The Wedge
Newport Beach, CA
The Wedge sits at the jetty marking the tip of the Balboa Peninsula, famous for a wave shape created by swell bouncing off the jetty into incoming waves, producing some of the biggest bodysurfing and bodyboarding waves in California. West Jetty View Park runs alongside it with a paved path for watching, which is exactly what most visitors actually do here.
A genuinely famous, one-of-a-kind wave that draws serious bodysurfers and spectators alike, though it's a watch-don't-swim destination for most people.
How we score beachesWatching from the jetty park is the move for most visitors, the wave here is genuinely dangerous and meant for experienced bodysurfers only.
A paved path runs along West Jetty View Park with views of the break.
Leashed dogs are allowed on the sand only before 10 a.m. and after 4:30 p.m. under Newport Beach's citywide dog curfew.
The biggest, most famous swells here come with summer south swells, typically July through September.
More Pacific Coast beaches
Zuma Beach
Malibu, CA · Pacific Coast
A wide stretch of sand backed by the Santa Monica Mountains, with reliable swells that draw surfers year-round and plenty of room to spread out even on busy weekends.
Huntington City Beach
Huntington Beach, CA · Pacific Coast
Known as Surf City USA, with a mile-long municipal pier, consistent breaks for surfers of every level, and a laid-back boardwalk scene along Pacific Coast Highway.
Main Beach
Laguna Beach, CA · Pacific Coast
Tucked between rocky headlands, with tidepools to explore at low tide, calmer coves for swimming, and an arts-town backdrop of galleries and cafes just steps from the sand.