Despite Southern California’s well-deserved reputation as the epicenter for vehicular dependency, the train system in Orange County — stretching from San Clemente to Brea — has 11 stations-slash-stops, many of which offer a bevy of eateries, cafes and cocktail spots near the depots. Enter the Orange County Register’s new transit dining series.
Our first stop? San Clemente Pier and other San Clemente stations. Only fitting as the seaside track has been repaired and reopened in April. Metrolink and Amtrak Pacific Surfliner rail services once again connect Los Angeles, the Inland Empire and Orange County to San Diego County.
Keep in mind that selected venues throughout the series are each within a reasonable distance of their stop, whether on foot or by wheelchair, with no major roads or freeways required to access the good grub waiting for you.
San Clemente Pier Station
While this station drops passengers smack-dab onto the beach and a nearby dining area, only four Amtrak Pacific Surfliner trains per day stop at the station (two trains in each direction), with Metrolink’s Orange County Line and Inland Empire-Orange County Line stopping at the station on Saturdays and Sundays. Riders stepping off the platform here will be rewarded with one of Orange County’s best small-batch coffeehouses and a handful of choice eateries. Best of all, most of these venues are within a stone’s throw from each other.
Please note that weekday Metrolink service does not stop at the San Clemente Pier Station; however, four Metrolink Orange County Line trains and two Inland Empire Line trains stop in each direction on the weekends (12 total stops). The Amtrak Pacific Surfliner also services the area seven days a week, making two stops at the San Clemente Pier in each direction.
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