California Surf Guide: Los Angeles Surf — Malibu & Beyond

Iconic points inside a crowded metropolis

Surfing Los Angeles means iconic points, reefs, and beach breaks inside a crowded metropolis, from Malibu through the South Bay — with Malibu Surfrider as the premier longboard centerpiece. Traffic, parking, runoff, and crowds matter as much as swell here, so plan logistics as carefully as the forecast. New to surfing or new to the lineup? Book a Malibu surf lesson and learn the break with a local.

Leo Carrillo

Western Malibu. Leo Carrillo is a reef/point mix - right walls and scattered peaks break over rock, best with enough tide. The window is S-SW or W, 2-6 ft with N-NE wind at Mid to high (Spring-fall for south; winter for west); it suits intermediate-plus surfers.

• Ideal swell: S-SW or W, 2-6 ft

• Best wind: N-NE

• Best tide: Mid to high

• Best season: Spring-fall for south; winter for west

• Skill level: Intermediate+

Address: 35000 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265

Access: State-park lot and limited Pacific Coast Highway parking; use marked crossings.

Parking: Use the main paid state-park lot just off Pacific Coast Highway; arrive early on summer weekends, when the lot fills and overflow options are slim. Backup is limited PCH shoulder spots — cross only at the marked crossings.

Local tip: Booties help on reef entries. Check tide pools and exposed rock before paddling.

El Matador

Malibu. El Matador is Malibu's most photographed beach - sea stacks, arches, and tide pools beneath towering cliffs. It's a scenery destination first, but the rocky beach break turns on with S-SW swell. The window is S-SW, 2-5 ft with E-NE wind at Low to mid (Winter-spring); it suits intermediate surfers.

Photos: Matt Rosas.

• Ideal swell: S-SW, 2-5 ft

• Best wind: E-NE

• Best tide: Low to mid

• Best season: Winter-spring

• Skill level: Intermediate

Address: 32215 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265

Access: Roughly 150 wooden steps down from the bluff lot to the cove.

Parking: Small paid bluff lot (about 20 spaces) fills by mid-morning; backup is PCH shoulder parking.

Local tip: Come for the scenery, surf it when it's on. Rocks and tide pools dominate - booties recommended, and respect the shorebreak near the sea stacks.

Zuma Beach

Malibu. Zuma Beach is an open beach break - powerful sandbars create punchy peaks and heavy shorebreak. The window is S-SW or W, 2-7 ft with N-NE wind at Mid (Year-round; best fall and spring); it suits intermediate-plus surfers.

• Ideal swell: S-SW or W, 2-7 ft

• Best wind: N-NE

• Best tide: Mid

• Best season: Year-round; best fall and spring

• Skill level: Intermediate+

Address: 22967 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265

Access: Large county lots and roadside parking; summer weekends fill early.

Parking: The paid county lots (north, central, and south entrances) fill by mid-morning on summer weekends — get there before 9am. Free roadside parking on PCH between the lots fills more slowly but adds a walk.

Local tip: Walk to find a defined bar. Rip currents and shorebreak can be stronger than the wave height suggests.

Point Dume

Malibu. Point Dume is a point/reef and cove beach mix - wrapping lines appear around rocky headlands under select swells. The window is S-SW or W, 2-6 ft with N-NE wind at Mid (Spring-fall and winter west swells); it suits intermediate-plus surfers.

• Ideal swell: S-SW or W, 2-6 ft

• Best wind: N-NE

• Best tide: Mid

• Best season: Spring-fall and winter west swells

• Skill level: Intermediate+

Address: 7103 Westward Beach Rd, Malibu, CA 90265

Access: Limited cliff-top and beach access; observe residential restrictions and stair closures.

Parking: The small paid state-beach lot at the end of Westward Beach Rd fills fast — arrive early on weekends. Overflow is a handful of free spots along Westward Beach Rd and Cliffside Dr; read every sign, tickets are common.

Local tip: Do not attempt rock jumps without local knowledge. Rising tide can remove exit options.

Malibu Surfrider Beach

Malibu, Los Angeles County. Why surf Malibu Surfrider? It's California's signature longboard destination — a premier right point break at Malibu Lagoon. Arrive very early: the state-beach lot fills fast and Pacific Coast Highway parking is scarce.

Photos: Matt Rosas.

Break: Premier right point break - First Point is the longboard canvas; Second and Third are faster performance sections.

Address: 23200 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265

Access: State-beach lot at Malibu Lagoon plus scarce Pacific Coast Highway spaces; arrive very early.

Parking: The paid state-beach lot at Malibu Lagoon fills by 9am on any decent swell — plan for a dawn arrival. Backup is metered PCH shoulder parking, which is scarce; go early or late for a shot at those.

Local tip: California's signature longboard destination. Sit wide on your first visit, follow rotation, call direction and never assume a rider will straighten out.

Latigo Point

Malibu. Latigo Point is a long right-hand point break over sand and rock that wakes up on strong S-SE swells - longer, mushier rights than Malibu when it's on, and far fewer crowds. The window is S-SE, 3-5 ft+ with N-NE wind at Low to mid (Summer-fall on south swells); it suits intermediate longboarders.

Photo: Matt Rosas.

• Ideal swell: S-SE, 3-5 ft+

• Best wind: N-NE

• Best tide: Low to mid, rising

• Best season: Summer-fall on south swells

• Skill level: Intermediate

Address: Latigo Canyon Rd & Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265

Access: Stairway access to the beach off PCH near Latigo Canyon Rd; long walk down the beach to the point below the high-tide line.

Parking: Small lot above the beach plus limited PCH shoulder parking; fills fast when it's breaking - arrive early.

Local tip: It breaks rarely enough that locals treat set waves as a limited resource - sit wide, don't claim every set, and watch for rocks on the inside.

Topanga

Eastern Malibu. Topanga is a right point/reef - a defined takeoff feeds a long, sectiony wall over cobble and rock. The window is S-SW, 2-6 ft with N-NE wind at Low to mid (Spring-fall); it suits intermediate-plus surfers.

Photos: Matt Rosas.

• Ideal swell: S-SW, 2-6 ft

• Best wind: N-NE

• Best tide: Low to mid

• Best season: Spring-fall

• Skill level: Intermediate+

Address: 18700 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265

Access: Paid beach lot and limited roadside spaces; traffic is severe.

Parking: The paid beach lot fills fast on summer weekends and PCH traffic backs up badly — go at dawn and plan around it. Limited free roadside spots exist on PCH; mind the no-parking zones.

Local tip: Compact peak and strong local knowledge. Wait, watch and take the wave clearly offered.

Sunset Point

Pacific Palisades. Sunset Point is a right point/reef - soft outside rollers can connect to faster inside sections. The window is S-SW or W, 2-5 ft with N-NE wind at Mid (Year-round on appropriate swell); it suits beginners on small, clean days (intermediate surfers otherwise).

Photo: Matt Rosas.

• Ideal swell: S-SW or W, 2-5 ft

• Best wind: N-NE

• Best tide: Mid

• Best season: Year-round on appropriate swell

• Skill level: Beginner on small days; intermediate otherwise

Address: Pacific Coast Hwy & W Sunset Blvd, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272

Access: Pacific Coast Highway parking and stair access; heed posted restrictions.

Parking: No lot here — free PCH shoulder parking only, and spaces go quickly on small-swell days. Take the stairs down to the beach; don't leave valuables in the car.

Local tip: Longboards dominate. Stay out of the impact line when paddling back and avoid the rocky inside at low tide.

Bay Street

Santa Monica. Bay Street ("Bae Street" to locals) is a soft beach break just south of the Santa Monica Pier - peaky rights and lefts over sand that suit beginners and longboarders on small, clean days. The window is W-SW, 2-4 ft with E-NE wind at Mid (Year-round; best in summer-fall); it suits beginners on small days.

Photos: Matt Rosas.

• Ideal swell: W-SW, 2-4 ft

• Best wind: E-NE

• Best tide: Mid

• Best season: Year-round; best in summer-fall

• Skill level: Beginner on small days

Address: Bay St, Santa Monica, CA 90405

Access: Direct beach access at the foot of Bay Street, just south of the Santa Monica Pier.

Parking: The large paid beach lot sits right in front of the break - the easiest parking of any Santa Monica surf spot. Arrive before 10am on weekends.

Local tip: Water quality dips after rain - check the county advisories before paddling out. Dawn patrol beats the crowds and the onshore wind.

Venice Breakwater

Venice. Venice Breakwater is a jetty beach break - rocks organize punchier peaks than the surrounding sandbars. The window is W-SW, 2-6 ft with E-NE wind at Mid (Fall-spring); it suits intermediate surfers.

Photo: Matt Rosas.

• Ideal swell: W-SW, 2-6 ft

• Best wind: E-NE

• Best tide: Mid

• Best season: Fall-spring

• Skill level: Intermediate

Address: 2100 Ocean Front Walk, Venice, CA 90291

Access: Paid beach lots and neighborhood parking; vehicle security matters.

Parking: The big South City lot (2100 Ocean Front Walk, open 6am–10pm daily) is paid and fills on warm days; a smaller paid lot sits at the end of Venice Blvd. Park near the attendant booth, leave nothing visible, and walk south to the breakwater.

Local tip: Strong personalities, mixed abilities and swimmers: communicate and keep well clear of the rocks.

El Porto

Manhattan Beach. El Porto is a jetty-influenced beach break - consistent, peaky lefts and rights over shifting sandbars. The window is W-SW, 2-6 ft with E-NE wind at Mid (Year-round; best fall-winter); it suits beginners on small, clean days (intermediate surfers otherwise).

• Ideal swell: W-SW, 2-6 ft

• Best wind: E-NE

• Best tide: Mid

• Best season: Year-round; best fall-winter

• Skill level: Beginner on small days; intermediate otherwise

Address: 1 45th St, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

Access: Large paid lot and meters; dawn crowds are substantial.

Parking: The big El Porto lot (entrance at the west end of 45th St off Highland Ave) is metered and fills by 8–9am on good swells — dawn patrol means arriving early. Free street parking is easy to find on Highland Ave and the residential streets east of the lot; read the signs.

Local tip: A reliable dawn patrol. Walk a few blocks to thin the crowd and watch storm-water advisories.

Manhattan Beach Pier

Manhattan Beach. Manhattan Beach Pier is a pier beach break - sandbars form lefts and rights, with stronger current near pilings. The window is W-SW, 2-6 ft with E-NE wind at Mid (Year-round; best fall-winter); it suits intermediate surfers.

• Ideal swell: W-SW, 2-6 ft

• Best wind: E-NE

• Best tide: Mid

• Best season: Year-round; best fall-winter

• Skill level: Intermediate

Address: Manhattan Beach Blvd at The Strand, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

Access: Paid lots and meters; stay outside posted swim zones.

Parking: Paid municipal lots and garages downtown (the Upper/Lower Pier lots are closest to the sand) plus metered streets with short time limits — for a long session, use a lot. Circling the pier loop rarely pays; walk the short block instead.

Local tip: Give the pier a wide berth and never chase a wave under anglers' lines.

Hermosa Beach Pier

Hermosa Beach. Hermosa Beach Pier is a pier beach break - playful to punchy sandbar peaks, often softer than El Porto. The window is W-SW, 2-5 ft with E-NE wind at Mid (Year-round); it suits beginners on small, clean days (intermediate surfers otherwise).

• Ideal swell: W-SW, 2-5 ft

• Best wind: E-NE

• Best tide: Mid

• Best season: Year-round

• Skill level: Beginner on small days; intermediate otherwise

Address: 1 Pier Ave, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254

Access: Meters and structures near the pier; parking is difficult on warm days.

Parking: Metered spots and public parking structures along Pier Ave and downtown Hermosa — arrive early on warm days, when everything fills. Residential streets east of Pacific Coast Highway are mostly permit-only; read signs carefully.

Local tip: Useful for a casual session, but water quality after rain and crowds may dictate another beach.

Redondo - Avenues

Redondo Beach. Redondo - Avenues is a beach break - scattered sandbars make short lefts and rights, usually best on clean west swell. The window is W-SW, 2-5 ft with E-NE wind at Mid (Fall-winter); it suits intermediate surfers.

• Ideal swell: W-SW, 2-5 ft

• Best wind: E-NE

• Best tide: Mid

• Best season: Fall-winter

• Skill level: Intermediate

Address: Avenue C & The Esplanade, Redondo Beach, CA 90277

Access: Residential street access; read signs carefully and keep noise low.

Parking: Free street parking on the lettered Avenues (A–G) and along The Esplanade — easy on weekdays, tighter on weekends. Read every sign for sweeping and permit restrictions, and use the Avenue C stairs for the walk down.

Local tip: Choose a bar away from swimmers. The shorebreak can be abrupt on a fuller tide.

Torrance Beach

South Redondo/Torrance. Torrance Beach is a beach break - protected corner offers softer peaks; larger west swells add punch and current. The window is W-SW, 2-5 ft with E-NE wind at Mid to high (Fall-spring); it suits beginners on small, clean days (intermediate surfers otherwise).

Photo: Matt Rosas.

• Ideal swell: W-SW, 2-5 ft

• Best wind: E-NE

• Best tide: Mid to high

• Best season: Fall-spring

• Skill level: Beginner on small days; intermediate otherwise

Address: 289 Paseo de la Playa, Torrance, CA 90277

Access: Large county lot with a long walk and stairs from the bluff.

Parking: The large paid county lot runs along Paseo De La Playa (Calle Miramar to Via Riviera); the smaller Miramar Park lot on the bluff has stairs straight to the sand. Free street parking on the west side of Paseo de la Playa — avoid Tuesday mornings 8–11am, when sweeping is enforced.

Local tip: A practical fallback when northern South Bay is windy, but do not surf against posted closures.

Haggerty's

Palos Verdes Estates. Haggerty's is a left-hand point break tucked at the base of the bluffs where Torrance meets Palos Verdes Estates - a defined takeoff over rock and reef that shapes up on W-NW swells. The window is W-NW, 3-7 ft with E-SE wind at Mid to high (Fall-spring); it suits intermediate-plus surfers.

• Ideal swell: W-NW, 3-7 ft

• Best wind: E-SE

• Best tide: Mid to high

• Best season: Fall-spring

• Skill level: Intermediate+

Address: Paseo del Mar, Palos Verdes Estates, CA 90274

Access: Trail down from the bluff off Paseo del Mar, just south of the Torrance border; the gazebo north of Neighborhood Church overlooks the lineup.

Parking: Free street parking on Paseo del Mar near the trailhead; limited spaces, arrive early on swell days.

Local tip: Rocky entry and urchins on the inside - booties are smart. PV lineups guard their peaks; wait your turn and do not paddle straight to the takeoff.

Malaga Cove

Palos Verdes Estates. Malaga Cove is a reef break at the foot of the cliffs below Malaga Cove Plaza - a scenic, rocky cove that turns on with S-W swell. The window is S-W, 2-6 ft with E-NE wind at Mid (Fall-spring); it suits intermediate surfers comfortable over rock.

Photos: Matt Rosas.

• Ideal swell: S-W, 2-6 ft

• Best wind: E-NE

• Best tide: Mid

• Best season: Fall-spring

• Skill level: Intermediate

Address: Via Arroyo, Palos Verdes Estates, CA 90274

Access: Trail down from the bluff near Malaga Cove Plaza to the rocky beach.

Parking: Free street parking around Malaga Cove Plaza; PVE tickets aggressively - watch posted time limits.

Local tip: More dive spot than surf circus most days, which is the appeal. Check the reef at low tide before paddling out.

Lunada Bay

Palos Verdes Estates. Lunada Bay is a world-class reef that holds serious size - one of the few South Bay spots that stays organized from 5 ft to well overhead on W-NW swells. The window is W-NW, 5-15 ft with E wind at Mid (Winter); it suits expert surfers only.

• Ideal swell: W-NW, 5-15 ft

• Best wind: E

• Best tide: Mid

• Best season: Winter

• Skill level: Expert only

Address: 2701 Paseo del Mar, Palos Verdes Estates, CA 90274

Access: Narrow trail down the cliff from the blufftop viewpoint; the only way in or out.

Parking: Free street parking on the bluff above the bay; limited and watched.

Local tip: Lunada's localism made national headlines - lawsuits, arrests, and a 2024 settlement that forced the city to post welcome signs and adopt a zero-tolerance policy on surf territorialism. The wave is public and you have every right to surf it, but go in eyes open: this is not a beginner lineup, and the vibe earned its reputation. Do not go alone your first time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where should beginners surf in Los Angeles?

Sunset Point, El Porto, Hermosa Beach Pier, and Torrance Beach all work for beginners on small days. For the fastest progression, book a surf lesson — an instructor picks the right break and keeps you safe.

When is the best time to surf Malibu?

Malibu's points favor S-SW swells from spring through fall, with clean mornings before the wind. Arrive very early: the state-beach lot at Malibu Lagoon fills fast and Pacific Coast Highway parking is scarce.

How do I handle the crowd at Malibu Surfrider?

Sit wide on your first visit, follow the rotation, and call your direction — it's California's signature longboard lineup and it runs on etiquette. Second and Third Points are faster performance sections; First Point is the longboard canvas.

Is it safe to surf in LA after rain?

Use caution. Urban runoff near storm drains, creeks, and river mouths is a real water-quality issue after rain — wait it out and check advisories before paddling out.

Ready to surf Los Angeles? Book a Malibu surf lesson, tour the legendary breaks with a local guide, or rent a board and paddle out on your own.

Cover image: Satellite image: NASA/JPL/USGS Landsat, Los Angeles from space, public domain.