San Clemente is the southernmost city in Orange County, California, set on a stretch of coastal bluffs along Interstate 5 between Los Angeles and San Diego. Known as the "Spanish Village by the Sea," the city was founded in 1925 by developer Ole Hanson and incorporated in 1928. Hanson laid out an ambitious plan for a seaside community built in the Spanish Colonial Revival style—white stucco walls, red-tile roofs, and tile courtyards—an aesthetic that remains the city's architectural signature and is protected by local design guidelines. The city is defined by its relationship to the ocean. The San Clemente Pier extends into the Pacific at the foot of the downtown, anchoring a beachfront where surfers ride the pier's north-side break and families gather on the sand. The Pier Bowl, a cluster of beach homes and condos around the pier, and the nearby Avenida Del Mar shopping district form the heart of the coastal village. San Clemente also gained a place in national history as the home of the Western White House during the Nixon administration, a period that drew renewed attention to the city. Beyond the coast, San Clemente climbs into the coastal foothills, where newer master-planned communities such as Talega offer a more inland, suburban setting within the same city. Students attend the Capistrano Unified School District, including San Clemente High School, a California Distinguished School. Transportation runs along the coast and the rails. Interstate 5 passes through the city, and two train stations—the San Clemente Pier station on the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner and the inland San Clemente Metrolink station—connect the city to San Diego, Los Angeles, and the rest of the Orange County coast. The result is a coastal town that pairs Spanish-style charm and surf culture with practical access to two major metropolitan areas.