Best Surf Beaches in Orange County

Newport Upper Jetties is a beach break in Newport Beach, CA. It is suited for beginner-intermediate surfers. Watch out for rip currents, pollution.

Just 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.

Newport 56th St is a beach break in Newport Beach, CA. It is suited for beginner-intermediate surfers. Watch out for rip currents, pollution.

North HB Streets is a beach break in Huntington Beach, CA. It is suited for beginner-intermediate surfers. Watch out for rip currents, pollution.

Poche Beach is a beach break in San Clemente, CA. It is suited for beginner-intermediate surfers. Watch out for rip currents, pollution.

Huntington Beach Pier Southside is a jetty break in Huntington Beach, CA. It is suited for intermediate-advanced surfers. Watch out for rip currents, rocks, strong currents, pollution.

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.

Cottons is the northern end of the Trestles cluster at San Mateo Point and is best understood as a Trestles / San Onofre border-zone wave with San Clemente surf taxonomy. The wave is a cobblestone point-and-reef style left that often breaks farther offshore than nearby peaks and can feel softer on average swells. Larger, longer-period south swells and lower tide add speed, shape, and more consequence through the inside.

T-Street is San Clemente's best-known in-town surf spot and one of the most consistent everyday waves on this stretch. The setup blends beachbreak and reef influence, with local sub-zones commonly described around the Reef, Cropley's, and Beach House. South to southwest swell drives the main consistency, while selective northwest winter energy can light up different corners.

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.

Church sits in the San Onofre / Trestles-area south of San Mateo Creek, but public surf traffic usually approaches it from the San Clemente/Trestles side. It is a cobblestone beach and rivermouth setup with point-like right walls when west swell and enough tide line up. South pulses spread the lineup into multiple peaks, and bigger southwest swells can make the wave feel much more serious than its mellow reputation.

Huntington State Beach is a beach break in Huntington Beach, CA. It is suited for beginner-intermediate surfers. Watch out for rip currents, pollution.

Rockpile is a reef break in Laguna Beach, CA. It is best suited for intermediate surfers. Watch out for rip currents, rocks, sea urchins, pollution.

River Jetties is a beach break in Newport Beach, CA. It is suited for beginner-intermediate surfers. Watch out for rip currents, pollution.

Newport Point breaks only on hurricane swells with specific southeast component (160-190°, center 175°), rated 9/10 when working but extremely rare.

HB Cliffs is a beach break in Huntington Beach, CA. It is suited for beginner-intermediate surfers. Watch out for rip currents, pollution.

Doheny State Beach offers Orange County's second-easiest learning wave after San O' Dogpatch, rated 4/10 overall but 6/10 for beginners.

San Clemente State Beach is the broad beachbreak below the campground bluffs at the south end of town. It is consistently surfable, more approachable than the high-pressure Trestles peaks, and often works as a lower-stress fallback when the marquee reefs are crowded. The beach offers a long stretch of sand-bottom peaks with room to spread out when the bars cooperate.

Thalia Street is a beach break in Laguna Beach, CA. It is suited for beginner-intermediate surfers. Watch out for rip currents, pollution.

Newport'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.

204s is a beach break in San Clemente, CA. It is suited for beginner-intermediate surfers. Watch out for rip currents, pollution.

Riviera is a south San Clemente beachbreak reached from the Plaza a La Playa access and the coastal trail. It is more of a local beach setup than a marquee reef, and it tends to be less consistent than T-Street but less crowded when it turns on. The wave is a punchy, often rippy beachbreak that likes solid south to southwest swell, with enough shape for fun peaks when the sand cooperates.

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 St. is a beach break in Huntington Beach, CA. It is suited for beginner-intermediate surfers. Watch out for rip currents, pollution.

Newport Lower Jetties is a beach break in Newport Beach, CA. It is suited for beginner-intermediate surfers. Watch out for rip currents, pollution.

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°).

Agate Street is a beach break in Laguna Beach, CA. It is suited for beginner-intermediate surfers. Watch out for rip currents, pollution.

Beachbreak 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.

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).

Huntington Beach Pier is a jetty break in Huntington Beach, CA. It is suited for intermediate-advanced surfers. Watch out for rip currents, rocks, strong currents, pollution.

Huntington Beach Pier Northside is a jetty break in Huntington Beach, CA. It is suited for intermediate-advanced surfers. Watch out for rip currents, rocks, strong currents, pollution.

San Clemente Pier, Northside is a jetty break in San Clemente, CA. It is suited for intermediate-advanced surfers. Watch out for rip currents, rocks, strong currents, pollution.

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.

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.

Strands is a beach break in Dana Point, CA. It is suited for beginner-intermediate surfers. Watch out for rip currents, pollution.

Blackies is the clearest missing North OC add: a Newport Pier northside sandy beachbreak and longboard zone that works for learners on genuinely small, clean mornings.