San Diego Local Spots
San Diego has over 50 miles of surfable coastline. In
this section we will discuss some of the most popular
spots in the county. We will cover the type of break,
the crowd factor, access to the break, the parking situation,
the best swell sizes and directions for the spot, the
wave quality and the best tides to surf on.
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Oceanside Pier
| Type |
Beach Break |
| Crowd |
Medium to Heavy |
| Access |
I-5 to Mission Ave in Oceanside. Go West
until you hit the pier. |
| Parking |
Parking meters, Pay Lots and Street |
| Swell Directions |
NW / SW / W |
| Swell Size |
Holds just about any size up to around
10 feet. |
| Quality |
Fair – Good |
| Best Tides |
Works on just about any tide. Best is
Mid-Tide. |
| Experience |
Average – Good |
 The
Oceanside Pier is a sandy beach break that is consistent
throughout the year. The location is angled to pick up all
types of swells, including anything from the south which
usually happens during the summer. There are numerous shifty
sandbars on both sides of the pier and surfers from all
over San Diego come to join in the fun. During the summer
this place can become a zoo and catching waves is next to
impossible. When the crowds become a factor it’s sometimes
better to walk north for about ten minutes. Random peaks
closer to the north jetty are less crowded and provide rides
that can be just as decent (sometimes better) than the pier.
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Carlsbad / Tamarack St
| Type |
Beach Break next to Jetty |
| Crowd |
Heavy in the summertime, Medium the
rest of the year |
| Access |
I-5 to Tamarack Avenue in Carlsbad.
Go West to the parking lot. |
| Parking |
Parking lot and street parking. |
| Swell Directions |
N / S / W |
| Swell Size |
3 – 6 feet |
| Quality |
Poor - Good |
| Best Tides |
Mid – Low Tide |
| Experience |
Average – Good |
 Carlsbad
is a city with around six straight miles of beach and reef
break that is almost all accessible. Because of many man-made
projects that have been started throughout the years, there
are lots of sandbars and river mouths that have created
excellent surf spots. Tamarack is one of them. This beach
break is well known for its consistency and rippable peaks.
The best time to surf here is around medium tide with a
swell around 3 – 6 feet. Anything bigger than 6 feet
will most than likely cause the waves to close out. The
crowd here consists of surfers in their mid – teens
to late twenties, although there are always exceptions.
South swells in the summer hold up very nicely, but usually
generate a fair crowd.
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Ponto Jetty
| Type |
Beach break / Jetty |
| Crowd |
Heavy to really Heavyr |
| Access |
1-5 to La Costa Ave. Go west to 101
and the Jetty is just south of campground. |
| Parking |
Street parking along 101 |
| Swell Directions |
W / NW / SW |
| Swell Size |
2-8 feet |
| Quality |
Good – Excellent |
| Best Tides |
High and Lowering |
| Experience |
Experienced |
 Ponto
is an amazing beach break located in front of a rivermouth
and two jetties. Back in the day this was just another average
spot located along the Carlsbad coastline. Over the years,
with a little dredging help from the Bataquitos Lagoon,
it’s become one of the best surf spots in North County.
This spot works pretty much year round and attracts advanced
to professional surfers. The main peak is located straight
between the two jetties and the main direction of the wave
is a left. When it’s on, the wave can be fast, hollow
and powerful. While surfing here you must be aware of shoulder
hoppers, and always look twice before taking off. The lagoon
is also constantly flowing creating a tough rip current
that will pull you out to sea. Use caution when paddling
out!
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Beacons
| Type |
Reef Break |
| Crowd |
Light - Medium |
| Access |
I – 5 to Leucadia Blvd. Leucadia
west until parking lot. Zig zag path down bluff. |
| Parking |
Small lot, but street parking too |
| Swell Directions |
NW / W |
| Swell Size |
3- 8+ feet |
| Quality |
Good |
| Best Tides |
Lower - Mid tides work best |
| Experience |
Beginner – Advanced |
 Beacons
is a fun beach to surf at for all types of surfers. The
wave breaks on the outer reef, and rolls in to the inside
section. The north peak tends to close out really hard once
you get around the shore. Most of the surfers here will
be riding long boards, although there is plenty of room
for short boarders to paddle out and catch some good waves.
The wave mostly breaks to the right, although there are
lefts to be found as well. On a big day, Beacons is a great
choice because the wave holds up well due to the reef.
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Swamis
| Type |
Point Break / World Class |
| Crowd |
Insane to Unbearable |
| Access |
I-5 to Encinitas Blvd. Go South, Look
for gold Domes on the right |
| Parking |
Small lot and street parking along 101 |
| Swell Directions |
W / NW |
| Swell Size |
2-10+feet |
| Quality |
Mid - Low |
| Best Tides |
Excellent |
| Experience |
Experienced |
 Wow,
what can we say about Swamis? This world class point break
is the North County’s most crowded wave and for a
good reason….It’s virtually perfect. On a big
swell (and swamis can handle swells as big as they get),
this right hander can become huge and hollow, trapping many
surfers inside the impact zone. The surfers here all ride
boards in excess of 8 feet, with the exception of a handful
of short boarders on big days. Still, the short boarders
have to fight for the scraps on the inside that the long
boarders couldn’t catch. When paddling out here, it’s
best to use the channel about ¼ mile south of the
main peak. The waves don’t break there, and it’s
the easiest way to get into the line up. Parking in the
lot fills up almost immediately the morning of a swell (and
on weekends), so street parking is almost essential. As
always, look both ways before taking off on these waves.
If you’re shoulder hopping, make sure the surfer on
the peak really missed it before you go!
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Cardiff Reef / Suckouts
| Type |
Reef Break |
| Crowd |
Medium to Heavy |
| Access |
I-5 to Manchester, West to Beach, South
past campgrounds |
| Parking |
Small lot and street parking along 101 |
| Swell Directions |
W / NW / N |
| Swell Size |
2-8+feet |
| Quality |
Low- Mid |
| Best Tides |
Good - Excellent |
| Experience |
Experienced |
 Cardiff
is home to a popular break called Suckouts. Suckouts is
a reef break located straight in front of the river mouth
that leads into the San Elijo Lagoon. The wave is generally
mushy and slow, but can become epic on a big winter swell.
The break here can maintain almost any size swell and there
are both rights and lefts to be had. The right is generally
hollow and fast, while the left gives you a little more
time to execute a few nice turns. On a normal day most of
the surfers use boards 8 feet and bigger. When the main
peak gets crowded it’s almost better to paddle out
somewhere else. Just north of the campgrounds lies a break
called Pipes which will be less crowded and still fun when
swell is in the water. Another thing you have to watch out
for at Suckouts is pollution. During the winter the river
mouth is open from the San Elijo lagoon and bacteria levels
in the water are higher than normal. It is best to avoid
surfing here after a rainy day, or when contamination signs
are posted.
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Del Mar / 15th Street
| Type |
Reef / Rock |
| Crowd |
Medium |
| Access |
1-5 Del Mar Heights, North to 15th Street |
| Parking |
Street Parking |
| Swell Directions |
W / SW / S / NW |
| Swell Size |
2-6+feet |
| Quality |
Fair - Good |
| Best Tides |
All Tides |
| Experience |
Beginner – Pro |
 15th
street is a great place to bring the whole family. Directly
above the break is a large grassy park with a playground
and lots of area to hang out or have a picnic. This spot
is also good to surf at when the beach breaks are too closed
out. 15th will produce a nice left hander that peels for
a long while and also a right that works well too. The waves
here generally break on the outside, and then reform on
the inside making them fun for beginners as well. When the
main peak in front of the park is too crowded, just walk
south a bit. There are plenty of peaks that break as far
south as 4rth St. and can be just as fun on a crowded summer
day.
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Black’s Beach
| Type |
Beach Break / World Class |
| Crowd |
Heavy to Insane |
| Access |
La Jolla Farms Road, Park at the Gate
(w/all the other surfers), Walk down long a long steep
road |
| Parking |
Neighborhood parking |
| Swell Directions |
W / NW / SW |
| Swell Size |
1 – 15 + Feet |
| Quality |
Mid Tide |
| Best Tides |
Great - Perfect |
| Experience |
Experienced - Pro |
 Black’s
is the best beach break in the country. Deep underwater
canyons off the shore create a very hollow, very fast wave
that is designed for experienced riders only. Freak outside
sets occasionally come in cleaning up the inside and humbling
even professional surfers. The main peak generates both
rights and lefts and break very fast. There are additional
peaks to be found all up and down the beach, so sometimes
the best bet is to get on the one that is the least crowded.
Getting down to the beach is an adventure on its own. The
walk alone can take about 10 – 15 minutes, and walking
back up the hill is extremely steep and rocky. Shoes or
sandals are highly recommended. On a big day at Black’s
it’s sometimes better to just watch than to paddle
out. It’s a sight worth seeing and only very experienced
surfers charge it.
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Scripps
| Type |
Beach Break |
| Crowd |
Medium - Heavy |
| Access |
La Jolla Shores Dr to El Paseo |
| Parking |
Neighborhood / Street Parking |
| Swell Directions |
W / NW / SW |
| Swell Size |
3 – 8 Feet |
| Quality |
Fair - Good |
| Best Tides |
Mid / Rising Tide |
| Experience |
Intermediate - Advanced |
 Scripps
is a very popular San Diego beach break. It has many sandbars
and makes various peaks for the many surfers who come here
daily. Straight in front of the stairs is the main peak,
along with one to the south, and one to the north (the pier).
At the pier, the waves break directly off the pilons and
sometimes can close out. Rip currents form here quite frequently
and can be dangerous for weaker swimmers. The general crowd
here is younger short boarders who love ripping. On good
days photographers will take pictures from the sand.
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Windansea
| Type |
Reef / Rocky / World Class |
| Crowd |
Heavy |
| Access |
La Jolla Blvd to Nautilus St towards
beach…look for the shack |
| Parking |
Neighborhood / Street Parking |
| Swell Directions |
W / NW / SW |
| Swell Size |
3 – 10+ Feet |
| Quality |
Good - Excellent |
| Best Tides |
All |
| Experience |
Intermediate - Advanced |
 Windansea
has been a historical landmark since it was discovered in
the 1930’s. The main peak located straight in front
of the shack produces both lefts and rights that are fun
in all conditions. On a lower tide the main peak is farther
out and the wave is steeper and sometimes more fun. Just
south of the main peak is another break known as Big Rock
(because of a giant rock in the water). On the right swell
this left hander can produce some mean spitting barrels
and is used as an overflow spot when the main peak is crowded.
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Pacific Beach
| Type |
Beach Break / Except Tourmaline &
PB point |
| Crowd |
Light – Heavy (depending on season) |
| Access |
1-5 to Garnet, West to Beach |
| Parking |
Street Parking |
| Swell Directions |
W / NW / SW |
| Swell Size |
3 - 6 Feet |
| Quality |
Poor - Good |
| Best Tides |
All |
| Experience |
Beginner – Advanced |
 Pacific
Beach is a place for all types of surfers and almost any
type of board. With a couple miles of open beach break,
almost any spot is as good as the next. Of course, there
are a couple spots that standout. Particularly PB point
and Tourmaline. PB point is a slow wave that breaks well
with a low tide. It’s a mix of sand and rock bottom
and the wave is a long right hander. Tourmaline is a fairly
crowded long boarding beach, with a big parking lot at the
top of the hill inviting many people to surf. The bottom
is also rocky and the crowd is generally older men. On a
big day PB point and Tourmaline will hold up better than
the average beach break because of the reef bottom. On just
an average day the beach breaks are just as good.
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Mission Beach / South Mission Jetty
| Type |
Beach Break / Jetty |
| Crowd |
Fair - Heavy |
| Access |
1-5 to Garnet, West to Beach, South
to Mission Jetty |
| Parking |
Parking Lot / Street |
| Swell Directions |
W / NW |
| Swell Size |
3 - 6 Feet |
| Quality |
Fair - Good |
| Best Tides |
Low - Mid |
| Experience |
Experienced |
 Mission
beach has miles of open beach break just west of the famous
boardwalk. Parking in this area is tight because there is
only one street that goes through the area (mission blvd).
The best wave that breaks in mission is at the south most
point (the jetty). The South Mission Jetty has a bombing
left that breaks right off the rocks. It’s best to
surf here on a low to mid tide. The paddle out can be tricky
unless you paddle right next to the jetty. There is almost
a flume effect that goes on there, so paddling out right
next to it can save you tons of otherwise wasted energy.
When the jetty is on there definitely be a crowd, so you
must be aggressive to catch waves. There is also another
area about 100 yards north of the jetty where workable peaks
roll through also. That is sometimes a good option when
you don’t feel like fighting for waves.
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Ocean Beach
| Type |
Beach Break / Jetty |
| Crowd |
Medium |
| Access |
Sunset Cliffs Blvd, West on Newport
St. |
| Parking |
Parking Lot / Street |
| Swell Directions |
W / NW |
| Swell Size |
3 - 6 Feet |
| Quality |
Fair - Good |
| Best Tides |
Mid |
| Experience |
Beginner - Experienced |
 Ocean
Beach is a relatively small stretch of land that has a few
breaks within walking distance of each other. On the north
most point there is the Jetty (a hollow right-hander). In
between the Jetty and the pier is a break known as Avalanche.
And south of that is the OB Pier. The Jetty is often the
most crowded and most polluted. The San Diego river runs
off here and it is also home to ‘dog beach’
where dog’s can roam freely and poop freely. Surfers
have been known to get extremely sick after surfing the
jetty and contamination signs are frequently posted.
Avalanche is the break in between the 2 Jetties in the middle
of the open beach. There is a nice little peak there that
works on almost all swell directions and tides. It sometimes
gets very crowded, but is usually the best choice on just
a mediocre day.
The OB Pier has a north side and a south side. Those who
surf on the south side (left hander) must shoot the pier
to get a long ride. I’ve seen it done, although I
don’t recommend it to the less-experienced surfer.
The north side however produces nice rights and some lefts.
On big days the waves here can get hollow, and on smaller
days the long boarders are out. OB truly is an awesome town
and is a must visit while in San Diego.
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Sunset Cliffs
| Type |
Reef / Regional Classic |
| Crowd |
Medium - Heavy |
| Access |
Sunset Cliffs Blvd, South till the end |
| Parking |
Parking Lot / Street |
| Swell Directions |
W / NW |
| Swell Size |
3 – 10+ Feet |
| Quality |
Good to Excellent |
| Best Tides |
Mid |
| Experience |
Intermediate - Experienced |
 Sunset
Cliffs is an area of San Diego known for great winter waves
and long paddles. Many of the spots along the cliffs are
hard to access and caution must be used when walking down.
During low tide (especially negative tides) the reef can
become exposed and surfing certain areas can be extremely
sketchy. However, when the waves are in excess of 6 feet,
the cliffs will go off. Long rides, both rights and lefts,
can be found pretty much everywhere, and long boards or
short boards work fine. The cliffs above the breaks are
also great look out spots for spectators. When paddling
out here, make sure your leash is in good shape. Losing
your board at the Cliffs will definitely cause numerous
dings and make for a long swim in.
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Imperial Beach
| Type |
Beach Break |
| Crowd |
Medium |
| Access |
1-5 South to Palm Ave, Go West |
| Parking |
Parking Lot / Street |
| Swell Directions |
W / NW / SW |
| Swell Size |
3 – 8 Feet |
| Quality |
Poor - Good |
| Best Tides |
Mid to High |
| Experience |
All Surfers |
 Imperial
Beach is the closest place to Mexico that you can surf in
the US. In the summer the south and southwest swells are
picked up very well here. Playful peaks appear throughout
sandbars creating both rights and lefts for surfers. The
shape is always variable, depending on what the sandbars
are doing. But, for the most part there is always something
to surf here. The downside is that Imperial Beach is one
of the most polluted beaches in the country. Sewage from
the Tijuana River (just a few miles south) tends to drift
north when the currents are strong. Make sure you stay out
of the water if there are signs posted or after it rains.
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