Blackies in Newport Beach, California
Blackies is a consistently fun stretch of beach break sitting between Newport Pier & 28th Street. The spot gets its name from the historic bar, Blackie's By The Sea, which has been there since the early '50s. In the '60s, the beach became a hub for longboarding in Southern California. Depending on the conditions and the time of year, there are plenty of waves to be found that are not only suited for some prime logging, but everything else in between. It's one of those California spots that can feel like magic when the ocean turns glass and the sky turns pink.
Butterfly Beach in Montecito, California
Just down the coast from Santa Barbara proper, Butterfly Beach in Montecito is an absolutely beautiful stretch of sand that's great for everything from kayaking and catching the sunset to surfing or swimming or just lounging around and doing nothing. Like much of the central coast, Butterfly Beach feels like some sort of special oasis.
Capitola Beach & Wharf in Capitola, California
Towards the eastern edge of the Santa Cruz World Surfing Reserve you'll find Capitola reef near the historic Capitola Wharf. Capitola offers a popular, mellow wave most of the time. Capitola Village is one of the oldest seaside resort towns in California and the historic wharf was first built in 1856. Mostly recently the wharf has been restored and improved after it was destroyed in winter storms in 2023, and rebuilt.
Fort Point in San Francisco, California.
Surfing in the shadow of the Golden Gate bridge doesn't get much more California-iconic. Fort Point is probably a spot that's better observed and admired rather than surfed unless you're knowledgeable of the dynamics and a strong swimmer.
La Jolla Shores in La Jolla, California.
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La Jolla, California.
$33
The variety of beachbreak along the long flat stretch of La Jolla Shores can offer some really fun waves. To the north, you've got its big brother Blacks, and to the south you have La Jolla cove - both offering very different experiences than the shores.
Manhattan Beach Pier in Manhattan Beach, California.
The Manhattan Beach Pier was declared a historic landmark in 1995 as the longest standing concrete pier on the West Coast. Like many old piers in the state, it had a few iterations of building, getting knocked down by storns, and rebuilding. The current iteration of the pier was originally constructed and completed in 1920. The octogon building at the end of the pier was added in 1922 and currently houses the Roundhouse Aquarium. Manhattan Beach and the pier specifically is also home to some major surfing history - it was home to Dale Velzy, Bing Copeland (Bing Surfboards), and Greg Noll among others. Surf-wise, the struture provided by the pier can provide some better options for waves in the area.
Ocean Beach in San Francisco, California.
Ocean Beach in San Francisco produces some of my favorite surfing photographs of all time - absolutely perfect-looking barrels with the eclectic mix of buildings, rooftops, cars, and city streets in the foreground. While riding one of those oft-photographed waves is a different reality, daydreams and mind-surfing are just part of the territory.
Oceanside Pier in Oceanside, California.
Both the North and South sides of the pier offer some fun waves. The old wooden pier itself has a rough history - it was first built in 1888, only to be destroyed by storms in the winter of 1890. It was rebuilt in 1893, and then destroyed 4 more times by storms. The most recent version of the pier was finished in 1987. In 2024, a fire destroyed the classic blue building towards the end of the pier.
RAT Beach in Torrance, California.
Right After Torrance, aka RAT is a great name for a beach and saying it make you think of something you'd find closer to Santa Monica or Venice than Palos Verdes.
Swami's in Encinitas, California.
Swami's is another iconic North County San Diego spot where you can go to find some big right-hand barrels along with self realization. It's also the first spot featured in the WAVE ARCADE National Parks Surf Series.
Torrey Pines State Beach in San Diego, California
Possibly one of the most scenic stretches of highway along San Diego's coastline, Torrey Pines State Beach is a great destination for a beach day, a less-crowded surf, or a hike. Torrey Pines Park Road (or the hiking trail) on the southern bluffs was once the main connection between Los Angeles and San Diego until it was finally closed to vehicle traffic in 1959.
Tourmaline in Pacific Beach, California
Tourmaline sits right between PB Point and Crystal Pier, and serves as a surfing playground for surfers of all levels on all sorts of equipment. This print is one of the most popular in the series - maybe because the it captures the vibe of a classic summer evening in Pacific Beach or because most San Diego surfers and visitors have some great memories of this spot.
