Best Surfing Beaches in the United States

Situated on Florida’s Space Coast an hour east of Orlando, Cocoa Beach is a tropical beach paradise that feels remote despite being accessible from the big city.

With lush trees and greenery, scenic walkways that lead to the beach’s thick white sand, and crystal clear water, Cocoa Beach is the quintessential Florida beach paradise. Getting there is a breeze, as the beach offers plentiful street parking. And once you arrive, you’ll find its amenities to be plentiful. Looking for a more restful beach day? Lounge on Cocoa Beach in comfort with chairs and picnic tables, and seek refuge from the sun with umbrellas. Prefer a day of adventure? Paddle-board, surf, snorkel, or swim in its crystal clear water. Hike through the beach’s nearby nature preserves, and explore stunning exotic wildlife and plants. Or grab your fishing rod and bait, and try to catch one of the Florida Space Coast’s many exotic fish.

Looking for a change of pace? For some top-notch fine dining and shopping, head to Cocoa Village, a revitalized riverside community with restaurants, galleries, local shops, and artist studios. Craving some authentic Southern Barbeque? Visit Cryderman’s Barbecue, a local favorite known for its mouthwatering brisket and excellent pork ribs. For some top-notch Thai grub, head to Thai Thai Cocoa Village, a local spot offering authentic Thai and Japanese cuisine with locally sourced beers and wines. Craving boba? Stop by Mima’s Cafe & Tea Bar and grab a refreshing milk tea or iced coffee. And for a day of learning and enrichment. visit the nearby Kennedy Space Center, where beachgoers can tour launch-pads, meet veteran astronauts, see giant rockets, interact with space simulators, and even view a rocket launch.

For beachgoers spending the night by Cocoa Beach, there are a number of excellent local hotels. At the Hilton Cocoa Beach Oceanfront, experience top-tier service, luxurious and spacious rooms, and an incredible beachside location. Prefer a hotel offering unbeatable value? Check-in at the Best Western Cocoa Beach Hotel & Suites, an affordable hotel with spacious oceanfront suites.

Located near the northern end of the city of Half Moon Bay, Mavericks Beach - also known as Pillar Point Beach - is situated adjacent to Pillar Point Harbor. Mavericks Beach has light brown sand and rocky reefs along its shoreline and is located below the bluff-top Pillar Point Air Force Station. The water near the beach is known for its gigantic and monstrous waves and is extremely dangerous for swimming, so it's recommended to be careful when visiting the beach’s shoreline. Big wave surfing enthusiasts often flock to this location, drawn by the renowned waves and the legend of discovering Mavericks.

Located in the city of Malibu, Surfrider Beach - also known as Malibu Surfrider Beach - is a mile long and is considered the place to go for the ideal Southern California surfing experience. The beach is part of the Malibu Lagoon State Beach, which is spread over 110 acres and also includes the Malibu Lagoon and the Malibu Pier. Surfrider Beach is positioned on the western side of the Malibu Lagoon, where Malibu Creek drains into the Pacific Ocean. The beach has a spectacular background of many oceanfront buildings, including hotels, restaurants, and a museum, which together provide Instagram-worthy views of the Santa Monica Mountains and the vast Pacific Ocean, especially at sunset.

Hanalei Bay, located on Kauai's North Shore, is one of the best beach locations in all of the Hawaiian islands, with verdant mountains, spectacular surf breaks, and timeless waterfalls. Beautifully-blue waters and golden sand add to this picturesque location, making it one of the most popular beaches in the U.S.A.

Channel your inner soul-surfer and ride one of the powerful waves on the far right side of the bay. You can also snorkel along one of the many coral reefs throughout the beach, including Waikoko Reef on one side and Pu'u Poa Reef on the other. Hanalei Pier is located on the mouth of the river where the calmest waters are found -- perfect for young children. You can kayak along the river and camp at the park nearby, complete with full amenities.

After a jam-packed beach day, it's time for some good eats and an ice-cold beverage. Hanalei's food truck network includes juice bars, island wraps, acai bowls, and more, giving the bay a unique dining scene and laidback island vibe. Kealia Poke is the new fad on the island, along with the refreshing Wishing Well Shave Ice. One thing that makes the island so carefree is the commitment to authenticity and the refusal to give in to tacky tourist attractions. For example, you'll never see a chain restaurant at Hanalei Bay -- only mom-and-pop shops are scattered throughout the island. Free of typical brand names and tacky souvenirs, you'll feel like a local yourself! Enjoy your stay at Hanalei Bay, a beachy heaven that will leave you on a breezy, tropical Cloud Nine.

Located in the town of Isla Vista, Campus Point Beach is a half-mile-long and narrow beach on the east side of Goleta Point on the University of California, Santa Barbara campus. Campus Point Beach is backed by Campus Lagoon and consists of two separate beach areas – one is near the lagoon and the other is below the bluffs north of the lagoon.  Campus Point Beach is a perfect surfing destination, especially for beginners because of its calm waters and mid-size waves.

Located in the town of Melbourne Beach, Sebastian Inlet State Park is a state park that has an unnamed white sand beach. There are two museums near this park which are called the McLarty Treasure Museum and Sebastian Fishing Museum. 

Located in Honolulu, Waikiki Beach is a beautiful and extremely popular beach  with light brown sand and nearby palm trees. This beach is located in the popular touristy neighborhood of Waikiki. The beach’s name in Hawaiian means "spouting water" - the beach received this name because in the past multiple springs and rivers used to flow around this beach – as another fun fact Waikiki Beach was used by Hawaiian nobility for surfing. Waikiki Beach is one of the most famous beaches in the United State and was named the 4th Best Beach in the Top 50 Beaches in the United States list in 2022 by Randall Kaplan, the world’s foremost beach expert who is known as "Mr. Beach.” It is important to note that Waikiki Beach is a part of a larger beach area that stetches for almost two miles that is also called Waikiki Beach – in addition to Waikiki Beach, this larger beach area is composed of seven other beaches including Duke Kahanamoku Beach (also called Kahanamoku Beach and Duke Paoa Kahanamoku Beach Park), Fort DeRussy Beach (also known asFort DeRussy Beach Park, Gray’s Beach (also known as Grays Beach, Halekulani Beach, Kawehewehe, and Grey’s Beach), Royal Hawaiian Beach (also known as Waikiki Beach Center and Royal Moana Beach), Kuhio Beach (also known as "The Ponds", Kuhio Ponds, and Kūhiō Beach), Queen’s Beach (also known as Queen Kapiolani Beach , Queen’s Surf Beach, and Kapiolani Beach Park), and Kaimana Beach (also known as also known as Kaimana Beach Park, Kaimana’s Beach, Waikiki at San Souci Beach, Sans Souci Beach, and San Souci Beach).

Waikiki Beach is constantly threatened by erosion – some of Waikiki Beach’s parts have been significantly reduced in size due to erosion. There are multiple rocky jetties and seawalls near Waikiki Beach – the beach’s southwestern portion particularly has many rocky seawalls near it. Although most of the portions of Waikiki Beach have lifeguards, there are some portions that do not have lifeguard deployment – these portions are located near 2055 Kalia Road, in front a hotel named the Halekulani Hotel, and adjacent to another hotel named Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort.  In addition to lifeguards,

Located in the heart of Santa Barbara, Leadbetter Beach is one of the most popular beaches in the area because of its clear waters, consistent winds, and wide sands. Santa Barbara City College is right next to this beach so expect to see lots of students getting some sunshine between classes. 

Located at the eastern end of Santa Cruz county, Pleasure Point Park is a county park situated on a bluff overlooking Monterey Bay. The park has a set of stairs that provide access to a narrow strip of beach area present below the bluff. The beach area gets almost completely submerged during high tide and barely has any dry sand. The beach is popular among surfers, along with other beaches in the Pleasure Point neighborhood (in which the park is situated) as the waters here produce ideal surfing conditions. 

Located in the city of Encinitas, Encinitas Beach is an excellent beach in the state of California. It is narrow, quiet, and rarely crowded.

Located at the western end of the City of Santa Cruz, Steamer Lane is a very popular surfing spot in the city of Santa Cruz. The beach area has very little sand and is composed mostly of bluff side walls and rocky boulders. You might get some sandy areas during low tide but it’s not an ideal beach for quietly basking in the sun. Surfer Magazine in 2009 designated Santa Cruz as the "best surfing town" and wrote of Steamer Lane as a "world-class right-hand reef-point." The beach earned its name when earlier surfers on the beach would look out for waves in the naval lanes used by steamships heading towards the Santa Cruz Wharf. The beach area is always bustling with surfers looking for a piece of large and fast-paced waves found in the waters here. Situated to the west of Steamer Lane is Lighthouse Field State Beach along with the iconic Santa Cruz Lighthouse, while to the south is a blufftop shelf also used by surfers. 

Located in the northern part of the Kauai shoreline, Tunnels Beach – also called Makua Beach – is a popular half-mile-long beach with coarse golden coral sand. The travel website Big 7 Travel listed this beach as one of the best beaches in the world – in addition, Travel+Leisure magazine also listed this beach as one of the “12 Best Beaches in Kauai for Sunsets, Snorkeling, and Swimming.” This beach is very popular with families and you can see many families here, especially on weekends. 

Stretching along the western coast of Huntington Beach, Huntington State Beach is one of the most popular and iconic surf beaches in the world. Home to the Surfer’s Hall of Fame, Huntington State Beach spans 121 acres and draws hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. It’s a popular destination for locals and tourists alike, offering a unique coastal experience in Orange County.