A local guide to the surf breaks of the Southern California coast and the communities that put you near them, from San Onofre and Trestles to Huntington Beach, Malibu, and Rincon.
Direct answer
The Southern California coast holds some of the most storied surf in the world, and for a buyer who surfs, the break is often the reason for the move. From south to north the marquee breaks are Black's Beach, Windansea, and Swami's in San Diego, San Onofre and Trestles at the Orange County line, Huntington Beach Pier in Surf City, The Wedge and Brooks Street in Orange County, Malibu and El Porto in Los Angeles, and C Street and Rincon, the Queen of the Coast, up by Ventura and Santa Barbara. This guide maps them by region and ties each stretch to the communities you can live in nearby. Ratowsky Group sells from Los Angeles to San Clemente and will introduce you to a Compass specialist for the breaks beyond that.
San Diego runs from powerful beach breaks under the cliffs to mellow reef and point waves. The county pairs world-class surf with the bluff villages of La Jolla and the beach towns of North County.
Key San Diego surf breaks, and where to live near them
Orange County is the heart of the corridor for Ratowsky Group, and one of the densest stretches of quality surf in the state. It opens at Trestles on the San Diego line and runs up through Huntington Beach, the original Surf City.
Key Orange County surf breaks, and where to live near them
Los Angeles County reaches from the South Bay beach breaks up to the legendary point at Malibu. This is the northern end of where Ratowsky Group sells directly.
Key Los Angeles surf breaks, and where to live near them
North of Los Angeles the coast bends and the long right points begin, capped by Rincon, the Queen of the Coast. This is country Justin knows from his school years in Santa Barbara, and it's served through a Compass introduction rather than sold directly.
Key Ventura and Santa Barbara surf breaks
If the wave is the reason for the move, the search starts at the break and works inland. Ratowsky Group sells the coast from Los Angeles to San Clemente, so for Surf City and the Huntington Beach breaks, the Orange County points from Trestles to Salt Creek, Malibu, and the South Bay, we can put you in the right community directly.
For the San Diego cliffs and reefs, or the Ventura and Santa Barbara points, Justin knows the water first-hand and will introduce you to a community-specific Compass agent so you land in the right neighborhood near the right wave.
Surf City USA
Huntington Beach, the center of Ratowsky Group's home market and host of the US Open of Surfing
Ratowsky Group
“For a lot of buyers the break is the whole point of the move. We start at the wave and work inland, and from Trestles to Surf City to Malibu we can put you right there. Up in Santa Barbara, where I went to school, I will hand you to someone I trust.”
Justin Ratowsky, Realtor®, DRE #02026158
Frequently asked
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Communities
Local, no pressure
Tell us the break you surf and we'll map the communities within reach of it, from Surf City to Trestles to Malibu, and connect you with the right Compass specialist for the San Diego and Santa Barbara coast.
Ratowsky Group at Compass. Craig Ratowsky DRE #00608046, Justin Ratowsky DRE #02026158. Compass DRE #01991628. This page is general information, not tax, legal, or financial advice. For pricing, timing, or negotiation specific to your property, have a direct conversation with Craig and Justin. Equal Housing Opportunity.
