Swell Cabin › La Jolla › Sunset Cliffs
Sunset Cliffs: surf spot in La Jolla
- Wave
- Reef break, lefts & rights
- Level
- Advanced
- Faces
- W (offshore wind: E)
- Best tide
- low to mid (from surfnerd.com and en.wannasurf.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 (32.7159, -117.2571)
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
- Pacific Beach: Beach break, lefts & rights, all levels, faces WSW (offshore wind: ENE), best tide: 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)
- Point Loma: Point break, right-hander, for advanced surfers, faces SW (offshore wind: NE)
Places to stay near Sunset Cliffs
- South Mission Beach (5.1 km away): Holiday rental
- Menehune Enterprises (5.2 km away): Holiday rental
- Mission Beach Oceanfront - Ground level, no stairs. Amazing private patio (5.4 km away): Holiday rental
- San Diego Hotel Motel Association (5.5 km away): Hotel
- Dover Sands (5.7 km away): Hotel
- The Big Beach House (5.7 km away): Holiday rental
- Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Spa and Marina (5.7 km away): Resort
- South Mission Beach Penthouse | Oceanfront 5 BR (5.8 km away): Holiday rental
Surf schools near Sunset Cliffs
- Hokali Surf Lessons (6.3 km away)
- Stoked Surf Lessons (7.5 km away)
- Pacific Surf School (8.3 km away)
- Pacific Beach Surf Shop | San Diego Surf Lessons (8.4 km away)
- Tower 23 (8.4 km away)
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to surf Sunset Cliffs?
Sunset Cliffs 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: low to mid. The wind is offshore there when it blows from the E.
What wind is offshore at Sunset Cliffs?
Sunset Cliffs faces W, so wind from the E blows offshore and grooms the waves, while wind from the W blows onshore and makes them choppy. The forecast on this page rates every hour with its wind.
What is the best tide to surf Sunset Cliffs?
The best tide at Sunset Cliffs is low to mid, from published surf guides (surfnerd.com and en.wannasurf.com, checked 2026-11-05). The forecast on this page weighs each hour’s tide and shows the best window each day.
Is Sunset Cliffs good for beginners?
Sunset Cliffs is for advanced surfers.
Where can I stay near Sunset Cliffs?
The nearest places to stay are South Mission Beach (5.1 km away), Menehune Enterprises (5.2 km away), Mission Beach Oceanfront - Ground level, no stairs. Amazing private patio (5.4 km away) and San Diego Hotel Motel Association (5.5 km away). Swell Cabin lists 215 places to stay within 10 km of La Jolla.
What is the surf forecast for Sunset Cliffs?
Swell Cabin rates Sunset Cliffs 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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