Best Surf Beaches in Orange County
Orange County, California
Featured Beaches
31 spots
Agate Street
Beginner friendlyNo description available.
T-Street
Beginner friendly**T-Street** (Trafalgar Canyon) provides year-round consistency rated 7/10, working on any tide with southwest swells (160-250°, center 215°).
Doheny State Beach
Beginner friendly**Doheny State Beach** offers Orange County's second-easiest learning wave after San O' Dogpatch, rated 4/10 overall but 6/10 for beginners.
Huntington Beach Pier Northside
AdvancedNo description available.
The Wedge
Intermediate to expert**The Wedge** represents surfing's most dangerous shorebreak, rated 10/10 for uniqueness. The jetty-reflected south swell (180-220°, center 200°) creates constructive interference producing 20-30+ foot waves detonating in 2-3 feet of water.
River Jetties
Beginner friendlyNo description available.
HB Cliffs
Beginner friendlyNo description available.
Brooks Street
Beginner friendly**Brooks Street** showcases Laguna Beach's beacon break rated 8/10 for summer/fall performance. Multiple reef tiers activate progressively: First Reef (50m out, steep/ledgy), Second Reef (95m, glassy barreling at 6-10+ feet), Third/Fourth Reefs (massive days only).
Thalia Street
Beginner friendlyNo description available.
San Clemente Pier, Northside
AdvancedNo description available.
Huntington Beach Pier Southside
AdvancedNo description available.
Newport Point
Intermediate**Newport Point** breaks only on hurricane swells with specific southeast component (160-190°, center 175°), rated 9/10 when working but extremely rare.
Salt Creek
Beginner friendly**Salt Creek** delivers 8/10 quality across three distinct sections. The Point produces extremely rippable left pointbreaks when sandbars align; Middles offers wedgy A-frames year-round; Gravels reef breaks with board-breaking power.
North HB Streets
Beginner friendlyNo description available.
Huntington St.
Beginner friendlyNo description available.
Huntington State Beach
Beginner friendlyNo description available.
204s
Beginner friendlyNo description available.
Crystal Cove
Beginner friendly**Crystal Cove** offers scenic but fickle left point/reef rated 5/10, working on south to southwest swells (170-230°, center 200°) with northeast winds (45°).
Strands
Beginner friendlyNo description available.
Newport Lower Jetties
Beginner friendlyNo description available.
Newport Upper Jetties
Beginner friendlyNo description available.
Rockpile
IntermediateNo description available.
Huntington Beach Pier
AdvancedNo description available.
Poche Beach
Beginner friendlyNo description available.
San Clemente State Beach
Beginner friendlyNo description available.
Doheny
Beginner friendly**Doheny State Beach** offers Orange County's second-easiest learning wave after San O' Dogpatch, rated 4/10 overall but 6/10 for beginners.
Newport 56th St
Beginner friendlyNo description available.
Corona del Mar
Beginner friendlyBeachbreak near 15th Street and the river mouth with peaks that work best on SSW/WNW combo swells. Mid tide provides the best shape. When the river is flowing, peaks can get rippy. The river mouth creates a strong rip that can be turbo on big tide swings. Parking via meters and neighborhood streets.
Old Man's (SanO)
Beginner friendly**San Onofre State Beach** represents California's surf culture birthplace, the "Waikiki of California" with gentle longboard waves rated 6/10 for consistency but 4/10 for performance.
52nd Street
IntermediateJust north of 54th, 52nd Street serves up slightly bigger, more walled waves that require quick take-offs. The sandy bottom and jetty setup create long walls that are great for experienced surfers who like to race down the line. It works at mid tide and tends to close out on lower tides.
54th Street
IntermediateNewport's 54th Street is a high-performance beach break created by man-made jetties. It offers peaky lefts and rights over a sandy bottom and attracts some of the best local surfers. The wave works on most tides but is best at mid tide and can get very crowded.
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Session Timing
Today
Check for Santa Ana wind patterns that groom morning faces. The cobblestone points light up with any south component in the swell.
Now
Watch for tide transitions at the points. Trestles and San Onofre favor mid-tide windows when the reef is covered but the wave still has push.
Weekend
Arrive before the gates open at San Onofre. If Trestles is maxed, pivot to Churches or Old Man's for similar quality with fewer surfers.
Guides by Intent
Choose the objective that matches your session and we'll filter the best peaks.
Beginner-friendly breaks in Orange County
Orange County has a long season of approachable peelers, surf schools, and forgiving sandbars. This guide highlights where new surfers can practice, how to pick a window with manageable tides, and what to expect from parking to post-surf snacks.
View the full beginner friendly playbookWhere to surf in Orange County when the crowd packs the peak
Orange County can get claustrophobic on swell pulses, but shifting a few blocks or timing the tide flip often unlocks empty shoulders. Use this playbook to pivot quickly with backup spots, parking intel, and crowd-aware forecasting.
View the full less crowded playbookOrange County tide guide for faster wave selection
Tides dictate which banks fire in Orange County. This breakdown maps upcoming highs and lows to the sandbars, reefs, and piers that flip on with just a foot of variance.
View the full tide timing playbookLive water temps and wetsuit planner for Orange County
From spring upwelling chills to balmy south-swell summers, Orange County water temps fluctuate more than the forecast suggests. Use this guide to pick the right rubber and understand when sudden drops are coming.
View the full water temperature playbook