There's no place like California. And if you're a visiting surfer, you should know where to go to score the best waves.
Southern California is home to hundreds of fantastic beach breaks, point breaks, and jetty breaks. Depending on the swell angle and wind conditions, you'll always find a wave that suits your needs.
From Malibu to the Mexico border, there are a lot of peaks to be explored and ridden. Quiksilver shot a boardrider's video guide to do SoCal right.
So, pack your gear and get on the surf trip of a lifetime.
Mikey Wright, Kanoa Igarashi, Zeke Lau, Leonardo Fioravanti, Jesse Mendes, Connor O'Leary, Koa Rothman, Kade Matson, Ramzi Boukhiam, Jeremy Flores, and Freddy Patacchia will guide you through the sunny coastline.
Los Angeles (Malibu, Venice, El Porto)
The City of Angels, or the land of broken dreams, is definitely a good place to start your trip to SoCal. LAX is the biggest and cheapest airport in the area, so fly here.
You might even get to see some waves on your way in.
Speaking of waves, there's always Malibu, the place where ancient surfing transitioned into modern surfing.
Spend the day here, summon your inner Miki Dora, drop in on a celebrity, and have some fun.
Is Malibu too mellow for you? Hit Venice, where you can surf, skate, and join the local beach and street culture.
On the southern end of Los Angeles, you'll find El Porto and a few other beach breaks that go wild in the winter.
Orange County (Huntington Beach, 54th Street, The Wedge, Lowers)
The next stop down the SoCal coastline - the OC. It's a place as decorated as Disneyland itself.
Welcome to Surf City, USA. Huntington Beach won a legal battle with Santa Cruz for the official rights to that claim.
HB has fun surf nearly 365 days a year and is a cool place to cruise around or just get lost at the legendary US Open of Surfing.
Are you looking for a wave with a little more punch? Head to Newport. For every jetty, there's a peak. And there are a lot of jetties - just pick one and go.
The most infamous zone in Newport is 54th Street. You may have heard it referred to as Echo Beach.
Generations ago, between these two jetties, a group of kids like Danny Kwok shifted the norm from white surfboards and black wetsuits colored and trippy gear.
But if you're looking for a wave with a lot more punch, hit The Wedge. It's a great place to get barreled and an even better place to break a board.
The good thing is there are a ton of shapers around, like Matt Biola's Lost in San Clemente.
He has a magic board for every wave around here, from Salt Creek in the San Clemente beach breaks to the world-famous Lowers.
San Diego (Oceanside, Encinitas, La Jolla)
Once you've crossed the train tracks and hiked back to your car, head south again to San Diego.
Dodge some tanks as you drive through the Marine base at Camp Pendleton, and 15 minutes later, you'll be back into some waves in Oceanside.
Surfed out yet? Of course not. But you are probably hungry. Southern California is known for its spicy Mexican food.
Every town has its favorite spot, with each town claiming its spot to be the world's best.
But if you're not in the mood for Mexican, there are plenty of healthy food places around.
If you go for a caloric cheeseburger and need to burn it off, then Encinitas has a stretch of fun waves.
And when you get back on land, you'll find a ton of cool bars and restaurants. Skateboarding is also an option here.
La Jolla has some challenging reefs, but beware around here. It's important that you respect the waves and the locals, too. Both of them demand it.
The closer you get to downtown San Diego, the crazier it gets. Pacific Beach, Mission Beach, and Ocean Beach are full of transplants from all over the world.
It's a good place to meet new people and an alright place to get a wave.
By now, you're only a few miles from Mexico.
The border is just over there, always tempting you with tubes and tacos on the other side. Although, really, that's a whole new adventure.
Not tired yet? Find more SoCal surf spots.