Longboard-friendly waves in Santa Monica

Santa Monica, California

Recommendations refresh hourly based on tide, wind, and crowd telemetry from Quiver.

Santa Monica delivers the kind of mellow walls that make nine-footers purr. These 3 breaks offer long shoulders, patient sections, and enough face to cross-step without rushing.

Next steps

Keep planning Santa Monica

Use this longboard friendly guide as the filter, then jump to live spots, tides, or the seasonal window.

Check live Santa Monica spotsSee the local breaks and current surf conditions.Open pageFind the best surf windowCompare today's call with the seasonal pattern.Open pageWatch the tide windowUse tide timing before you commit to a spot.Open page

Santa Monica surf report today

BeachHeightWindVerdict
Santa Monica Beach2.2 ft6 mph70/100
Will Rogers State Beach2 ft6 mph50/100

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Featured Beaches(2)

Santa Monica Beach

Beginner friendly

Santa Monica Beach near the iconic pier offers a wide, forgiving beach break.

Will Rogers State Beach

Beginner friendly

Will Rogers State Beach offers a gentle, forgiving beach break.

Today's longboard plan in Santa Monica

Best window

2:30 AM–3:30 AM

tide in range, good swell angle

Top picks

1Santa Monica Beach
2.2 ft6 mph
2Will Rogers State Beach
2 ft6 mph
Long, peeling waves perfect for noseridingMellow takeoff zones with forgiving shouldersClassic surf spots with old-school vibesBest tide windows for logging sessions

Longboard-friendly breaks in Santa Monica

Break types, wave character, and ideal conditions for mellow log sessions.

Bay Street
beach
intermediate

Bay Street is the more powerful section of Santa Monica Beach.

Wave character

Position near the breakwater where swells refract and wedge.

Best conditions

Low rising tide, NE winds, 3-5 ft WSW swell.

Santa Monica Beach
beach
beginner

Santa Monica Beach near the iconic pier offers a wide, forgiving beach break.

Wave character

Keep learners in soft whitewater and avoid bigger, steeper inside sections.

Best conditions

Santa Monica is a source-backed LA beginner beach on small, clean mornings, with the usual caveat that crowds and shorebreak change the call.

Will Rogers State Beach
beach
beginner

Will Rogers State Beach offers a gentle, forgiving beach break.

Wave character

Use the small soft inside and avoid bigger or windier setups.

Best conditions

Will Rogers is a source-backed LA beginner option when the surf stays small, clean, and softer than nearby beachbreaks.

Your surf plan

  • Best window:
  • Bring: longboard, wax, sunscreen
  • Wind: 3 mph
  • Log it after: 15 seconds builds your forecast

Frequently Asked Questions

About surfing in Santa Monica

Great longboard spots in Santa Monica include Santa Monica Beach, Will Rogers State Beach. Look for peeling point breaks and gentle beach breaks with long shoulders.
Ideal longboard waves have gentle shoulders, a mellow takeoff, and long walls to trim. The best spots feature point breaks or sandbars that create peeling waves.