This beach goes by two names, El Portal Beach and Buena Vista Beach. That’s because the public access entrance is at the intersection of Buena Vista and El Portal streets.El Portal Beach, as it is best known, is a San Clemente City Beach with a long set of stairs leading down to the train tracks and the beach. It’s a narrow beach that is better suited for surfing than sunbathing or beach sports as the beach is mostly wet at higher tides. That said, when the tide is out locals will be enjoying this hidden gem.