Swell Cabin › La Jolla › Pacific Beach
Pacific Beach: surf spot in La Jolla
Suits all levels.
- Wave
- Beach break, lefts & rights
- Level
- all levels
- Faces
- WSW (offshore wind: ENE)
- Best tide
- mid (from surfnerd.com, checked 2026-11-05)
- Best season
- Sep – Mar: September, October, November, December, January, February, March
- Water temperature
- 14–21°C (shorty or rash vest (warmest) to 4/3 mm (coldest))
- Location
- La Jolla, United States (32.7964, -117.2581)
Live surf cams at Pacific Beach
- Pacific Beach (Crystal Pier): Pacific Terrace Hotel, free
Other surf spots in La Jolla
- Horseshoe: Reef break, lefts & rights, for advanced surfers, faces W (offshore wind: E), best tide: mid, rising
- Windansea Beach: Reef break, lefts & rights, for advanced surfers, faces WSW (offshore wind: ENE), best tide: all tides
- Scripps Pier/La Jolla: Beach break, lefts & rights, for intermediate surfers, faces WNW (offshore wind: ESE), best tide: mid
- Birdrock: Reef break, lefts & rights, for advanced surfers, faces WSW (offshore wind: ENE), best tide: low
- Torrey Pines/Blacks Beach: Beach break, lefts & rights, for advanced surfers, faces W (offshore wind: E), best tide: low to mid
- Mission Beach (San Diego): Beach break, lefts & rights, all levels, faces W (offshore wind: E), best tide: high, dropping
- Ocean beach: Beach break, lefts & rights, all levels, faces WNW (offshore wind: ESE)
- Sunset Cliffs: Reef break, lefts & rights, for advanced surfers, faces W (offshore wind: E), best tide: low to mid
- Point Loma: Point break, right-hander, for advanced surfers, faces SW (offshore wind: NE)
Places to stay near Pacific Beach
- Crystal Pier Hotel & Cottages (0.1 km away): Chalet
- Tower 23 (0.2 km away): Hotel
- Seashore (0.2 km away): Holiday rental
- See By The Sea (0.2 km away): Holiday rental
- Hotel Jardines de Uyuni (0.2 km away): Hotel
- Pacific View Inn (0.2 km away): Hotel
- California Dreams Hostel (0.3 km away): Hostel
- Hostel San Diego (0.3 km away): Hostel
Surf schools near Pacific Beach
- Tower 23 (0.6 km away)
- Pacific Beach Surf Shop | San Diego Surf Lessons (0.6 km away)
- Pacific Surf School (0.7 km away)
- Epic (0.7 km away)
- San Diego Surf School (0.8 km away)
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to surf Pacific Beach?
Pacific Beach is in La Jolla, where the best surf season is Sep – Mar (September, October, November, December, January, February and March). It works best at this tide: mid. The wind is offshore there when it blows from the ENE.
What wind is offshore at Pacific Beach?
Pacific Beach faces WSW, so wind from the ENE blows offshore and grooms the waves, while wind from the WSW blows onshore and makes them choppy. The forecast on this page rates every hour with its wind.
What is the best tide to surf Pacific Beach?
The best tide at Pacific Beach is mid, from published surf guides (surfnerd.com, checked 2026-11-05). The forecast on this page weighs each hour’s tide and shows the best window each day.
Is Pacific Beach good for beginners?
Pacific Beach suits all levels on an average day; check the size in the forecast before you go out.
Is there a surf cam at Pacific Beach?
Yes: Pacific Beach (Crystal Pier) (Pacific Terrace Hotel, free). Swell Cabin checks these cams regularly.
Where can I stay near Pacific Beach?
The nearest places to stay are Crystal Pier Hotel & Cottages (0.1 km away), Tower 23 (0.2 km away), Seashore (0.2 km away) and See By The Sea (0.2 km away). Swell Cabin lists 215 places to stay within 10 km of La Jolla.
What is the surf forecast for Pacific Beach?
Swell Cabin rates Pacific Beach hour by hour for the next 7 days (Flat, Poor, Fair, Good, Great, Epic) from the way it faces, its level and its best tide, with the swell and wind forecast, and shows the best time each day.
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