Casa Romantica sits on a bluff above the San Clemente Pier, where its white stucco walls, red-tile roofs and gardens command one of Orange County’s grandest ocean views.
What began as one man’s expression of the California dream now serves the public as a museum, gallery, botanical garden and performing-arts center.
Ole Hanson, the former mayor of Seattle and principal founder of San Clemente, built the house in 1927. Hanson envisioned his new community as a “Spanish Village by the Sea,” and his family residence became the architectural model for the town growing around it.
Architect Carl Lindbom designed a seven-bedroom, seven-bathroom Spanish Colonial Revival house arranged around a central courtyard. Among its memorable features are a circular moon-gate entrance, an octagonal study, Italian floor tiles, pegged hardwood floors and handmade Mexican roof tiles. Sliding glass doors and a private bathroom for every bedroom were considerable luxuries in the 1920s.
Hanson’s real-estate fortunes collapsed during the Great Depression, and Bank of America foreclosed on the property in 1934. The house passed through several owners before the City of San Clemente acquired it.
After a major restoration, Casa Romantica opened to the public as a nonprofit cultural center in 2003. It is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places and welcomes approximately 40,000 visitors annually. Visitors may explore the preserved rooms, changing art exhibitions, historical collections and 2½ acres of coastal gardens.
The institution also presents concerts, lectures, workshops, children’s activities and community celebrations throughout the year.
For coffee lovers, the special attraction is the Coffee Concert series presented with San Clemente’s High Tide Coffee. The arrangement is simple: Casa Romantica provides the historic Main Salon and the musicians; High Tide provides complimentary gourmet coffee.
At 10 a.m. on the third Friday of the month, visitors settle in for an hour-long acoustic performance by a local or regional musician.
This is a morning concert with coffee, not a visit to a working coffeehouse.
Casa Romantica does not operate a permanent café with espresso service, meals and tables available throughout the day.
Its gift shop sells snacks and refreshments, but visitors should not arrive expecting to order a cappuccino and hold court until closing time.
Those who want the complete coffeehouse experience can visit High Tide Coffee’s San Clemente shop at 1624 North El Camino Real, a short drive north of the Casa.
One agreeable plan would be breakfast or a second cup at High Tide, followed by the concert, a walk through the historic house and a few unhurried minutes looking across the Pacific.
A 2023 landslide damaged portions of the bluff, terrace and gardens and forced the property to close temporarily. All indoor rooms have since reopened, and the Ocean Terrace and several surrounding gardens partially reopened in September 2026.
The Amphitheater, Woodland Garden and Native Bowl remain closed while recovery work continues.
Casa Romantica is worth visiting without music or coffee. Add a fresh cup and an acoustic concert to its tiled rooms, shaded courtyard and ocean panorama, however, and a pleasant house tour becomes one of San Clemente’s better Friday mornings.
MORE INFO
Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens 415 Avenida Granada San Clemente, CA 92672 (949) 498-2139 www.casaromantica.org
Public hours: Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.; closed Mondays and federal holidays.
Admission: $8 adults; free for children 12 and younger, active-duty military personnel with identification and Casa Romantica members. Admission is free for everyone on the first Sunday of each month.
Coffee Concerts: Generally presented at 10 a.m. on the third Friday of each month. Complimentary High Tide coffee and the performance are included with regular admission. Check the online calendar before traveling because dates and programs can change.
Parking: Free on-site parking is available but limited during construction. Additional parking can be found in the Pier Bowl and near the San Clemente Community Center and Library.
By train: Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner stops at San Clemente Pier daily. Metrolink serves the pier on weekends. Casa Romantica is uphill from the station.
High Tide Coffee: 1624 North El Camino Real, San Clemente. Open daily, 7 a.m.–3 p.m.
No comments:
Post a Comment