India, Feb. 14 -- Southern California has so many great beach towns that it would take months-if not years-to explore them all. While every one of them is worth visiting in its own right, I've spent more than two decades exploring the coast, and in my opinion, San Clemente is the best beach town in Southern California.

Situated on the southern border of Orange County and easily accessible to travelers by Amtrak train or car, San Clemente has all the charm of a close-knit community and all the liveliness of a surfer's paradise. Plus, it's one of the most beautiful towns in the area, with the rolling San Joaquin Hills on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other. San Clemente was established in 1925 as one of the first planned communiti...