Surfing Santa Cruz

Starting off with one of the most famous surfing destinations in Santa Cruz, Steamer Lane should definitely be on your itinerary. The quintessential North Californian wave can be ridden at Steamer Lane. With right-handed, cold water point break with several very notable waves that are very consistent due to the right exposure to the swell and the protection from the wind in the northwest.

This popular spot is often very crowded with surfers. You will find that Steamer Lane can vary between being playful and heavy. This is one of the reasons that Steamer Lane has been one of the best-loved surfing beaches in the world.

Home to the Cold Water Classic Surf Contest, Steamer Lane attracts onlookers at all times of the year. When the swell is good, you will see lots of people watching from outside the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum just off the beach.

You’ll find three main waves at Steamer Lane. The Slot, Middle Peak, and Indicators. During the winter, you can often find all three waves will break.

The slot offers up fast rights. This wave hugs the rocks breaking right in front of a cliff face. Takeoffs on this wave are probably best left to the more seasoned surfer, as they can be a bit dicey.

Breaking further out than The Slot, you’ll find both lefts and rights at Middle Peak. The right-hand is broader and longer, with the left being quite steep towards a bowl section that can be very exciting.

Breaking inside Middle peak, Indicators is a long right-hand wall that can go for about 200 yards before it fattens out as it approaches Cowells. This wave only works on large swells and southbound currents will push against surfers who are trying to stay up on the peak. This wave is hard work and you will need to paddle.

To the north of Steamer Lane, you will find a beach that offers waves that are suitable for everyone surfing Santa Cruz. Many surf schools operate from Cowell’s Beach, and you’ll see a whole range of different skill levels here. Whether you are a beginner or not, you can enjoy this stretch of beach.

The beach has a wave that is good at any swell that goes higher than the knee. Ideally, low tide is the best time or waves just wash to shore without breaking. The beach is often frequented by some highly skilled longboarders who will love to ride the rights at Cowell’s.

For beginners, the local surf school at Cowell’s Beach offers a three-hour beginner lesson from $105, to help you get to grips with the basics.

Pleasure Point is one of the best-known and most loved surf spots in Santa Cruz. It has some amazing spots within it, including ‘The Hook’, ‘Sharks Cove’ ‘The Drain Pipe’ ‘Pirates and Trees’ ‘30th Ave’. The beach offers plenty of decent waves and has spots that are suitable for surfers of all abilities. You’ll find newer surfers and old guys here, with locals and visitors alike.

If you are a novice surfer, maybe just sit back and watch as the aggressive swells at 30th and East Cliff take more experienced surfers into areas that let them perform the best aerial tricks and show off with some of the best rides you’ll see. Don’t worry if you are not up to scratch when it comes to surfing these waves, you probably won’t be alone. The shore is often lined with surfers who want to learn from those in the know.

Just a bit further on to the south at Pleasure Point, you will find a stretch known as The Hook. You’ll need to go down a flight of steps at the end of Pleasure Point in order to get to The Hook, but once you are there you will see why it hooks so many surfers in.

The swell in The Hook is just right and that’s why it is such a big draw to surfers from all over the world. Of course, it is going to be packed full of local surfers who will know the right sweet spot to catch that wave.

Head up about an hour north of Santa Cruz and you will get to Mavericks. This really is the place to find the biggest waves in California. The waves are so big here that there is an Invitational Surfing Contest that runs every year given the right conditions.

The waves can routinely reach over 25 feet and top out at around 60 feet.These big waves can be very dangerous and should not be undertaken lightly. Even if you don’t ride these giants yourself, it may be worth taking a trip up to see them as they can be spectacular.

 As the name suggests, this beach is situated four miles out of Santa Cruz, this beach is a good all-rounder which offers bluff-protection and is not affected much by the summer winds that are common in the afternoons around the area.

This is a frequent breaking wave but is not 100% consistent. The swells can vary dramatically from just being moderate to radical.

 If you are a longboard fan, then Private Beach is worth a visit. With a right-facing wave that makes for a great ride that takes you over to a break called Trees.

These gentle waves are long and you can ride them all day long.

Situated about twenty miles to the north of Santa Cruz, this is a mix of beach and reef break. With strong currents, long paddles, and unpredictable peaks this can be a hard surf and is not for the uninitiated. The area is also pretty notoriously windy. When everything comes together as it should, this is a joy to surf.

If you take a short drive up on Highway 1, you’ll come across lots of hidden surfing gems that are often breaking such as Ano Neubo or Waddle Creek State Beach. These more secluded spots are a bit off the beaten path and as such you’ll find them to be less crowded than the major beaches closer to the city. If you want a more chilled out feel to your days surfing Santa Cruz, this route may be the way to go.

Westside Surf & Skate is the best place in Santa Cruz to fulfil all your surf-related needs.

Cowells Surf Shop Santa Cruz also offers a good selection of board rentals. A full day hire will set you back $30. They have a wide selection of beginner boards from 5 ft.-11 ft. foam logs to NSP epoxy’s to fiberglass boards. There are also some higher performance boards available to rent for an extra $5 a day.

Forest Cabins have 2 foam boards and 6 boogie boards that our guests are invited to borrow. Also available to borrow are beach chairs, beach towels, sunscreen and beach umbrellas.