Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens

The Casa is beautifully kept and the gardens are lovely! The volunteers were friendly and knowledgeable about the history of the casa as well as the history of San Clemente. The views of the ocean were so pretty! We really enjoyed the gardens and the lovely architecture. Great location and relaxing atmosphere. Highly recommended 👍👍

As a wedding photographer who has captured several weddings at Casa Romantica over the years, I can say that it is my favorite wedding venue in San Clemente. The historic building is always a joy to photograph and the views, especially at sunset, are amazing.

Casa Romántica is a magical place for photography of any kind, especially engagement and wedding! The spaces are beautiful and well kept. I recommend booking a weekday for a quieter experience. Walk down to the pier for a change of scenery afterwards!

Although a recent storm had caused a landslide, there was such a warmth in the people we met working there, it seemed that most are volunteers, but their hearts and caring showed through and we seemed to connect and find out this physical location was well supported by these women and the grounds keeper. We walked the remaining gardens, and views, enjoyed taking some photos, walked hand in hand, and shared a little romance... so we look forward and hope that others will step up to assist in the rebuilding and replanting once the grounds are stabilized. We will certainly be looking to visit again.

We have visited the beautiful gardens many times at Casa Romantica and had heard that they sustained damage from the heavy rains earlier in 2023. The aerial photo shows the extent of the damage to the rear building and the hillside. So sad, but we hope they will be able to rebuild it. The flowers were still very pretty.

One of my favorite things to do is go to historical estates with gardens and this one did not disappoint. Ole Hanson was the former mayor of Seattle (the anarchists hated him and sent him a mail bomb to let him know!) who ended up moving to California where he established San Clemente. The grounds are meticulously maintained. Volunteers, I’m assuming, who were working, were lovely. And the view!

Historical San Clemente home with beautiful gardens, a view of the ocean, and a small space for art exhibits. Current exhibit is California places from past artists compared to a contemporary local artist. Well worth the small admission fee.

Absolutely stunning views, it’s such a tranquil place, there’s a path to walk along to see the beautiful gardens. It’s the perfect place for a quiet date, it was also very sunny. We took water and some light snacks. There’s plenty of areas to sit and enjoy the breeze and beautiful views.

Best location for a relaxing beach wedding, perfect weather and view of the ocean!

This wonderful place is easily five-star. It's a former mansion built in the late 1920s by one of the two developers of San Clemente. Not given the Romantica name until a few owners later in the 1940s but that's OK. With the pandemic currently making the house closed for visitors (except the history center/gift shop room) you're coming for the gardens and stunning ocean views. They only charge 5 dollars for admission and parking is free so it's a great deal.

If you're a garden connoisseur the plantings will not stagger you with sophistication or rareness, like at the Sherman Library and Gardens. But they're just lovely and well maintained. You can feel the love that the volunteers and staff give to the place. Since this is a cultural and arts center even more than a garden, you should know that most events and exhibitions are cancelled for the pandemic. But a few are still happening, especially for members. I just saw on their Facebook page that construction is about to begin to rehab their parking lot. Check it out online before you go..

Beautiful home, gallery, and gardens overlooking the San Clemente Pier. An easy walk form the beach (and Metrolink train station). Children’s art programming on Sundays, and lots of benchs to sit and relax with sweeping views of the Pacific. It’s a small space as far as the gardens and gallery go, but a must see if you’re escaping to the beach for the day.

Beautiful Architecture! A good visit for some local history!

If you are planning a trip to San Clemente in California, Casa Romantica must be number one in the list of spots to visit first. The entrance is $5 only and you will never regret that you have spent this money as the place will amaze you with its gardens, architecture, art gallery, gift shop, theater and the views.

Very nice employees, they told us about the museum and explained the map a bit first. They were going to close for a wedding later that day. But we still had ample time to look around. We spent about 45 minutes here, and that included maybe 10 mins sitting on a bench looking out at the ocean. Very peaceful and beautiful place. House is lovely as well.

Really beautiful place.
Current Christmas season decoration is so cute. You can be satisfied by the great view and kind assistants.
Parking lot is available.

This place did not disappoint, just so you know the first Sunday of every month it’s free for everybody but normal admission is only $5, it’s depending upon the person if you think it’s worth it or not but the artifacts and views as well as the plants are amazing to look at! They have lots of hands-on activities to offer for children like painting your own pots and more; and have a gift shop this is a great place to add to your trip out!

Gorgeous place to visit near the San Clemente pier and metro link depot. Loved the stunning gardens, especially the butterfly garden. The staff here is very friendly and interactive. Be sure to check out the art gallery on the way out.

Beautiful views! The home is beautiful place to stop and get away from the busy streets. $5 we didn't have reservations. Everyone was very nice. Plenty of parking.

A hidden gem in San Clemente. This beautiful home and garden was the summer home of one of the founders of the city. Only $5 admission and it offers spectacular views of the pier and miles of oceanfront.

If you are in the neighborhood of San Clemente for any reason I strongly recommend to stop by Casa Romántica. So beautiful and full of history, great views. The volunteers are so nice and passionate about this place.