Tourmaline
Wave Style: Soft & Crumbly, Rolling, Open Face
Best Suited For: Beginning and Learning Surfers
Best Tide: Medium High Tide, High Tide
Best Swell Direction: NW, W, SW
Tourmaline Beach is the most popular wave for beginning and learning surfers. Waves roll to shore, instead of crashing over the top. This allows surfers to catch long rides of up to 330 yards! If you are a beginner or still learning, this wave gives you the most time to “pop up” on your feet out of all the waves in San Diego! Tourmaline provides a non-competitive, friendly atmosphere that is great for all surfers.
La Jolla Shores
Wave Style: Rolling, Crumbly Open Face
Best Suited For: Beginning and Learning surfers
Best Tide: Medium Tide
Best Swell Direction: NW, W
La Jolla Shores is another popular wave for beginning and learning surfers. There is a shorter paddling distance compared to Tourmaline, allowing for more repetition and a higher wave count. Waves “crumble and roll” as opposed to crashing over the top - providing a fun, mellow canvas to surf on. The weekend crowds tends to be dense, so it is best to surf here during the weekdays. There are also scattered peaks, which disperses the crows and limits competition.
Pacific Beach (Law Street)
Wave Style: Peaky, Medium-Low Power, Peak and Shoulder
Best Suited For: Beginning and Progressing Surfers
Best Tide: Medium High Tide , High Tide
Best Swell Direction: NW, W, SW
Law Street is a great wave for both beginners and progressing surfers who are looking to practice turns and maneuvers. Similar to other high-performance waves, this wave has a defined peak and shoulder. This allows for sections to perform maneuvers, as well as serving as a good introduction to surfing hollower, faster waves. It is important to note that the waves generally become faster and more powerful as you get closer to the pier, and more beginner-friendly as you move closer to the point.
Mission Beach
Wave Style: Medium Speed & Power, A-Frame Shape, Peak and Shoulder
Best Suited For: Progressing Surfers
Best Tide: Medium Tide - High Tide
Best Swell Direction: NW, W, SW
Mission Beach is most well known for its consistency, able to produce waves on a variety of swells, small and large. Like other beachbreaks, varieties of waves come frequently, with no shortage of perfect A-Frames in the mix! If it seems that everywhere in town is flat, Mission will almost surely be producing something to surf. For progressing surfers, this spot offers the variety, consistency, and power that will be sure to improve your surfing.
Ocean Beach
Wave Style: High Performance, Hollow, Peak and Shoulder
Best Suited For: Progressing and Intermediate Surfers
Best Tide: Medium Low Tide, Medium Tide
Best Swell Direction: N, NW, SW, S
Ocean Beach is among the most popular waves in San Diego for high-performance surfing. You will encounter several sections to perform turns and maneuvers. This wave also barrels under the right conditions. This is a faster, punchier, and stronger wave than the previous waves mentioned. For this reason, it is best for Intermediate and Progressing surfers who are already comfortable with catching waves and quickly getting to their feet.