The Best Surf Communities in California Ranked:

Nicknamed the “Golden State,” California has an abundance of natural beauty. Within a coastline that stretches over eight-hundred miles, there are more than enough dreamy surf communities for one to envision settling down in.

This article has narrowed these options down to a firm top ten based on some very scientific reason: 10 percent post food options/10 percent community/80 percent access to a variety of consistent, quality surf.

Let’s run down the list: 

10) Huntington Beach 

Home of the Surfing Walk of Fame, any surfing-related list that doesn’t include Huntington Beach should be immediately invalidated. Nicknamed “Surf City,” this southern California town is bountiful with above average beachbreak that provides surf year-round.

Unfortunately, life in HB also has to offer absurd summer crowds, limited (and often paid) parking, and a scene that is generally tailored towards maximizing tourism revenue. Nevertheless, it’s a staple of California surf culture and host of some historic competitions such as the US Open of Surfing. 

Post surf grub: TK Burger for those on a budget. Watertable or spendier types.

9) Newport Beach 

A border rival to Huntington, Newport takes the cake in terms of wave quality. Jetties line the eight miles of beaches within the city limits, offering plenty of fun left tubes on summertime south swells at the northern jetties and peaky barrels in the winter at the southern jetties. It also offers longboarding action down at Blackies. One can’t forget Newport Point- a place that becomes Pipeline-esque on hurricane swells. Sprinkle in Santa Ana conditions and magic is created. One of the few negatives can be blown out afternoons, so you best be on your rise and grind game in this town. 

Of course, “Newps” infamous crown jewel is notable big wave training spot, The Wedge. Refracting waves off of the Newport Harbor Jetty help to create thirty-foot, A-frame, monsters breaking over less than three feet of water. One bad fall and you’ll quickly wish you never took up surfing to begin with. 

With a multi-million dollar community that goes right up to the sand, a bustling boardwalk that runs from north to south, two piers, a luxury harbor, cute islands, the shopping mecca Fashion Island, and a thriving restaurants and bar scene there is plenty to be done both day and night in “Zooport.”

Post surf grub: Gallo’s sandwich shop down the road in CDM for those on a budget. A Restaurant on PCH for the more luxurious. 

8) Encinitas 

A thirty minute drive north of San Diego you’ll find yourself in beautiful Encinitas. This hillside town is full of delicious dining and luxurious shops. You’ll also need quite a profitable career to afford the housing. That being said, if you reach such financial freedom, only a few, if any, California locations rival the serenity of Encinitas. The waves follow suit, with a point break like Swamis and a reef break like Cardiff providing Southern California surfers with waves from two to ten feet year round. There are also some nook can cranny beach breaks that deliver on the right day. 

The town itself is full of coffee shops, art galleries, and shopping. Plus, it has one of the coolest movie theaters around, the La Paloma , which often screens classic and modern surf films. 

Post surf grub: Pipes Cafe and offers wallet friendly eats. Chart House right on the water for the high priced crowd. 

7) Malibu 

Crowds, tourists, and soft-tops are all synonymous with Malibu surf culture. Amongst the concrete jungle of Los Angeles exists some pristine right hand points.

Malibu first point offers one of the best longboard waves not only in California, but the world. In the vicinity you also have the cobblestone points of Topanga, Leo Carillo, and a few secret spots if you have celebrity connections. Rare birds like Chart House occasionally go off. Zuma provides fun beach break action throughout the year and can really turn on when the Santa Ana winds start to blow.

From Sunset to County Line, this area truly has so much potential if you have the time and can afford the five dollar gas to drive around and figure out which spot is working. 

To top it off, there is no better place to experience celebrity night life than in the adjacent LA LA LAND- the “city of stars.” So surf all day, and party away the sorrows of blown waves all night! 

Post surf grub: Neptune’s Net for those not wanting to break the bank. Nobu for the more luxurious. 

6) Morro Bay/Los Osos 

This is a two for one situation. Morro Bay and its ever foggy Los Osos neighbor is a bounty with empty beach and reef breaks. If you're on the hunt for uncrowded, solid, wild and consistent surf,

then this is the place for you. I know, it’s hard to fathom California maintaining even a small stretch of untouched, enjoyable surf. And yet, Morro Bay persists in the central coast.

Know where to look, and your wildest surfing dreams can become a reality. Walk (or run) down the hill to discover sick waves all by yourself at Sandspit.

Of course, if you seek safety in numbers because of the always present shark factor, you can always rub elbows with people at “The Rock.” There are plenty of other waves that will go unnamed in this article, but trust me, there is surf in this part of the world- a lot of it. 

While housing in the area is quite scattered and places tend to close early, head into downtown Slo and you’ll quickly find yourself amidst a lively college atmosphere where there is plenty of live music 

Post surf grub: Firestone in SLO for those on a budget. Schooners in neighboring Cayucos for seafood and an epic, old school California coastal vibe at a higher price point. 

5) Ventura 

Just a quick drive south from Santa Barbara (still to come on this list), you’ll find yourself crossing into the hard-core surf scene that is ventura. This Dane Reynolds stomping ground is at no-shortage of solid waves, maintaining waves such as C-Street, Ventura harbor, and Silver Strand within its city limits.

There’s solid surf to be found year round, although most spots maintain a pretty established local crowd. Weekends can be fairly crowded, partly due to Ventura’s proximity to Los Angeles. That being said, there’s not a city in California that isn’t already overrun with surfers (if you find one, please let me know). 

Post surf grub: The Habit (a franchise that first started in the local area of Goleta) for solid burgers at a reasonable price. Lure Fish House for the big spenders. 

4) La Jolla 

The southernmost city on the list, and one of the most posh. The quaint brunch spots, luxury homes, and cliffside restaurants can have you quickly forgetting the surf this California jewel has to offer. Mixed in amongst the bougie boutiques are some world class waves.

Notably, nearby Blacks beach offers some of the best beachbreak barrels along the entire California coastline. 

There are reef breaks aplenty as well- with classics like Windansea, Big Rock, Simmons, Hospitals, and Horseshoes all within a short drive from each other. When the swell really pumps during the winter. La Jolla Cove comes to life with big wave action. La Jolla also has waves on tap for all levels of surfers, offering up some friendlier waves at nearby Tourmaline and La Jolla Shores.

Post surf grub: The Cheese Shop produces delicious sandwiches without draining the bank account. Georges at the Cove has great food with a great view—if price is no problem. 

3) Santa Cruz 

Cold water, sharks, and the ever-present seaweed are the only things holding Santa Cruz back from a surfers dreamscape.

That being said, this northerly settlement still has plenty to offer, from rippable right-handers at Steamer Lane to minute long rides at Pleasure Point to hollow barrels at Sewers to lonely sessions at Natural Bridges. 26th Ave offers rippable beach break type waves while the Rivermouth delivers tubes you’ll never forget (when it’s on). Trek four miles further north and you’ll quickly find emptier waves hidden amongst untouched natural beauty. If you’re willing to brave the frigid water, you’ll quickly score some magical winter days.

Just bring a buddy or two to calm any shark-fearing nerves, and keep in mind that local confrontation can be quite common in these parts. So play nice. 

Santa Cruz itself is a bustling college town with live music, theater, eclectic food, hipster coffee shops, and art galleries. There is plenty to do outside of the water, from hiking in the woods to mountain biking. 

Post surf grub: Pizza My Heart if you care about price point. Jack O’Neill Restaurant & Lounge if you don’t. The views of Cowell’s beach (inside the Lane) is worth the price of admission. 

2) Santa Barbara 

The antithesis to Bali’s Bukit peninsula, Santa Barbara is the land of perfect right points. Boasting waves such as Sandspit, El Capitan, Hammond’s, Campus Point, and above all, down at its border, Rincon, Santa Barbara is a regular footer’s dream.

The “Queen of the Coast” was enough to earn this seaside suburb a spot in the top ten on its own, producing some of the longest rides the Pacific Ocean has to offer on a proper west swell. There are even a few beachies to surf (i.e. Sands).

The only negative (and it is kinda a big one) is that this section of coastline really struggles to break on south swells. Unfortunately, this is, like, half of the year (which is, like, really rough for a surfer). 

SB is your standard California super expensive suburb with an epic school, UC Santa Barbara thrown in to spice things up with an ever present party scene. There’s plenty of good eats, events, shopping, bars, restaurants, and high end hotels. There is also a zoo in the city limits that houses some lions, leopards, penguins, and, my personal favorite, capybaras. 

Post surf grub: Freebirds in Isla Vista Super or Cucas in Santa Barbara proper for cheap (but really good) burritos. The Lark if you are a foodie and you have money to spare.

1) San Clemente 

Dropped right in between the concrete jungles of San Diego and Los Angeles, San Clemente is a surfer’s paradise. Thanks to its southern border being a US military base, this “Spanish Village by the Sea” has been able to avoid a metropolis trajectory. At Trestles you’ll find some of the best high-performance waves the world has to offer. Home of the 2026 Olympics, Lowers is the ideal playground for pros and amateurs alike, offering up perfectly groomed rights and lefts year-round. Not to be forgotten are the all-world longboard waves found at San Onofre (The Point, Four Doors, Old Man’s, and Dogpatch) as well as the many beachbreaks that line the short, yet plentiful, stretch of coastline. T-Street is a training ground for so much great surfing, and the SC pier even has some high tide sessions that can be a lot of fun. There’s a reason so many pros (Griffin and Crosby Colapinto, Felipe Toledo, Sawyer Lindbland, Caroline Marks, and Kolohe Andino to name a few recents) have called San Clemente home. 

Again, living here isn’t going to be cheap due to a major factor: location. There is plenty to do, from weekend car shows to fine dining. When the surf goes flat (which is rare) there is mountain biking in the hills to fishing at the pier or from the sand to skating at the local park. 

Post surf grub: Guicho’s Eatery or Board & Brew for those watching their finances. Nick’s or Rare Society for fine dining at a much higher price.