Sunset Cliffs Surf Guide

Although Sunset Cliffs is only a 5-mile stretch of land in San Diego, there is no shortage of waves to be found.

Whether you know The Cliffs from a proposal photo you saw on Instagram, a surf edit, or from the school that is right on the beach, we can all agree that this place has a beauty that attracts people.

After only living in the area for 3 years, I’ve already learned the ins and outs of this location and all it has to offer. With a combination of my own knowledge and those of surfers around me, here’s an ultimate guide to surfing Sunset Cliffs.

What’s So Special About Surfing Sunset Cliffs?

The Wave Selection

It is hard to find another location with more than 10 different breaks within 5 short miles.

With a combination of novelty waves, point, and beach breaks, almost every single beach in the area is home to a unique wave.

Scenery

Surfing Sunset Cliffs isn’t a simple walk from the parking lot and onto the soft sand. Though some waves are more accessible than others, most require following a specific path to the cliffs edge and then scaling down the cliff with the help of a rope or pegs.

This unique way of getting down to the beach may seem more inconvenient to some surfers, but for others it adds to the adventure and beauty of these waves!

Wave Quality

I’ve found that when everywhere else in San Diego is blown out midday, the Cliffs can still be clean and glassy.

That doesn’t mean you’ll never get a blown out day while surfing the cliffs, but the odds of avoiding the wind all throughout the day are much higher at these tucked away breaks.

The 5 Best Surf Spots on Sunset Cliffs

Garbage

Garbage is one of the most commonly surfed breaks along Sunset Cliffs.

While the name is misleading, it has nothing to do with the wave quality and rather all the trash that was thrown off of the cliff in the 1900’s.

To get down to this beach you can either take a metal staircase down and climb over some rocks, or you can walk down a path in the cliff that leads to a rope that aids you the rest of the way down to the sand.

Here, you will find two main breaks.

First is the main Garbage break that sits directly in the middle of the beach.

This wave is a reef break that offers both lefts and rights, but the lefts always tend to be a little longer.

You’ll find this wave best as the tide is rising from a low to midtide. This wave is also home to a consistent crowd.

Even during the summer time when most of the waves are flat at the cliff, Garbage stays relatively consistent, which means the crowd does too.

The second wave at Garbage that is surfed much less is called Boil. Boil is a novelty wave on the south end of the beach that also is best during a rising tide. It sits on the inside above more shallow water, so make sure you kick out before getting too close inside.

Both these waves perform their best during the winter season, similar to the rest of the Cliffs, when wave size increases.

Ocean Beach

While Ocean Beach isn’t necessarily placed on Sunset Cliffs, it is its next-door neighbor.

Ocean Beach is another popular place for people to surf because of its different breaks and accessibility.

This is the one spot in the area that you don’t have to climb down a cliff to get to!

Ocean Beach can be split into two sections of waves: the long stretch of beach break North of the pier, and Avalanche, a left hand break off of the jetty.

If you are surfing for the first time in San Diego, OB beach breaks are the place to go.

This area is the most newcomer friendly with room to spread out between different peaks.

Still, check the forecast before arriving because this wave knows how to attract size in the winter. Though it average 2-3ft, in its peak months, from November to February, waves can get to 8-12ft.

Avalanche, the left hand break, is the more localized spot. While this wave can be cleaner, the crowd here is a pack of tight-knit locals. So, ease your way into surfing this wave if you want to give it a try.

Sub Bowl

Sub Bowl is a unique wave that goes both left and right, and is my personal favorite. To get to this wave, you have to enter through Point Loma Nazarene University and park up the hill at the public lot.

From there, you make the walk down to the cliffs and find the path that leads you to the line of pegs on the wall which help you scale the cliff down to the beach.

Then, as you look out, the wave will be on the north end.

This wave is loved by both longboarders and shortboarders. The right has a more subtle transition but still stands up for a perfect noseriding section on good days.

A little more on the inside is The Bowl. The Bowl is the left that is surfed by mainly shortboarders. Coming from the name, this wave bowls up, is a little more dumpy, and has some power.

On good days, even when small, you may even see some barrels here.

Again, this wave will work best during the winter months and will slow down throughout the summer.

Ab

Ab is another wave that you access through the PLNU campus. As you are looking out, it is just a couple feet to the left, but offers a completely different experience.

It is a primarily left-hand wave, but if you want a very short right-hander, you can try that too.

This wave is good for both shortboarders and longboarders as it has a gradual takeoff but continues to build as you stay on the wave.

If you stay in the pocket of this wave, you can ride it all the way to the shore, but you will have a long paddle back out.

Luckily, there is a perfect channel in between Sub and Ab that helps ease the paddle, even on big days.

To get Sub and Ab at their best, aim for a mid-tide (1.5-2 ft) that is rising.

The “Secret” Spots

There are dozens of waves to be found in between Garbage and Ocean Beach, as well as south of Ab, all the way to the point at Cabrillo National Monument.

Though most of them have names and are surfed by locals in the area, they are still unknown to majority of the population because of their secluded location and limited access.

That being said, I’m going not going to be the one to blow up those secret spots.

Still, if you are feeling adventurous, take a walk along the cliffs or grab a friend with a boat and find those less surfed waves.