Surfing USA: Hot Spots and Planning A Surfing Vacation
There are countless types of vacations that you can plan. You could go for a beach holiday, soaking up some rays and kicking back and relaxing by the pool or on the beach. You could go for a city break, visiting countless museums, tourist sites and attractions. A category of holidays that is steadily growing in popularity is… Active holidays!! Active holidays are getaways where you engage in activities that will get your heart pumping. Hiking holidays, ski holidays and [the option we’re going to focus on] surf holidays are a couple of examples. If you’re considering planning a surf holiday yourself, you may want to consider the U.S. as your chosen location. Here are some top spots below that you might like to consider.
Hawaii
Of course, Hawaii is the US state most associated with surf. Located roughly 2,000 miles from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago and the only state geographically located within the tropics. Of course, Hawaii is composed of many islands, so do some research before settling on the one you want to opt for.
Oahu is perhaps the most popular destination when it comes to surfing Hawaii and is one of America's safest places to get started. With waves suitable for beginners and pros alike, the island's North Shore is host to countless perfect waves.
Santa Cruz, California
With a name meaning “Holy Cross”, Santa Cruz is another popular surf spot in the US. Located on central California coast, it has many attractions outside of surf that attract countless tourists each year. There are places to visit in Santa Cruz like long wharf, eateries and shops along Monterey Bay, or Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk’s vintage rides including the 1911 Looff Carousel and the Giant Dipper roller coaster. In terms of surf, it has ten impressive breaks. Check out Monterey, Manresa Beach, Capitola Beach, The Hook and more. It’s thought that this is where the first O’Neil wetsuit was developed!
Cocoa Beach, Florida
Well known for hosting the annual NKF Rich Salick Pro/Am Surf Fest every Columbus Day Weekend. Cocoa Beach offers beginner and expert surfers a choice of waves that are easy to ride. You’ll also benefit from year-round warm water temperatures if you visit. Surfers including Gary Propper, Bruce Valluzi, Mike Tabeling, Claude Codgen, Greg Loehr, Jeff Crawford, Greg Mungall, Matt Kechele, Todd Holland and Kelly Slater have gained national and international recognition here.
Montauk, New York
Sure, we may associate the west coast with sandy, surfable beaches, and areas such as New York tend to be left out when it comes to surfing. If you’re looking for east coast surf, head to Montauk. Here, great reef breaks come around, catching autumnal long period tropical swells. Beginners should check out the relatively calm waters of Gin Beach, while intermediates may want to head to Ditch Plains, the area ranked for best surf.
Hopefully, some of the spots above will help you to plan your ultimate surf vacation in the USA, whether you’re booking your first lessons or catching waves as an experienced surfer!