One of the first things my family noticed upon arriving in San Clemente, California, was that kids were everywhere: riding bicycles, building sand castles, carrying surfboards toward shore. It was a sunny afternoon in mid-July, and we had just parked our car across from T Street Beach and San Clemente Municipal Pier, the city's landmark attractions. "I love it here," said 13-year-old Caroline within minutes of our arrival. Paul, ten, beamed in agreement.

Set on a lovely stretch of coastline halfway between San Diego and Los Angeles, this self-proclaimed "Spanish Village by the Sea" became famous in the late 1960s, when President Richard Nixon called it home. Today, the city boasts champion high school surfing teams (families can watch them practice at T Street Beach), eight gorgeous beaches, and summers filled with special events, such as the San Clemente Ocean Festival, July 16 and 17 (call (949) 440-6141). For families, San Clemente offers a relaxed southern California city with small-town charm, ideally situated within 45 miles of many popular attractions, including Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure, Knott's Berry Farm, and Legoland California.

With wet suits on and boogieboards in hand, we headed for T Street Beach. Caroline and Paul found a good spot to catch waves, which they did for more than an hour, until their feet grew numb. (The average July water temperature is 68 degrees, so most people staying in the water for any length of time wear wet suits.) As Caroline toweled off, she was almost breathless with happiness. "The waves are so good here!" she exclaimed. Caroline's not the only one who thinks so. From dawn until dusk, the water teems with clusters of wet suit-clad surfers.

Even after dark, there is still plenty of activity near the water. That night after dinner, we put on sweatshirts and walked along T Street Beach, where families and groups were enjoying the warmth of the beach's several fire rings.

The next morning was foggy, so we set out to explore the area. We checked out the surf shops, souvenir stands, and antique stores in the quaint downtown, then headed for Dana Point Harbor, a seaside town about ten minutes away by car. There, we found the Ocean Institute, a marine education center with touch tanks, tidal pools brimming with life, and a 19th-century tall ship, Pilgrim, which on most Sundays hosts an open house with costumed interpreters (admission is free; activity prices vary; call (949) 496-2274). Although we could have set sail on one of the center's many learning adventures, Paul had his eye on the kayaks circling the harbor. We rented a two-seater from Southwind Kayaks (call (800) 768-8494 for pricing), which the kids took turns paddling with my husband, Kees.

Hungry for dinner, we headed to The Fisherman's Restaurant, a well-known seafood spot on San Clemente Pier (entrees from $12; kids' menu from $4; call (949) 498-6390). From our outside table, we watched surfers riding waves that broke directly under our feet--we could even see the sea foam through the cracks between the floorboards. Caroline and Paul tried fish for the first time--and liked it.

The next morning, we drove to Calafia Beach Park (call (949) 361-8264), a scenic escape about two miles south of downtown. Popular with surfers and local families, Calafia features an undeveloped slice of California coastline with easy access to the beach, amenities (rest rooms, showers, picnic tables, and a snack bar), and lifeguards in summer. Within easy walking distance of the water is the San Clemente State Beach campground, a beautiful bluff-top site overlooking the Pacific Ocean (reservations can be made up to seven months in advance; call (800) 444-park).

Tired from our adventures, we spent the rest of the day enjoying the amenities--a pool, three-hole miniature golf course, tennis courts, and Ping-Pong tables--at our hotel, the San Clemente Inn (a one-bedroom suite with a queen bed, twin Murphy beds, and a kitchen starts at $155 per night; call (949) 492-6103).

Our southern California vacation wouldn't have been complete without a Mexican meal. Everybody we asked pointed us to Olamendis (call (949) 661-1005), a family-owned restaurant in nearby Capistrano Beach. Painted in cheerful south-of-the-border pastels and with photos of famous people adorning the walls, the restaurant was brimming with a lively mix of families and couples. The portions were huge, but the bill was only $26.

The only difficult part of our San Clemente vacation was leaving. But we'll be back!

8 REASONS WHY WE LOVE SAN CLEMENTE
The ocean Whether you're interested in boogieboarding, bodysurfing, longboarding, wading and splashing, or lolling on the sand gazing at magnificent waves, San Clemente has a beach for you.
Pier Market If we hadn't brought boogieboards, we could have rented them ($7 per day) from this mom-and-pop shop near the pier, which also sells beach bags and toys, groceries, and every conceivable brand of sunscreen (call (949) 366-1063).
Cassano's Pizza Across the street from San Clemente Pier, this tasty pizza and sandwich shop is a magnet for sandy kids in bathing suits (call (949) 361-0892). The food is ready fast and hits the spot after hours of riding waves or dripping castles.
Cowabunga Ice Creamery & Java Hut There's nothing better than homemade ice cream after a day at the beach (call (949) 366-2116). We ate our cones at the surfboard counter outside.
Russell Stationers Our favorite shop downtown, Russell's features a winning mix of inexpensive treasures--beach souvenirs, kids' activity books, toys--and a cheerful staff (call (949) 492-5622).
Rose Donuts Paul deemed the doughnuts from this privately owned California chain the best he's ever eaten (call (949) 493-9200).
The beach trains Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner, with bi-level cars offering panoramic views, makes 11 round trips a day between Los Angeles and San Diego--and it's fun to watch (call (800) USA-RAIL).
The Beachcomber Motel Although the rooms at this family-owned motel are modest, the views are anything but. Each of the 12 rooms boasts a picture window and porch overlooking an expansive lawn and the beach below (rates for a studio--ours had a kitchenette, a queen bed, and sleeper sofa--range from around $150 to $250 per night in high season; call (888) 492-5457 or go to Beachcomber Motel's Web site).

Sara Lewis's new novel is Second Draft of My Life (Pocket Books, May 2002).

Please keep in mind that phone numbers, addresses, and prices are subject to change. Updated July 2005.