Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves. James M. Barrie
Appreciating a little sunshine on a Saturday is always a good idea. We are grateful we headed to San Clemente to relax and enjoy the surf vibe and sunshine of this charming town. The Surfing Heritage and Culture Center was an incredible place to start our date. At the SHACC, their vision is to share the stoke of surfing with the world and the museum includes an extensive collection of surf history and memorabilia. We especially appreciated our docent for engaging us with several entertaining surf stories.
In San Clemente, the craft brewing industry is thriving and there are several tasting rooms near the museum. We were delighted to sample a flight of beer at Left Coast Brewing Company while listening to live music. After that, we were ready for some sunshine by the sea.
The sights and sounds all around the San Clemente Pier are very unique and completely enchanting. It is a lively location to watch surfers and to gaze at the beautiful coastline. A walk on the beach is always good for the soul and we enjoyed walking south from the Pier to San Clemente State Park and back. We were thankful to behold the gorgeous sunset together and to feel the peacefulness of being by the water.
There are several amazing restaurants in downtown San Clemente. We enjoyed every bite of our delicious meal at Brick. After that, we were thrilled to spend some time with our dear friends, Holly and Tony, at The Cellar. It’s a perfect place to enjoy a glass of wine and wonderful conversation. The sun had already set, but we were still feeling rays of sunshine in our hearts.
Where we found sunshine in San Clemente:
Surfing Heritage and Culture Center
Admission is free and donations are gratefully accepted. It is simply the best surf museum we’ve ever been to and we plan to return regularly to see their rotating exhibits. Their latest exhibit just opened and it focuses on the history of surf movies.
Left Coast Brewing Company
The tasting room is a relaxing place to enjoy excellent craft beer from an amazing local brewery.
The San Clemente Pier
https://www.sanclementeguide.com/san-clemente-pier.php
A popular place for photography is right under the pier because of the diffused lighting and the distinct geometry of the structure.
Brick
http://brickrestaurantgroup.com/home.php
The wood grilled Spanish octopus is a divine starter and the squid ink capellini is a marvelous dish. If you have something to celebrate, the chocolate lava cake with housemade gelato is a spectacular dessert. On this particular visit we came just for the pizza, and we’re so glad we did!
The Cellar
The food, the wine, and the atmosphere are simply fabulous.
Melanie’s Favorite Parts of the All Day Date:
“I love being married to an avid surfer and having sons who love to surf as well. We had never been to the Surfing Heritage and Cultural Center before, and it was such a pleasant surprise to see everything there and to read about the history of surfing. I definitely loved and appreciated our time at the San Clemente Pier and Beach. If that had been the only thing we did on our date, that would have been a huge treat alone. Spending time with my Love near the water is my favorite thing to do and the beach is my favorite place to walk and pray. Lastly, I also loved spending time at The Cellar with our friends. Good company, fine wine, and cool music…basically, a perfect Saturday evening.”
Kevin’s Favorite Parts of the All Day Date:
“I totally enjoyed the displays at the Surfing Heritage and Culture Center. The picture of George Peanuts Larson dropping into a triple overhead wave at Killer Dana on a 102 pound hand carved surfboard gave me chills. Trestles IPA from Left Coast Brewing Company has been one of my faves for a while and it was fun to enjoy it at the tasting room. The Farm Pizza at Brick is the best vegetarian pizza I’ve ever had. Best of all, while on our date, hearing my wife laugh is one of my favorite sounds in the whole world.”
Go to our menu to view more date ideas in Southern California.
All Day Date 