What are free things to do in San Clemente?Free things to do in San Clemente include walking the pier, visiting the beach trail, exploring Avenida Del Mar, checking out the Surf Ghetto art crawl when it is happening, browsing records at Power Plant Records, watching the sunset, and visiting local beaches like Poche Beach or the pier area.
Where can I hear live music in San Clemente?For live music in San Clemente, check Knuckleheads, Stuft Pizza, Los Molinos Brewing, local art events, and community shows connected to Power Plant Records and Beach Cities Rock Club. San Clemente has a growing local music scene, especially around Pico Plaza and the Los Molinos district.
Is San Clemente good for kids and families?Yes. San Clemente is great for kids and families because there are beaches, parks, walkable areas, casual restaurants, the trolley when it is running, family-friendly events, and creative places like Power Plant Records and Beach Cities Rock Club.
What should I do first when visiting San Clemente?
Start with Avenida Del Mar and the San Clemente Pier if you want the classic version of town. Start at Power Plant Records if you want the local version. We can point you toward records, food, live music, art, beaches, and whatever is happening that week.
Come See Us at Power Plant RecordsIf this guide helped you, come say hi.
Power Plant Records is a record store, recording studio, and music school in San Clemente. We are independently owned, family-run, and deeply connected to the local music community. We sell records, make records, teach music, host events, help students perform, and try to keep San Clemente a little weirder, louder, and more creative.
We are not a chain. We are not pretending to be local. We are local.
Come dig through the bins. Ask us where to go. Tell us what kind of music you like. We will point you toward something good.

​Power Plant Records
73 Via Pico Plaza
San Clemente, CA 92672
(949) 463-1968
Hours:
Monday through Friday: 11 AM to 6 PM
Sunday: 12 PM to 5 PM