Best Surfing Beaches in 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 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.

Santa Monica Beach, located in the city of Santa Monica, is a highly popular 3.5-mile-long beach with light brown sand. This beach, also known as Santa Monica State Beach, is divided into three main sections: Santa Monica Beach - North Beach (which is also known as Santa Monica - North Beach and Santa Monica North Beach), Santa Monica Beach - Pier Beach (which is also called Santa Monica - Pier Beach and Santa Monica Pier Beach), and Santa Monica Beach - South Beach ( which is also called Santa Monica – South Beach, Santa Monica South Beach, and Ocean Park Beach). 

Santa Monica Beach—North Beach is quieter, offering a more peaceful experience, while Pier Beach is at the center and features the iconic Santa Monica Pier. Santa Monica Beach - South Beach, also referred to as Ocean Park Beach, is situated to the south of the pier.

Santa Monica Pier, stretching 1,650 feet, is a well-known landmark and draws millions of visitors annually. It is an iconic pier that was initially opened in 1909 and has been designated as a Santa Monica Historic Landmark - this pier offers a large variety of things to do including a popular amusement park named Pacific Park that has the world’s only solar-powered Ferris wheel, fun rides for kids (including a 1920s carousel), an arcade, an aquarium at the end of the pier named Heal The Bay Aquarium, and interesting concessions and shops. If you are planning to fish from the Santa Monica Pier or from any part of Santa Monica State Beach, please follow the local fishing regulations that can be found on the website of California Department of Fish and Wildlife. 

Santa Monica Beach is also frequented by snorkelers and scuba divers, and visitors may spot wildlife such as seals, sea lions, and migrating whales at certain times of the year. If you’re into biking or skating, the Ocean Front Walk (also called the Santa Monica Boardwalk) offers a scenic path with oceanfront views and passes by various restaurants and shops. The North Beach Trail section includes unique artwork inspired by local plant and animal life. A portion of another famous biking trail named the Marvin Braude Bike Trail (also known as The Strand) is also located along Santa Monica State Beach - this popular 22-mile oceanfront biking, jogging, and roller-skating trail mostly runs parallel to the coastline of the Santa Monica Bay.

Located in Newport Beach in Southern California, Newport Municipal Beach is one of the beaches most popular with families in the area because of its clear waters, expansive sands, and picturesque pier. 

Located in the commercial center of Huntington Beach, Huntington City Beach and Pier is a great place for a lively beach day. The most notable feature of this beach is its bustling pier. The pier is a perfect spot to take in ocean views or try your hand at fishing. 

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.

County Line State Beach is one of four separate beaches that comprise Leo Carrillo State Park.

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 on the east side of Latigo Shore Drive (which is also known as Seagull Drive) in the city of Malibu, Latigo Beach is an excellent beach for surfers and families. This beach is very calm and has lots of sand as most of the wind coming from the coast is blocked by Latigo Shore Drive. It is relatively quiet and less crowded in comparison to other nearby beaches – the locals have hired a security guard to make sure unauthorized people do not park on Latigo Shore Drive.

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. 

Francis Beach is a part of the state park that has the similar name Half Moon Bay State Beach, which itself is four miles long and is made up of four beaches. Francis Beach, which is also known as Kelly Beach, is one of the southern of these four beaches and is equipped with picnic tables and barbeques on the blufftop.

Located near the border between Ventura County and Santa Barbara County, Rincon County Park Beach is a beach with light brown sand. The beach is situated near a gated residential area to the north of Rincon Point and below a blufftop park called the Rincon County Park (also known as Rincon Beach Park). The southern parts of the beach are pebbly and rocky. The Rincon Creek meets the ocean near the southern end of the beach. 

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 Borough of Belmar in New Jersey, Belmar Beach is a beach with light brown sand and a rocky jetty.  This beach was listed as one of the best beaches of the Northeastern United States by USA Today in 2023 and it was also listed as one of the 14 Best New Jersey Beaches by U.S. News & World Report.  It is also a favorite of Randall Kaplan, the world’s foremost beach expert who is known as Mr. Beach.

Located in the city of Half Moon Bay, Half Moon Bay State Beach - Elmar Beach is a part of a state park known as Half Moon State Beach. The beach is located between Francis Beach and Venice Beach, which are also a part of Half Moon Bay State Beach. Half Moon Bay State Beach - Elmar Beach is narrow and has light brown sand and cold waters. The Pilarcitos Creek meets the ocean near the beach and also sometimes forms a lagoon here. The beach does not have lifeguards or other amenities, so plan your trip accordingly. 

Located in the Opal Cliffs neighborhood in the eastern part of Santa Cruz County, The Hook is a narrow strip of beach area that is extremely popular with surfers across California and the United States for its excellent surfing environment. In 1885, Santa Cruz became the first place in the US mainland where people surfed – and the Hook sees a lot of surfing enthusiasts throughout the year participate in some high octane surfing action. The beach area is located near a bluff-top entrance and has brown-colored sand, which is always wet due to contact with water due to advancing tide. If you want a more sandy area head west around the bluff through the beach to access another beach area that is drier. 

Located in the southern end of the city of Santa Cruz and to the east of Cowell Beach, the Santa Cruz Main Beach is one of the major beaches present in the city of Santa Cruz. The beach is also called Boardwalk Beach as it is home to the iconic Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Amusement Park. The beach area has light brown sand. The beach is one of the most popular beaches in California and is crowded with visitors all year. The terrain here is unique – the San Lorenzo River meets the ocean on the eastern side of the beach area and sometimes forms a lagoon here, and there’s a natural rock wall on the eastern part of the beach that extends into the ocean.

Located in the central part of the Half Moon Bay waterfront, Half Moon Bay State Beach - Venice Beach is part of a state park known as Half Moon Bay State Beach in San Mateo County. The beach, featuring sandy beaches, is situated below a blufftop state park area and is a favorite access point for beachgoers looking to visit longer. Half Moon Bay State Beach - Venice Beach is narrow and has light brown sand. Two creeks –Pilarcitos Creek and Frenchman’s Creek – flow and meet the ocean near the beach, and these creeks sometimes form a lagoon at Half Moon Bay State Beach - Venice Beach. Although the beach does not have lifeguards, it does have showers, restrooms, picnic areas, and walking and biking paths. These amenities make it an ideal spot for a family outing. Getting to Half Moon Bay State Beach - Venice Beach is accessible - it's located near 400 Venice Boulevard. There is a paid parking lot on the blufftop area near the beach, and from there, you can take the access trail leading down the bluffside to Half Moon Bay State Beach - Venice Beach.