Complete Guide to Surfing Northern California

From Half Moon Bay to the Oregon border, Northern California delivers some of the heaviest beach breaks and most dramatic coastline on the West Coast. Ocean Beach San Francisco is the region's flagship — a powerful, shifting peak that punishes weak paddlers and rewards commitment. Mavericks, just south of Half Moon Bay, is one of the premier big wave spots on the planet. The water runs cold year-round — 48-58°F means a 4/3mm is the bare minimum and most locals wear a 5/4mm with boots from October through May. Powerful NW groundswells are the bread and butter, with fall and winter delivering the biggest and most consistent surf. Spring offers medium-sized swells with longer daylight. Beyond the heavy stuff, Pacifica's Linda Mar serves up approachable beach break for beginners, Stinson Beach catches south wrap, and Bolinas hides mellow reef breaks behind its famously unsigned roads. Kelp forests, sea otters, and the occasional great white are part of the scenery — this is raw, wild California surfing.