Surf forecast: San Diego (Pacific Beach & La Jolla).
San Diego's beginner surf scene centers on two easy, sandy-bottom beaches: La Jolla Shores, a gently sloping beach inside a protected cove, and Tourmaline Surfing Park in Pacific Beach — a stretch of coast the city has formally set aside for surfing only, with no other watercraft allowed. Together they're the reason San Diego, alongside Huntington Beach, anchors Southern California's surf-lesson industry.
Live Wave Check
Reading the current forecast…
How it works here
Both spots are open beach breaks without a point or reef to focus the swell, which keeps the wave soft and spread out rather than punchy and consolidated — the same quality that makes Huntington Beach approachable. La Jolla Shores adds real shelter from the cove and the La Jolla submarine canyon just offshore, which can also pull in slightly more swell energy than the surrounding coast on the right day.
- Bottom
- Sand at both La Jolla Shores and Tourmaline.
Best season
Rideable year-round; water is the warmest in mainland California here, several degrees above Santa Cruz and noticeably milder than Huntington Beach in winter. Late summer and fall bring the most consistent Southern Hemisphere swell; winter NW groundswell adds size.
Conditions by level
This is what both spots are built for. La Jolla Shores' cove shelter and Tourmaline's surf-only designation make them two of the most consistently recommended true-beginner beaches in the state.
Push further out at either spot for real green-wave rides with more speed; the open beach-break shape means the best peak shifts around with the sandbars, same as Huntington Beach.
Neither spot is the draw for experienced surfers — nearby Sunset Cliffs, Blacks Beach and Swami's (further north) are where San Diego's more serious waves live.
Watch out for
- La Jolla Shores sits beside a protected marine reserve (the La Jolla Ecological Reserve) — leopard sharks are a common, harmless summer sight in the shallows and are not a hazard.
- Crowds at Tourmaline, especially given its surf-only status draws every level of rider to one stretch of beach.
- Standard California rip-current awareness applies at both open beach breaks.
Getting there
Both are within San Diego proper — La Jolla Shores about 20 minutes north of downtown, Pacific Beach (Tourmaline) about 15 minutes northwest, both close to the airport and easy to combine in one day.
Frequently asked questions
Is La Jolla Shores good for beginners?
Yes — it's one of San Diego's most recommended true-beginner beaches, a gently sloping sandy beach inside a sheltered cove, popular with surf schools including Surf Diva, based nearby in La Jolla.
What is Tourmaline Surfing Park?
A stretch of Pacific Beach that the city has formally designated for surfing only, with no other watercraft permitted. Combined with its beach-break shape, it's one of the most consistent and approachable learning waves in San Diego.
Are there sharks at La Jolla Shores?
Leopard sharks — small, harmless, bottom-feeding — gather in the shallows near La Jolla Shores in summer and are a common, non-threatening sight rather than a hazard to swimmers or surfers.
Is San Diego warmer than Los Angeles or Santa Cruz for surfing?
Yes — San Diego generally has the warmest water in mainland California, noticeably milder than Santa Cruz year-round and a few degrees above Los Angeles / Huntington Beach in winter.