Located in Santa Barbara, California, Isla Vista is a decent collection of reef and beach breaks that offer up some easygoing sections for longboarding and beginners. The beach breaks can be a bit punchier. The waves here are easy to surf and break for up to 50 meters over a rock and sand bottom. This area will be crowded with college students.
What are the best surf conditions for Isla Vista?
Gets good between waist-high and overhead. We recommend riding a longboard here when smaller and a shortboard as the size picks up. These breaks are suitable for intermediate and advanced-level surfers. The surf here is not the most consistent (4/10) and will get quite crowded (8/10). The best winds are from the Northeast. The best swells are from the Northwest and West. Works on a low to mid-tide best.
We recommend wearing a 3/2 in the summer when water temperatures rise to 17 degrees. In the winter a 4/3 is best when water temperatures drop to 13 degrees. See the temperature chart below for more data on this.