The wide bay at San Clemente's pier has a nice sandy bottom and a reliable east wind—which comes in handy given the swells are mostly west and southwest. The underwater terrain being a gentle upward slope means the waves break long and slow, which is perfect—unless you're a sadist, in which case, get your ass over to the Wedge. There's both right- and left-break action and lots of room even on crowded days. There's great grub and beer at the Fisherman's Seafood Restaurant right on the pier. While it's not as famous or legendary a spot as Trestles, San Onofre or Old Man's Beach to the south, it does have the advantage of not being the location where that absolutely insane surfer with a camera attached to his paddle shot underwater footage of two great white sharks circling his standup paddleboard.
