Beaches, Swimming & Surfing - California - page 107

Huntington Beach in Orange County may have the West Coast's most consistent waves,
with miles of breaks centered on the pier.
Trestles The OC's premier summer spot, with big but forgiving waves, a fast ride and both
right and left breaks.
Windansea Beach This San Diego spot has a powerful reef break, while nearby Big Rock
churns out gnarly tubes.
Surfrider Beach A clean right break in Malibu that just gets better with bigger waves.
Rincon Point ( GOOGLE MAP ) In Carpinteria, this is another legendary right point-break that
peels forever.
Steamer Lane Glassy point-breaks and rocky reef-breaks below an old lighthouse that
houses a small surfing museum in Santa Cruz.
Mavericks World-famous for big-wave surfing at Half Moon Bay. Waves top 50ft when the
most powerful winter swells arrive (see www.mavericksinvitational.com to learn all about
the annual surf competition).
Best Surf Breaks for Beginners
The best spots to learn to surf are at the beach breaks of long, shallow bays where waves
are small and rolling. Along California's coast, popular places for beginners, and where
many surf schools also offer lessons, include the following:
San Diego Mission Beach , Pacific Beach , La Jolla , Oceanside
Orange County Seal Beach , Huntington Beach , Newport Beach , Laguna Beach
Los Angeles Santa Monica, Malibu
Santa Barbara County Leadbetter Beach , Carpinteria
Central Coast Santa Cruz , Cayucos
Online Resources
Browse the comprehensive atlas, live webcams and surf reports at Surfline ( www.surfline.com )
for the lowdown from San Diego in Southern California to Humboldt County on the North
Coast.