Popular Surf Spots

Here are some popular surf spots in California. To receive a monthly email with spot updates subscribe to the newsletter. Regardless of where your going, California or elsewhere, the Stormrider Guides are pretty good.

Del Norte County

• South Beach - Southwest facing beach in economically depressed Crescent City.

Humboldt County

• Shelter Cove - A bit out of the way.

Sonoma County

• Doran Beach - Frequently closed out and needs a high tide.
• Salmon Creek - Frequently blown out but some nice sandbars.

Marin County

• Bolinas - Crowded but some good sandbars/reef and a good learning area.
• Stinson Beach - Not so great most of the time but very convenient and popular with families.

San Francisco County

• Ocean Beach - Miles of fantastic sandbars on the good days, miles of frustration on bad days.

San Mateo County

• Linda Mar - Never epic but fairly consistent.
• Mavericks - Creepy big wave spot.
• Half Moon Bay Jetty - Loves a southwest swell.

Santa Cruz County

• Steamers Lane - Great but crowded waves.
• Cowells - One of the best places to learn to surf.
• Pleasure Point - Glassy waves good for all kinds of boards.
• Manresa - Popular surf spot south of Santa Cruz/Capitola.

Monterey County

• Moss Landing - Picks up everything.
• Carmel Beach - Ultra white sand and blue water.
• Andrew Molera - Nice rights, long walk in.
• Sand Dollar - Fun beach south of Big Sur.

San Lois Obispo County

• Morro Rock - It's pretty hard to miss.
• Pismo Beach - Pier with beach break, watch the RV traffic jam in summer.

Santa Barbara County

• Sands Beach - The place to go when it's tiny in SB.

Ventura County

• Rincon - Classic California point break. Always crowded.
• C Street - Nice rights in front of the fairgounds.
• Ventura Harbor - Two jetties and beachbreak.
• Silver Strand - AKA "The Ship".

LA County

• County Line - Point break, beach break and Neptune's Net
• Leo Carillo State Park - Camping, surfing, tide pools, and Wi-Fi. Isn't that enough?
• Malibu - Most famous surf spot in California.
• Manhattan Beach - Classic LA beachbreak by a pier.

Orange County

• Huntington Beach - Miles of beachbreak, with the pier being the most crowded and consistent.
• Newport Beach - Crowded and rich. Take the kids to Balboa Island.

San Diego County

• Oceanside - Nice sandbars. Less crowded alternative to many Central and Southern San Diego County surf spots.
• San Elijo State Beach - Reef and beach break with a campground featuring the Eli Howard Surf School.
• Scripps Pier and La Jolla Shores - Fun waves at the Pier and The Shores is good for more gentle surf; but the summertime crowds and prices mean it's best for other seasons.

More

California State Beaches (San Mateo)

California State Beaches (Santa Cruz)

Popular Santa Cruz Spots

Camping and Surfing in California

California Big Wave Surfing

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Silver Strand  
Silver Strand, or The Strand as some call it, is a strip of beach located in between the Channel Islands harbor and the U.S. Naval Construction Battalion ...

Ventura Harbor - Surf spot to add 
Growing up in the Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties, Ventura Harbor was one of the stopping points on our search for surf down the coast.

There are ...

Stormrider Guides EBooks Review 
Stormrider Guides are some of the best surf spot guides out there. I have been a fan of the print versions for years, but now they are offering all as ...

water lover 
The massive oil spill in San Francisco Bay closed down several Northern California beaches. Volunteers are wanted to help with the clean up. This is ...

County Line  
Located on the border of the Ventura and Los Angeles county lines along Highway 1, this is a great surf spot for those who don't like the over crowded ...

An old Central Cal surfers rememebers. 
Even though I have lived and worked in New York and Connecticut for the last 25 years I have never forgotten, and never will forget growing up in and surfing ...

pismosurfer 
Why don't you have any info and pictures of san luis obispo county? You missed several great breaks... Ragged point, lighthouse, San Simeon, cayucos pier,...

Pismo Beach Pier  Not rated yet
South of Morro Bay and close to Cal-Poly, Pismo Beach Pier is a classic beach break. Taking a WNW or NW swells best, breaks north and south of the pier ...

Sunset in LA  Not rated yet
Where Sunset Blvd hits PCH. Park on the shoulder of PCH or in the small state parking lot (shared with a restaurant) and lug your board down PCH. If ...