By clicking subscribe, you are verifying this is your information and in response to your request, you consent to receive e-mail communications from California.com about their news, events and offers. Cowell's Surf Shop 30 Front St., Santa Cruz, 831-427-2355. MQS 1,000. 20,000 of our readers voted in a poll to find out their favorite Santa Cruz County beaches. Numerous shops and boutiques line palm tree-fronted 41st Ave. Youll find an endless array of surf and skate gear, beach apparel, coastal home decor, and vintage/resale clothing. Located about an hour north of Santa Cruz, Mavericks is California's most famous big-wave surf spot with waves that rival (and draw surfers from) Hawaii. View the Jack's surf map to understand the territory and get directions. Perfect for surfers. 30th is where the Pleasure Point elite surf. The break boasts a long-peeling reef/pointbreak wave that has the variety to thrill any surfer, from hotshot up-and-comers on Formula-One level shortboards, to white-haired longboarders logging . Thankfully I havent seen that guy in years now. Jacks (in front of Jack O'Neill's house) is a very beginner friendly, longboard spot. It has surfboards decorating the corridors and retro-cool rooms with views across the Santa Cruz Wharf. Address: 1445 San Andres Road, Watsonville. Jack ONeill is thought to have tried a prototype wetsuit here in the 70s; Hawaiian princes are thought to have ridden the rivermouth in the town way back in 1885 one of the first instances of surfing in mainland America, no less. With colorful surf shops, charming beach cottages, and a shoreline teeming with surfers and beachgoers, Pleasure Point is the kind of quintessential beach community that enlivens Hollywood movies and lures envious tourists to Californias sunny shores. He is also not nearly as good as he thinks he is. Between them are around three or four main breaking points, which can link up beautifully if theres enough power. Surrounded by bluffs and cliffs all around, this surfing hotspot in Santa Cruz is well protected from the harsh summer winds Northern California beaches are known for. Plus, there are many restaurants and. We find the paddle pretty killer. However, its fall and early winter that really come up trumps for us. Spectacular Villa with Infinity Pool and Movie Theater 12. Look for The Hook a popular surf spot with a scenic overlook that attracts onlookers at the southern end of 41st Ave. Its a great place linger, scope surfers and boogie boarders and breathe in the beauty of the Monterey Bay. Address: The Hook, 511 41st Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA, USA. If you dont mind a quick drive outside of the city of Santa Cruz, youll love checking out the waves at Manresa State Beach about 20 minutes away. Uncrowded lineups and breathtaking views make this beach one of the best to surf in all of Santa Cruz. The laid-back, seaside neighborhood teems with popular surf breaks such as The Hook, an expansive surf spot located at 41st Avenue at East Cliff Drive. Here weve compiled a Santa Cruz tour of all things Jack ONeill that may leave you with an essence of why hes so beloved in this surf town. A mere 90 minutes south of San Francisco and 30 minutes north of Monterey Bay, California's Highway 1 passes straight through Santa Cruz County. The only problem is that Natural Bridges is more of a hit or miss spot than the other more consistent beaches on the list. As in San Clemente. Surf, Santa Cruz. When I am not travelling or writing, you can find me perfecting my Spanish, binge watching Netflix , reading, swimming in the ocean or just daydreaming in a hammock. (844) 510-1746, www.dreaminnsantacruz.com, Jack ONeill Park. " Lighthouse Field State Beach ". San Mateo is north of Santa Cruz. . Surfboards line the ceiling of the Jack O'Neill Lounge in the Dream Inn. View full details Original price $85.00 - Original price $85.00 Just past the lobby is the Jack ONeill Lounge, established in 2014 as a laid-back ode to the man. Address: 3810 Coast Rd, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA. Indoors, the Children's Museum shares an island with Jungle Island. Cowell Beach is the place to go if youre a novice surfer, or are on a Santa Cruz family vacation where the whole gang wants to take surfing lessons. Rights are better. It can be intimidating and timing the surf right can sometimes be tricky, but when it's on, it's on. if youre not too experienced on the board, you should be extra careful of the rip currents. And remember: whether youre looking to carve some waves or just looking, check Surfline.com for surf conditions before you head out! Try Waddell Creek State Beach, Ano Nuevo, or just pull over and hike to the shore anywhere you stopyou may find the perfect wave. After relocating from San Francisco in 1959, Jack found a former real estate office located just a. Jack O'Neill's vision was to "Inspire the Surfer's Evolution". And in a sport thats constantly pushing the boundaries, theres always been a nostalgia for its earlier days and the legends that have kept it going. You also agree to our Terms of Use and our use of your information as set forth in our Privacy Policy. The 9 Best Spots for Parasailing in California, The 9 Quirkiest Restaurants in California, The 9 Most Beautiful Greek Rows in Californias Universities, The 13 Best Indoor Ice Skating Rinks in California, The Best Carmel-By-The-Sea Hikes to Go On Now, The Center of The World: 11 Things To Do In Silicon Valley, 7 Luxurious California Beach Towns to Visit, The 7 Most Colorful Places in California You Should Visit, Traversing Trails: Preparing to Hike the Pacific Crest Trail, We're committed to helping you discover the places, people and businesses that make our state Golden. As the birthplace of mainland surfing, Santa Cruz is home to amazing talent and legends, and you can watch them shred the gnar at the following spots. It can get pretty big with a substantial north swell. 4. Sets that tickle you out back can close out in sections and we find its easy to misread and miss the golden one. The green house on the cliff side used to belong to Jack O'Neil. Tentative: Mar 24 - 26: Nahoon Pro Junior Nahoon Reef,Buffalo City, South Africa. On the biggest swells, it is possible to ride a wave from First Peak Pleasure Point all the way through 38th Avenue. Named after the abundance of kelps in the water that hooks to your legs, this point break leaves a lot of surfers hooked on to the spot. Havent surfed there for awhile but there used to be a bald guy who did this. A surfer passes a mural of Jack O'Neill imagery outside the Dream Inn on Nov. 18, 2017 in Santa Cruz. to check out, so theres something to enjoy for every interest. Located on the west side, Natural Bridges is the first surf spot in Santa Cruz, proper, and is a reef/point break that breaks along a rock shelf. Jack and son Pat O'Neill give 1977 surfing world champion Shaun Tomson (center) a tour of the Monterey Bay. Whatever time of year you visit Steamer Lane, you'll find surfers in the water, ogling tourists watching from the sands, and even a surfing museum in the nearby lighthouse to seal the deal. Beginners Surf Guide; . Santa Cruz is one of the top surfing destinations in California. Another well known surf spot with a good variety of waves for every level is Pleasure Point. Surf Legend's Home Near Famous Surf Spot Best Santa Cruz Airbnbs for Large Groups and Events 9. An introduction to Santa Cruz surfing Santa Cruz isn't the only town on the West Coast to have the nickname of Surf City. The latest surf destination guides, surf gear reviews, and surf camp info, all straight to that inbox of yours. Check out. 202 Lincoln St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060; American, Burgers; Grubhub.com Jack's Hamburgers (831) 423-4421. They run the gamut from mellow logger waves sheltered from the dominant NW swell to frothing peaks with speedy right-hand channels. I think there are one or two other subs about this guy. Whatever time of year you visit Steamer Lane, you'll find surfers in the water, ogling tourists watching from the sands, and even a surfing museum in the nearby lighthouse to seal the deal. Experts only. Pretty sure his life was in a downward spiral anyway. However, wed say its probably the most deserving of the moniker. The most famous scenic drive in California, this legendary highway offers unobstructed coastal vistas, wineries, Mission Santa Cruz and the downtown area. Head inside the Dream Inn, where a new display of replica ONeill surfboards represents those used from 1950 to 1990. Back in the day, they had the area all to . We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. I somehow lucked out and a caught a nice wave within a few minutes of being out there, something way beyond my skill level, and managed to ride it in in full poo stance. On big winter swells and the occasional macking S swell, 38th transforms into a world-class wave. I watched him completely cut some guy off who had been up and riding and THEN grab that guy's board to keep the guy with right-of-way away from him. Theres even a surfing museum in the nearby lighthouse. Thanks for signing up. There's so many fuckin jackasses along those cliffs I lost count. Belonging on every surfers bucket list, this is one of the best surf spots in Santa Cruz, but pro surfers still flock here throughout the entire year. Longboarders and Mini Mal lovers are the ones that really own the spot, but foamers and beginners also love it. Known as the surf city, Santa Cruz receives waves that range from consistent, gentle ones ideal for a beginner to perfect, glassy barrels that can make a pro surfer drool. Four Mile reaches its full potential during west, northwest 10-foot-and-above swells. 4 spots dedicated to late surf legend Jack ONeill, Santa Cruz: Abbott Square Market transforms dark spot in downtown, State storms arent letting up. Restaurants / Go to the big O'Neil shop very close to the little Pleasure Point parking lot. Down on the beach, a seemingly endless expanse of sand ensures that Manresa never feels crowded. Breaks best with a powerful north swell. In July 2017, it was the launching point for thousands of surfers who participated in a massive memorial paddle to remember the surfing legend. Pleasure Point is the jewel of Santa Cruz, California's East Side surf scene and there may be no finer name for a surf spot anywhere on the planet. Belonging on every surfers bucket list, this is one of the. 6. There are maybe two or three people on the planet who are allowed out there on a longboard, and they are certainly locals. The unusually shaped underwater rock formation at Mavericks produces waves that break at a height of 25 to 60 feet (8 to 18 m) and is a well sought after destination for big wave surfers around the world. True. It's time you headed to Santa Cruz to experience the best surfing spots. Aside from its famous boardwalk and Mystery Spot, Santa Cruz is perhaps best known as one of California's most popular surfing destinations . Just south of the rock arches of Natural Bridges, the conditions are very similar to that of Steamer Lane, except without the crowds and occasional judgmental locals. He was 94. Anyone in Northern California who has been near the Pacific Ocean in the last month knows that the surf is pumping from swell-after-swell-after-swell. To be fair, though, we usually just leave this until were there its easy to book in person in most surf destinations. Steamer Lane is one of the most iconic surf spots in California and has been the epicenter of the Santa Cruz surf scene since the 1930s. Are you kidding me? For us, this is the PERFECT time to plan a Santa Cruz surfing trip. From long paddles and strong currents and rips to sharky waters and unpredictable peaks, Scott isnt for the faint of heartor arms. I watched him completely cut some guy off who had been up and riding and THEN grab that guy's board to keep the guy with right . The small surf community of Pleasure Point is located in an unincorporated area of Santa Cruz County, nestled between Moran Lagoon and 41st Avenue, adjacent to theMonterey Bay. 3765 . Down the stairs at the end of 41 st Ave. Long and short boarders. This was the first Surf Shop that ONeill added his name to, and if you climb the stairs to the wetsuit room, youll spy one of his first wetsuits. On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being friendly), the localism factor at the Lane is an 11. 853. Thankfully that surfer had the balls to absolutely blister him publicly and it finally shut him up for a while. But, if youre experienced enough to go out in the water, be aware that when the swell is up, Steamer Lane can truly be the most dangerous place to surf in Santa Cruz. Manresa has a solid beach break as long as the wind stays down, and is generally not as crowded as surfing spots within Santa Cruz or Capitola. This makes Four Mile one of the best Santa Cruz beginner surf spots, with swells that range from mediocre to awesome. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Address: Steamer Lane, 700 West Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, USA. It probably won't be as crowded as Cowell's, but there are a lot less wave to go around. Trestles, Mavericks, The Wedge this ones a true Cali star and we absolutely LOVE it. Western side Pacific ocean. Choose this if you like more traditional hotel rooms with fans, fireplaces and balconies. The reward for the waiting game in the line up is a long (one of the longest in the town, in fact) right-hand runs. There are actually several take off points. If youre a novice surfer, youre better off hitching your board in the sand and watching the pros do what they do best. Hahaha. We're a team of ocean-loving people that includes writers in Australia, Wales, and Europe, each passionate about spending as much time in the saltwater as they can. Surfers are scum and you pissed-soaked losers can all go to hell, hopefully after you get eaten by a great white shark. Theres always a willing crowd of onlookers when its on. Mavericks is in San Mateo Co. DUDE, Im like totally blown away by the extreme mental retardation displayed by these kooks! Its also a lovely interior to sit in, though we rarely did (surf was a-calling). He was 94. Well go south to north on our hunt for the top SC surf spots. Very accurately named for its locale, Four Mile beach is just four miles north of town. Freeline Surf Shop 821 41st Ave., Santa Cruz, 831-476-2950, freelinesurf.com . On June 26, 2001, just days after his death, hundreds of Jay's real-life friends and fellow surfers paddled out into the waters of Pleasure Point near Santa Cruz, California for his memorial service. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Pleasure Point is a census-designated place (CDP) in Santa Cruz County, California. All Rights Reserved. If you're interested in a bit of an adventure, just head north out of town on Highway 1 and watch out for waves. Put together, the town is pretty epic from top to bottom. 2023 Copyright Visit Santa Cruz County. Weve always found it the best site for comparing deals from basically ALL airlines and somehow seems to offer deals that beat going direct. Her work also appears in other publications, such as American Way, Every Day With Rachael Ray, Westways, Robb Report and World Hum. and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from California.com about news, events, offers, and partner promotions. Youll find four reef breaks rolled into one spotThe Point, Middle Peak, The Slot, and Indicatorsthe best surf spot in Santa Cruz has it all. (831) 475-4151, us.oneill.com. Located right on Beach Street by the wharf, its one of the flagship outlets of this towering brand name. Neighborhoods / New: Brad Barrett Photo Gallery: 1968 Santa Cruz AAAA Blog (04-21-2021) New: Dobson, Hoffman win the 1968 Santa Cruz AAAA; Drew Kampion Reports Contest (04-19-2021) New: Sunday Joint, 4-20-2021: Ken Bradshaw's Duke Trophy is Going, Going, Gone. Heres the impact of the latest Californias storms arent letting up. All content remains copyright of Wavetrak Limited unless stated otherwise, we'd kindly ask that you don't reproduce it in any form without our permission. Spots Live Data About Jack's On big winter swells and the occasional macking S swell, 38th transforms into a world-class wave. 30th and East Cliff spot is great for experts and experienced surfers only. The Santa Cruz Surfing Museum is inside the Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse at Lighthouse Field State Beach. Check your facts breh its most def Santa Cruz not southern cali, fuck so cal. Reporting on adventure travel for The Chronicle has taken her from coastal hiking in California to cenote diving in Mexico to kayaking in New Zealand's remote Fiordland. 3. Weve got a complete guide to surfing in Monterey and its surroundings. A complete guide to surfing in Monterey and its surroundings sharky waters and unpredictable peaks, Scott for. 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