At the southern tip of Orange County, California, snuggled up against the Pacific Coast, lies the sleepy town of San Clemente, a beautiful seaside community that would most likely be relatively unknown today were it not for one very famous former resident.
San Clemente was founded in 1925 by real estate developer and architect, Ole Hanson, who helped orchestrate the look that the town would take with its Spanish style villas and red tiled roofs. It was to be his “Spanish Village by the Sea,” and likely would have stayed under the radar of most people had it not also been for it’s most infamous resident, former President Richard Nixon. Tricky Dick resided at “La Casa Pacifica”, a historic estate that Franklin Delano Roosevelt had also once used as retreat during his presidency. Known as the “Western White House,” this villa, considered to be virtually impenetrable, is located at the far end of a gated and heavily guarded private community and surrounded by cliffs guarded by a nearby Coast Guard station. Nixon stayed here often and it is where he would eventually take up full-time residency after the Watergate scandal forced his resignation. Reports of the former President, walking the sandy beach alone and mumbling to himself were common. Nixon eventually moved back to the East Coast in 1979.
San Clemente is home to a number of military families, due to its proximity to Camp Pendleton Marine Base. It has also become known as a hotspot for surfing activity and has managed to produce more than a few world-class surfers on its pristine and wave-friendly beaches. It is also home to current 16-year-old skateboarding phenomenon, Ryan Sheckler, who some consider the best in the sport.
For tourists, San Clement provides all the necessities for a quite weekend getaway with a loved one. It boasts remarkable sunsets, a number of restaurants, and a number of vacation retreats that surround its pier. Each year, the San Clemente Street Festival gives locals and visitors alike a chance to celebrate while watching musical acts (both local and national,) sampling foods from local establishments and browsing a number of arts and craft displays. San Clemente was also featured prominently in the 2005 independent film, Brick, shot entirely on location in the town and its High School.
It isn’t a destination that immediately pops to mind when one is planning a weekend getaway, and the residents probably prefer it that way. For those in the know, however, San Clemente is a place where one can enjoy all the pleasures of a hidden little beach town, without the traffic and crowds of some of the better-known resorts. It is truly a well-kept secret that would be virtually unheard of, had it not made national headlines in the 1970s. Luckily, as time passes, so do the images of a rejected President, walking along its serene beaches in (not entirely) quiet reflection. And whatever else can be said about the man and his legacy, he sure knew how to pick a place to live.
