The best surf spots in Huntington Beach, from a local.

This is the heart of it, the break that made Surf City USA a name and the home of the US Open of Surfing. The Northside and Southside of the pier surf differently depending on the swell direction, so locals pick a side based on what's coming in. It's the most consistent, most watched water in town, which also means it's the most crowded.

Best for

The classic HB session, and watching the best in the world during contest season.

Parking

The pay lots and the structure near Main Street are your bet, but they fill early on a good day. Get there at first light or plan to circle.

Local tip

The two sides of the pier are not the same wave. Check which direction the swell is hitting and pick your side before you wax up, not after you've paddled out.

The long, open stretch of state beach to the north is where you go when the pier is a zoo. It spreads people out over a lot of sand, so you can usually find your own peak without elbowing for it. The wave is more forgiving and beginner-friendly when it's small, which is part of why it's an easy first paddle.

Best for

A mellower session with room to breathe, and a good place to learn.

Parking

The state beach lot runs the length of it, so parking is more relaxed here than near the pier, though it still fills on hot summer weekends.

Local tip

On a crowded day, the move is simple. Drive north, park along the state beach, and walk to whatever peak nobody else is sitting on. There's a lot of it.

Locals call this stretch the cliffs, and it holds its own shape separate from the pier. It tends to draw a steadier crew of regulars who know the spot, so it has more of a neighborhood-lineup feel. The wave changes with the sandbars, so it's worth checking before you commit.

Best for

A session away from the pier crowd with a more local lineup.

Parking

Parking along PCH near Goldenwest, and it goes fast on a good swell. Earlier is better.

Local tip

This is a regulars' spot. Sit a few sets, watch the rotation, and earn your way into the lineup before you start dropping in on people.

South of the pier, along the state beach toward the Santa Ana River, the crowd thins out again and you get more room. It's another good option when the Downtown lineup is stacked and you'd rather just surf than wait. The wave varies with the sand, like most of this coast.

Best for

Spreading out south of the action when Downtown is packed.

Parking

The Huntington State Beach lots run along here, so parking is steadier than at the pier, with the usual summer-weekend caveat.

Local tip

If the pier lots are full and tempers are short, just keep driving south. The state beach has the space the pier doesn't.

Up at the north end, the jetty area by Sunset Beach is its own animal, shaped by the structure and the way the sand sits against it. It surfs differently than the open beach breaks down south, and the regulars here know its moods well. Worth the drive north when the conditions line up for it.

Best for

A change of scenery and a wave with a different character than the pier.

Parking

Street parking around Sunset Beach. It can be tight, so factor that into your timing.

Local tip

Conditions here can be very different from the pier on the same day. Check it on its own before you assume the whole coast is doing the same thing.

Once a year the pier turns into the US Open of Surfing, and the whole Downtown shifts around it. The surfing is world-class and the energy is real, but the water near the contest is off-limits and the crowds onshore are heavy. It earns a spot on the list as an event more than a session.

Best for

Watching the best surfers in the world and soaking up Surf City at its loudest.

Parking

Forget driving close during the event. Park well out and walk, or come in some other way, because Downtown is jammed.

Local tip

If you want to actually surf during contest week, this is exactly when you drive north to Bolsa Chica or the cliffs and leave the pier to the spectators.