San Onofre – San-O’s
If you are looking for a place similar to what Southern California beach life was like before major development took over, San Onofre State Beach would be a great place to go. San Onofre sits right between Orange County and San Diego County, and as stated on SanDiego.org, “Jealously claimed by Orange County, San Onofre is actually situated south of the county line in San Diego.” Jealously is corrrect; San Onofre is beautifully laid back.
Because San Onofre beach is located inside a state park, you’ll have to pay state park costs for parking. Or, do what we do and pay for a year pass (which is good for all state parks). It pays for itself after about a dozen visits to any state park. San Onofre is known for its surfing spots Old Man’s and Trails (which are very well described here from Socal Surf), famous Dogpatch Beach, and near Trestle’s and Church’s.
San Onofre State Beach Park
San Onofre State Beach Park is located just south of San Clemente off of Basilone Road from the I-5. This whole area is development-free due to nearby Camp Pendleton military base and the now-decommissioned San Onofre nuclear power plant. San Onofre State Beach was established 1971 by then-govenor Ronald Reagan and encompasses 3,000 acres. Once inside the State Park, you can park on the sand. Camping, fire pits, hiking, surf fishing, and surfing are all enjoyed.
Photography by John Shelton.