Longboard-friendly waves in San Diego

San Diego, California

Updated February 10, 2026 at 7:22 PM · Dialed recommendations refresh every 30 minutes based on tide, wind, and crowd telemetry from Quiver.

San Diego delivers the kind of mellow walls that make nine-footers purr. These 23 breaks offer long shoulders, patient sections, and enough face to cross-step without rushing.

Top spot recommendations

Sort your quiver, choose the right tide window, and jot down a backup in case the main peak gets stacked.

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Featured Beaches(10)

Avalanche

Beginner friendly

No description available.

Hotel Del Coronado

Beginner friendly

No description available.

Marine Street Beach

Beginner friendly

No description available.

Mission Beach (Central)

Beginner friendly

Beachbreak at South Mission with a jetty that creates wedging waves. Big parking lot fills with volleyball crowds mid-day. Mid tide steadies the wave shape. Onshores wreck afternoons so go early for best conditions. The jetty rip runs hard on overhead pulses - keep eyes on the current.

New Break (Nubes)

Beginner friendly

No description available.

Pacific Beach

Beginner friendly

Pacific Beach (Crystal Pier) offers multiple peaks rated 5/10—always something but rarely truly good.

Silver Strand State Beach

Beginner friendly

Silver Strand State Beach (Coronado) offers beginner-friendly gentle waves rated 4/10 for inconsistency.

Torrey Pines State Beach

Beginner friendly

No description available.

Tourmaline

Beginner friendly

Tourmaline (Old Man's) provides exceptional longboarding and best beginner spot in San Diego, rated 6/10.

Tourmaline Surf Park

Beginner friendly

Longboard and fish heaven with soft, rolling waves and cruisey shoulders. Best on mid to high tide with small W/NW or combo swells. The parking lot fills late morning but has decent turnover. Gentle vibe overall, though watch for drifting learners. Perfect spot for a mellow session on a small day.

What to focus on today

  • Long, peeling waves perfect for noseriding
  • Mellow takeoff zones with forgiving shoulders
  • Classic surf spots with old-school vibes
  • Best tide windows for logging sessions

Session logging tips

Once you wrap the surf, drop a note in your Quiver journal with tide, board, and crowd observations. Over time you'll see crystal-clear patterns about when San Diego rewards this type of session objective.

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