Where to hit the waves in San Diego on California Surfing Day 2025
California Surfing Day is back! Sept. 20 is the annual statewide celebration of California’s official sport — and when it comes to surf and San Diego, that's just the start of the stoke.
With our 70 miles of coastline, inviting Pacific waters and tantalizing variety of waves, San Diego is an awesome place to surf all year long. And not only are there plenty of spots around the region that are perfect for beginners, but accessible options make the sport open to all.
Here's our quick guide to embracing the spirit of California Surfing Day, San Diego-style.
Take a Surf Lesson
Take a Surf Lesson
San Diego happens to be home to one of the most renowned surf schools on Earth: La Jolla’s Surf Diva, founded in 1996 by twin sisters Coco and Izzy Tihanyi as the first all-female surf school. Surf Diva now welcomes aspiring surfers of any gender, and offers classes, camps, board rentals and more. Everyday California is another top La Jolla-area outfitter for surfers-to-be, offering expert instruction (both group and private), camps and its own shop on Avenida de la Playa. South of La Jolla in Pacific Beach, Pacific Surf School is perfectly situated to get you into the waves, with its "Stoked" series of private, semi-private and group lessons as well as camps. And in Mission Beach and Ocean Beach, San Diego Surf School, Pacific Surf School and others can get you set up for a memorable first-time surf experience.
Find the Perfect Spot
Find the Perfect Spot
La Jolla Shores has long ranked as San Diego's top spot for upstart surfers, with gentle waves much of the year. Pacific Beach (aka "P.B."), which stretches along the sparkling San Diego coast just south of La Jolla, also encompasses several ideal spots for first-time surfers. P.B.'s famed Tourmaline Surf Park is a haven for learners and longboarders, and Law Street Beach near Crystal Pier also beckons with generally forgiving waves. And in San Diego’s North County Coastal region, Moonlight Beach in Encinitas is a popular beginners' spot, with rentals available and a beautiful stretch of sand to relax on between sessions.
Celebrate San Diego's Surf Accessibility
Celebrate San Diego's Surf Accessibility
San Diego is a welcoming place for visitors of differing abilities, and that goes for our surf scene, too. The San Diego-based Challenged Athletes Foundation is a leader in championing accessibility across a range of sports, and surfing is a big part of that mission. CAF hosts a surf clinic every Wednesday in Del Mar for adaptive athletes and veterans (no surfing experience required). The organization also partners with the Ken Whalen Surf Challenge each September to welcome young surfers (including those with disabilities) in a spirit of friendly competition.
The San Diego company Access Trax is likewise dedicated to advancing accessibility for adaptive surfers and other beachgoers in San Diego. The company makes custom-fitted beach mats that ease access to the sand for wheelchairs and other uses.
Scope Out San Diego's Surf Shops
Scope Out San Diego's Surf Shops
Exploring San Diego's surf outfitters can be an adventure in itself. Both Everyday California and Surf Diva have shops in La Jolla where you can check out boards, accessories and much more. Mitch's Surf Shop (with locations in La Jolla and Solana Beach) is legendary among generations of San Diego surfers for its range of boards from top shapers. And Bird's Surf Shed — housed in an old Quonset hut in the Morena District — is famous for its striking, artful arch of surfboards that span the ceiling of this beloved shop.
Discover a Surf Museum
Discover a Surf Museum
Learn about the history and lore of West Coast surfing at the California Surf Museum in Oceanside. Founded in 1986, the museum houses rotating exhibitions of surf-related art, as well as iconic boards and other items, plus fascinating dives into the science and evolution of surfing. And on top of all that, the museum is barely a block from the beach breaks that flank the Oceanside Pier.
Check Out a Surfing Event
Check Out a Surfing Event
All year long, San Diego hosts surf-related contests, festivals and more, from the Super Girl Surf Pro to the Solento Surf Festival to the ever-popular Surf Dog Surf-a-Thon. Even if you don't surf, it's fun to check out the many competitions and celebrations. And come summer 2028, you can add the Olympics to that list: Lower Trestles, the classic break at the far northwest corner of San Diego County, will host the surfing competition for the L.A. Olympiad. In the meantime, check out our guide linked below to the full range of San Diego surf happenings.
Meet San Diego's Surfing Royalty
Meet San Diego's Surfing Royalty
San Diego has bred numerous top surf stars over the decades, including such pros and legends as Rusty Preisendorfer, Skip Frye and Taylor Knox, along with such pioneering wave-riders as Linda Benson and Debbie Melville Beacham. Among the most celebrated San Diego surf icons is Rob Machado, who was raised in the Cardiff neighborhood of Encinitas in North San Diego County and still lives and surfs there. Check out Rob’s take on San Diego and the surfing scene in the "Guides to the Good Stuff" and National Geographic video profiles.