The Spanish arrived in 1542 and founded Mission San Diego de Alcalá nearby in 1769.Judge Hyde was one of the first settlers of Clairemont and began farming in Tecolote Canyon in 1872.

[4] In 1950, Carlos Tavares and Lou Burgener developed what became San Diego's largest post-war subdivision.

Originally dubbed "The Village Within a City",[5] people started living in this new Clairemont subdivision in May 1951.

[7] The design of this new subdivision represented a new concept in community living because it did not incorporate the traditional grid system of uniform blocks and streets.

Instead, winding streets and scenic view lots took advantage of the canyons and bluffs overlooking Mission Bay.

The first homes, built by Burgener and Tavares Construction Company, had highly customized floor plans.

The developers assembled the necessary acreage to develop Clairemont from three primary land holdings: the Peavey Cattle Ranch, Mission Bay Heights (owned by the Hazard Family), and Tecolote Heights (owned by Jack & Dan Danciger).

[5] The original subdivision map that used the name “Clairemont” for the first time was approved and recorded by the County of San Diego on October 16, 1950.

[5] Within a few years, several thousand houses had been constructed, including single family homes, duplexes and apartments.

[9][10] Clairemont's main geographical characteristics appear as a terrain of sandstone coastal mesas with canyons eroded by seasonal streams that support riparian woodlands.

San Clemente Canyon runs east-west, bordering the community on the north side.

Marian Park is roughly 467 acres (189 ha) and runs parallel to the south side of the 52 freeway.

A walk/bike path begins in park and runs south to Clairemont Mesa Blvd west of I-805.

It was built on the site of an olive farm that was one of the area's previous uses before re-development as a residential suburb beginning in the 1950s.

A natural creek-bed runs through the golf course, which was designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and Sam Snead.

[13] YMCA's Krause Family Skate & Bike Park - This destination park is affiliated with the Mission Valley YMCA but is located in the San Diego community of Clairemont Mesa at 3401 Clairemont Drive, San Diego, CA 92117.

[14] As of summer 2017, the park was undergoing renovations; with old ramps being torn down and replaced in anticipation of the 2017 Clash at Clairemont, an event sponsored by professional skater Andy Macdonald.