Venice Beach

Venice Beach offers a classic sand-and-structure setup, peeling lefts and rights off the jetty when conditions align. But don't expect perfection—closeouts are the norm unless the sandbars are freshly sculpted or a crisscrossing combo swell weaves its magic, transforming the lineup into a playful, rippable canvas.

Best Surf Season (November - March)

The North Pacific winter storm track roars to life in November and stays active through March, and Venice Beach is well positioned to catch the energy. Lows tracking south of the Gulf of Alaska fire long-period W and WSW swells down the California coast, and the southwest-facing sandbars light up with clean, rideable surf. The average swell height sits around 2.5-3ft (0.8-0.9m) with periods of 11.7-12.4s, and the gold is in the wind: northeasterly to easterly offshore flows, including Santa Ana events, keep the surface glassy 49-55% of the time. Cool air and winter rain are a small price to pay for the most consistent quality of the year.