San Diego has a long history of surf culture. San Diego’s beaches are infamous because of this culture (Old Man’s, Windansea, Tourmaline Surfing Park). Today I would like to list some of the best surfing beaches in San Diego. It is important to note that I will be covering the entire San Diego County, starting North.
To add a bit of semblance to this list, I will add a linked google map to each site. I will also be specifying the wave type and direction, which swell/ wind combination works best, the reliability of the location, and any additional information that I find interesting or have written about in a prior post.
I will also list the best surfing beaches in San Diego, primarily geared for intermediate to advanced surfing levels, followed by the best surfing beaches for beginners.
Table of Contents
Located on the very northern tip of San Diego County, Trestles Beach, part of San Onofre State Beach, is isolated. There are a few ways to get here. See additional information on how to get to this location at the link below.
Wave Type– cobblestone reef break/point break
Wave Direction -lazy right and hollow left
Best Swell– S, SW, SSW (May-Oct)/ wind NE
Reliability– very consistent
Special Note-hard to get to, very crowded, leisurely paddle out, advanced only
Other Breaks Nearby– Middles and Church to the south; Uppers and Cottons to the North.
—>Exploring the Trestles Beach Trail<—
With its two jetties (one to the North, one to the south), Oceanside Harbor beach helps make fantastic surf here all year.
Wave Type– beach break, sand bottom
Wave Direction– right and left
Best Swell– W/ wind NE
Reliability– very consistent
Rating– intermediate
Special Note– best at high tide, can get very busy, paid parking, great all year long
Other Breaks Nearby– to the south of Oceanside Pier and Oceanside Blvd
—>Oceanside Beach, CA-Let’s Go!<—
Moonlight Beach is located in Encinitas, known for its surf culture. Wherever you look, there are surfboards. One of the locals’ ‘secret’ spots to surf is D Street Beach which is found immediately south of the Moonlight Beach parking lot. Remember not to tell anyone about this place, ok?
Wave Type– sand bar
Wave Direction– left and right
Best Swells– SW/ wind E
Reliability– fair
Special Notes– summer has the best conditions, fast beach break
Other Breaks Nearby– Moonlight to the North, Boneyards to the south
—>The Beaches of Encinitas- A Photo Tour<—
Swami’s has a beach break and a remarkable reef far offshore that produces perfectly lined walls with the winter swells.
Wave Type– beach break and right point reef break 100 yards out
Wave Directions– right
Best Swell– W, NW, SW/ wind E
Reliability-fair
Special Note-extremely busy, best with winter swells, dangerous conditions due to rocks only advanced recommended.
Other Breaks Nearby– Boneyards to the North, Pipes and San Elijo State Beach to the south
—>Swami’s State Beach-Hidden Paradise<—
Cardiff Reef also has some of the best waves in San Diego, and several surf contests are held here. As you can see by the photo above, this surf break is influenced by the San Elijo Lagoon inlet and is at its best when the tide is going out.
Wave Type-reef break
Wave Direction– left (best) and right
Best Swell-WNW /wind E
Reliability– very consistent
Special Note-can gets crowded, experienced only, best in winter, San Elijo Lagoon runoff, advanced.
Other Breaks Nearby–San Elijo State Beach to the North, Georges, and Seaside to the south
—>Beaches of Encinitas-A Photo Tour<—
2800 Torrey Pines Scenic Dr, La Jolla
Black’s is one of the world’s best beach breaks because a submarine canyon is located offshore. Another thing that makes Black’s so special is that it is also a nude beach.
Wave Type– beach break
Wave Direction– right and left
Best Swell-WNW / wind E
Reliability– consistent
Special Notes– only advanced, very isolated, winter best, nude beach
Other Breaks Nearby– Torrey Pines State Beach to the North, Scripps Beach and Scripps Pier to the south
—>Black’s Beach- The Naked Truth<—
Neptune Pl & Nautilus St, La Jolla
Windansea is another of the best surfing beaches in San Diego, and it also has a rich history of surfing history to boot. People have been surfing at this location since the early 40s. Did you know that these beach-inspired Beach Party movies in the 60s?
Do you see the surf shack in the background? Well, it was first built in 1946 and was later named a historical landmark in 1998.
Wave Type-flat rock reef break
Wave Direction– long right and short hollow left
Best Swell– SW/ wind E
Reliability– fair
Special Notes– advanced only- protruding rocks and ample reefs; it is very hazardous here-winter best but pleasing all year round
Other Breaks Nearby– Horseshoe to the North, Bird Rock to the south
—>Showcasing the Best Beaches of La Jolla<—
As we travel south towards San Diego, we have the Tourmaline Surfing Park. People have been enjoying surfing here since the 1930s, and this surfing spot is known as the friendliest surfing beach in San Diego. All levels are seen here.
Wave Type– reef break
Wave Direction– right and left
Best Swell– SW/ wind NE
Reliability– fair
Special Notes– there are three different breaks- to the North, waves are long and mushy, the middle waves are smaller, and to the south end, there is a classic break great for all skill levels.
Other Breaks Nearby– to the north Pacific Beach Point, south Law Street
—>Exploring North Pacific Beach<—
Some of the best surfing is over at Sunset Cliffs, but it is hazardous as there is only one staircase over near Garbage Beach, and that is it. Locals scale the bluffs with their surfboards in tow to get near the water. And once you get in the water, you must paddle out very far. I suggest watching over here if you are not an advanced wave rider.
Wave Type– reef break
Wave Direction– right and left
Best Swell– W/ wind E
Reliability– very consistent
Special Notes– best in winter, watch out for rocks and sharks; the break is far offshore, advanced only.
Other Breaks Nearby– to the North- North Garbage, Luscomb’s, to the south- New Break and Subs
—>Discovering Sunset Cliffs Natural Park<—
Just south of Church is Old Man’s Beach. Here, the cobblestone and shelf bottom slows the waves’ energy, making them very gentle and forgiving, thus making it a great place to learn how to surf.
Wave Type– cobblestone reef break
Wave Direction– right and left
Best Swell– SW or SW/W-winds NE to E (slight Santa Ana is best)
Reliability– very consistent
Special Note– extremely busy on weekends, porta-potties, pay to park
Other Breaks Nearby– The Point to the North (south of Church) and Dogpatch (another great beginner break) to the south
—>Getting to Know San Onofre State Beach<—
Beacons Beach is another local favorite located within the residential area of north Encinitas. There is a great community ‘feel’ here and an all in all friendly vibe. The parking lot is tiny, and please be aware that there are sharks in this area.
Wave Type– beach and reef break
Wave Direction– right and left with a right-hand reef break
Best Swell– W/ wind E
Reliability– very consistent
Special Note– works best with a low to mid tide, not much parking, no restrooms, great for beginners to advanced
Other Breaks Nearby– Grandview to the North, Stone Steps to the south
—>Beaches of Encinitas-A Photo Tour<—
I pick La Jolla Shores as the best beach in La Jolla and the best family beach in San Diego. Here the water is relatively calm in the summer, making it one of the best places to swim, snorkel, paddleboard, kayak, and surf.
—>Showcasing the Best Beaches of La Jolla<—
Do you remember the underwater trench I mentioned over at Black’s Beach? Well, that trench and the kelp beds offshore influence the swells over here. Most energy has been used up when the wave makes it over here. This, in turn, causes the waves to be very forgiving on this beach, which is why it is a great place to learn to surf.
Wave Type– beach break
Wave Direction– right and left
Best Swell– W/ wind ESE
Reliability– Fair
Special Notes– works best when the tide is going out; waves increase in size the more north you go- watch out for rip currents and shuffle when walking in the water to avoid stingrays-winter is best-very crowded on weekends and summer.
Other Breaks Nearby– Scripps Pier and Scripps Beach to the North, Horseshoe, and Windansea to the south
So what did you think about my picks for the best surfing beaches in San Diego? Which surf break has piqued your interest?
One thing is for sure, though, and if you ever make it down to San Diego, you must check out Trestles and Black’s Beach! Not only are they the two top San Diego surf breaks in the county, but the two are most isolated as well.
Both beaches are relatively untouched, which is a rarity in Southern California. The only downfall for both locations is that getting there is quite a hike, especially carrying a surfboard!
Please feel free to leave any questions or comments you may have down below.
Until next time!
I have always had a deep-seated passion for the Ocean Environment which ultimately led me to receive a degree in Marine Biology. Living in the San Diego area for over 30 years, I have extensively explored the 70 miles of San Diego’s coastline, and I am here to share! Please use my website to your advantage and have a look around at all the wonders that the beaches of San Diego can offer you!
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View Comments
Hi Colleen,
I am a beach lover and i prefer the ones which are isolated. So i will be definitely exploring Trestles and Black’s Beach. Thank you for providing info on wave type, direction, best swell and reliability. I really like the way you organised the whole, i am defintely bookmarking this post for my future reference.
Thanks for sharing and happy surfing :)
Hi Satish! Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. I am with you in regards to wild beaches; I love them, especially now that I am trying to learn all of the native plants in the area. If I may add, Torrey Pines State Beach is another wild beach that you should check out if you are ever in the area! Thank you for sharing! I appreciate it!
Hi Colleen,
Thanks for sharing so many excellent surfing beaches, very informative post!
Personally, i like spending holidays on the seaside and enjoy some entertainment games on the sea beaches. But i never tried surfing, which seems require high skills and courage... While some of my friends like it. I will keep your list and share with my friends. Thank you!
Hi Shaun! Thank you so much for taking the time to comment! I have never surfed before, but I have boogie boarded, and body surfed. I am excited to go to the next level and try it out this year. Because of this, I had so much fun researching. Thank you for sharing!
Hi Colleen,
Thanks for sharing your expertise with us. It has always been a dream of mine to move to San Diego. Ever since I found out how great the weather is there I've wanted to go there. If blogging works out I may actually be able to follow that dream :) With that said, D Street Beach has a nice feel to it. I have a son and would love for him to learn to swim and surf. For some reason I can just see him being that kind of kid. Lol. I'll bookmark you site for further reference, you know, just in case. Thank you.
Hi Jen! Thank you for commenting! Yes D Street Beach is a great place to go, as it is just right next to Moonlight Beach that has anything and everything that you would like in a beach. Such as a restroom (always a plus), showers, lifeguard stand, food stand as well as a rental office (surfboards, boogie boards). Thank you for the bookmark and I hope someday you make it down here!
Hey, Colleen!
I love these beaches. I’m sticking with the beginner ones for sure the next time I go to San Diego, but they all look so good and fun.
I especially like the La Jolla Shores. I read your article about it and it feels like my kind of place.
Thank you so much for sharing this with us!
Have a wonderful week,
Barbara.
Hi Barbara! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment. Yes, La Jolla Shores beach is definitely one of the best beaches in all of San Diego. What I especially love about it, is that the Scripps Institute of Oceanography is located north of the beach. As for surfing, I am with you! I can not wait to learn how to surf, so I will be staying on the beginning beaches as well.
Hi Barbara! Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. Yes, La Jolla Shores Beach is one of the best beaches in all of San Diego. In fact, it is the favorite beach that my kids never complain when we go. What I love about it, is that there is so much beauty there, not to mention the fact that there is a submarine canyon located offshore. I hope you can witness the beauty in person some day. Have a great week too!