Windansea Beach
La Jolla, CA
Windansea Beach is a genuinely legendary surf spot, its sandstone rock formations and pocket beaches backing a break that's drawn serious surfers for generations and inspired Tom Wolfe's writing about California surf culture. The palm-thatched surf shack on the sand, though rebuilt over the years, is a real local landmark.
A genuinely legendary surf spot with real cultural history behind it, one of the most storied breaks on the California coast.
How we score beachesThe reef break here is powerful and best left to experienced surfers, watching from the rocks is a real option for everyone else.
On-street parking near the stairs.
Stairs opposite Gravilla St. and near Kolmar St. lead down to the beach.
Dogs are allowed on leash only before 9am and after 6pm from April through October, and before 9am and after 4pm from November through March.
San Diego County's water climbs into the upper 60s and low 70s by late summer, the most comfortable window for swimming.
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.
