Australian-born, California-raised, pro surfer Rob Machado has spent most of his life atop a surfboard. Still one of surfing’s most iconic and beloved figures, he never strays too far from his favorite San Diego swells.

From George Freeth to Bob Simmons to Rob Machado, many San Diegans have played an influential role in propelling surfing from a pastime to a sport and a way of life.

The HMCS Yukon wreck dive turned San Diego's Wreck Alley into a must-see diving destination.

From the early days of action sports, San Diego was at the center of it. Surfing and skating both grew up in the streets and on the beaches of this destination, and it remains an awesome board-topia to this day. Action sports expert Chris Cote has spent his life in the thick of it, and is here to show you why San Diego is a true paradise of the surf and skate world.