Surfing in Orange County
Overview of surfing in Orange County
Orange County, the Southern half of the sprawling LA area. This coast starts with Seal and Sunset Beach just South of Long Beach and ends with San Clemente (but does not include San Onofre State Park!) There is a lot of history surfing wise here, as well as some excellent waves. The best waves in the are mostly beach breaks plus a freak (The Wedge). The county, especially in the North is dominated by well to do suburbia. The calm and orderly vibes out of the water can be torture for some and a blessing for others. The center of the US surf industry is found here at Huntington Beach as many surf companies headquarter here. The US Open is held here every year: a conflagration of surfing, usually mediocre waves, and a massive festival. The surfers hall of fame is also here if you’re into museums. This area has churned out some top pros over the years including Chris Ward, Kolohe Andino, the Gudauskas brothers, Colapinto Brothers, Caroline Marks, and many others. The surf history here dates back to Duke Kanahamoku who surfed Huntington Pier in the early 20th century.
The 26 best Surf spots in Orange County
Surf seasons and when to go
Seasons
Orange County has the classic Southern California climate. Warm to hot year round. Temps are cooler in the mornings close to the coast due to the marine layer of fog and heat up during the day. Summers bring warmer and drier weather. Winters, if you can call them that, are slightly cooler and less windy. Bring a sweatshirt and one pair of pants and you’ll be fine.
Winter/Spring
This time of year is not the best for surf here in OC. The big Northwest swells that hit most of the rest of the coast of California don’t really sneak in here too well. Spots to the South and North will be upwards of double the size of the ones here during this time of year. Wear a fullsuit this time of year.
Summer/Fall
This time of year is best in this county. The southernly swells crossed up with windswell light up the beach breaks up and down the coast leading to wonderful, wedging, and offshore waves. Plus in fall the kids are all in school. Boardshorts and bikinis are not unheard of in the summer, but a wetsuit is needed for the fall. Winds are usually offshore all day in the fall, but summer can lead to some early onshores.
