Surf in Orange County today
Orange County, California · 22 breaks ranked
The Wedge is the call in Orange County today - chest to head high at 16 seconds with almost no wind, rated poor to fair. Doheny State Beach is close behind.
1The Wedge3.9ft–4.3ft
9.1 km8kn cross-shore
6am6pm
Poor to Fair · best Noon–6pm
2Doheny State Beach3.6ft–3.9ft
14.4 km6kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor to Fair · best Noon–6pm
3Seal Beach Pier, Southside3.6ft–4.3ft
35.0 km8kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best Noon–6pm
4Bolsa Chica State Beach3.9ft–4.3ft
27.2 km8kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best Noon–6pm
5Huntington Beach Pier Northside3.9ft–4.3ft
22.2 km8kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best Noon–6pm
6Huntington Beach Pier Southside3.9ft–4.3ft
22.1 km8kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best Noon–6pm
7Huntington State Beach3.9ft–4.3ft
19.0 km9kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best Noon–6pm
8Newport Upper Jetties3.9ft–4.3ft
15.8 km9kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best Noon–6pm
9Newport Lower Jetties3.9ft–4.3ft
14.6 km9kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best Noon–6pm
10Blackies3.9ft–4.3ft
13.7 km9kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best Noon–6pm
11Newport Point3.9ft–4.3ft
13.0 km9kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best Noon–6pm
12Crystal Cove3.6ft–3.9ft
2.6 km9kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best Noon–6pm
13Rockpile3.6ft–3.9ft
1.9 km8kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best Noon–6pm
14Brooks Street3.6ft–3.9ft
3.1 km8kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best Noon–6pm
15Salt Creek3.6ft–3.9ft
10.6 km8kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best Noon–6pm
16Strands3.6ft–3.9ft
11.7 km8kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best Noon–6pm
17San Clemente Pier, Northside3.6ft–3.9ft
21.9 km8kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best Noon–6pm
18T-Street3.6ft–3.9ft
22.1 km8kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best Noon–6pm
19Upper Trestles3.3ft–3.6ft
26.3 km8kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best Noon–6pm
20Lower Trestles3.3ft–3.6ft
26.9 km8kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best Noon–6pm
21Middles3.3ft–3.6ft
27.4 km8kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best Noon–6pm
22San Onofre State Beach3.3ft–3.6ft
29.2 km8kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best Noon–6pm
Tomorrow, Friday 18 September
Doheny State Beach is the call in Orange County tomorrow - chest to head high at 15 seconds with light offshore wind, rated poor to fair.
1Doheny State Beach3.6ft–3.9ft
14.4 km4kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor to Fair · best 6am–6pm
2Seal Beach Pier, Southside3.9ft–4.3ft
35.0 km2kn cross-shore
6am6pm
Poor · best 6am–8am
3Bolsa Chica State Beach3.9ft–4.3ft
27.2 km3kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor · best 6am–8am
4Huntington Beach Pier Northside3.9ft–4.3ft
22.2 km2kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor · best 6am–8am
5Huntington Beach Pier Southside3.9ft–4.3ft
22.1 km2kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor · best 6am–8am
6Huntington State Beach3.9ft–4.3ft
19.0 km3kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor · best 6am–8am
7Newport Upper Jetties3.9ft–4.3ft
15.8 km3kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor · best 6am–8am
8Newport Lower Jetties3.9ft–4.3ft
14.6 km3kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor · best 6am–8am
9Blackies3.9ft–4.3ft
13.7 km3kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor · best 6am–8am
10Newport Point3.9ft–4.3ft
13.0 km3kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor · best 6am–8am
11The Wedge3.9ft–4.3ft
9.1 km4kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor · best 6am–6pm
12Crystal Cove3.6ft–3.9ft
2.6 km4kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor · best 6am–8am
13Rockpile3.6ft–3.9ft
1.9 km5kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor · best 6am–8am
14Brooks Street3.6ft–3.9ft
3.1 km6kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor · best 6am–10am
15Salt Creek3.6ft–3.9ft
10.6 km4kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor · best 6am–10am
16Strands3.6ft–3.9ft
11.7 km4kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor · best 6am–10am
17San Clemente Pier, Northside3.6ft–3.9ft
21.9 km4kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor · best 6am–10am
18T-Street3.6ft–3.9ft
22.1 km4kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor · best 6am–10am
19Upper Trestles3.6ft
26.3 km5kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor · best 6am–8am
20Lower Trestles3.6ft
26.9 km5kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor · best 6am–8am
21Middles3.6ft
27.4 km5kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor · best 6am–8am
22San Onofre State Beach3.6ft
29.2 km5kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor · best 6am–8am
Surfing in Orange County
Orange County runs from Seal Beach to San Onofre, and its surf gets better the further south you go. The north half - Huntington, Newport - is long sandy beach with piers and jetties that shape the peaks; it works on almost anything and is where the county learns. The south half is the reason people know the name: Salt Creek's reef, and then Trestles, the most perfect cobblestone point in California and a wave the whole world tour comes to.
The daily question is whether the swell is worth the drive south to Trestles or whether the piers are better today. This page ranks the county's named breaks from today's and tomorrow's forecast, using the same model as the app.
Where should a beginner surf in Orange County?
Doheny - the gentlest wave in the county, a soft point that hosts more first lessons than anywhere else in Orange County. Huntington State Beach and San Onofre's Old Man's are the next options, both sandy and forgiving.
The Wedge is not surfing in any normal sense: a backwash-driven shorebreak that puts people in hospital. Trestles is not dangerous but is crowded with people who know exactly what they are doing.
When is the best time to surf Orange County?
Summer and early autumn - June to October - is Trestles season, when south swell from the southern hemisphere lines up the point. Winter north-west swell suits Huntington and Newport, and the Santa Ana winds of autumn give the county its cleanest mornings. Water is warmest in August and September.
Common questions
Is Trestles worth it today?
The table above ranks it against the rest. Lowers needs a south or south-west swell; on a north-west winter swell the piers usually beat it.
Where should a beginner surf in Orange County?
Doheny, then Huntington State Beach or San Onofre. All soft, all sandy, all with schools.
When is the best time of year to surf Orange County?
Summer and early autumn for Trestles and south swell; autumn for offshore Santa Ana mornings; winter for the piers on north-west swell.
Is the Wedge a surf spot?
Technically, and only for experts. It is a shorebreak amplified by backwash off the jetty, and it injures people every summer.
How do I get to Lower Trestles?
Park at the San Onofre trailhead off Cristianitos Road and walk or cycle the mile-long trail down. There is no closer access.
Forecast generated 17 September at 20:38 UTC. Open-Meteo marine forecast (EWAM/GFS Wave), scored with Frontside's model.
Description last checked 2026-09-17.
