Complete Guide to Surfing Southern California
From Malibu to the Mexican border, Southern California offers world-class waves across 200 miles of coastline. Point breaks at Rincon and Malibu deliver long, peeling rides on south swells, while San Diego's reef breaks and beach breaks handle everything the Pacific throws at them. Summer brings consistent south swells and warm water (65-72°F), making it prime for longboarding and dawn patrol. Winter northwest groundswells push overhead surf to exposed breaks like Blacks Beach and Trestles. Water temps drop to the mid-50s but rarely require more than a 4/3mm. Offshore Santa Ana winds in fall create the cleanest conditions of the year.
Total Spots
157
Beginner
70
Intermediate
58
Advanced
29
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Click any marker to view spot details. Markers are color-coded by skill level: green for beginner, blue for intermediate, dark for advanced.
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About Southern California Surfing
From Malibu to the Mexican border, Southern California offers world-class waves across 200 miles of coastline. Point breaks at Rincon and Malibu deliver long, peeling rides on south swells, while San Diego's reef breaks and beach breaks handle everything the Pacific throws at them. Summer brings consistent south swells and warm water (65-72°F), making it prime for longboarding and dawn patrol. Winter northwest groundswells push overhead surf to exposed breaks like Blacks Beach and Trestles. Water temps drop to the mid-50s but rarely require more than a 4/3mm. Offshore Santa Ana winds in fall create the cleanest conditions of the year.
Use Quiver to track conditions, plan sessions, and connect with the local surf community. Get real-time forecasts, tide charts, and crowd predictions for every spot in Southern California.