La Jolla Shores
Now
Thu Nov 5 · 12–3 PM forecast
4–5 ftchest to head
Best tomorrow · Fri 6
Compare bothNothing good left today.
Best tomorrow · Fri 6, 6 to 9:30 AM Pacific.
then the wind turns onshore
2–3 ft · thigh to waist
On the small side for a longboard; light offshore wind is grooming the waves.
La Jolla Shores surf guide
San Diego's go-to learn-to-surf beach, with soft sandbar waves and long whitewater · 3 things to watch
La Jolla Shores guide
San Diego's go-to learn-to-surf beach, with soft sandbar waves and long whitewater.
- Good for
- First-timers, surf lessons and longboards.
- The wave
- Gentle, crumbly peaks over a flat sand bottom.
- Watch for
- Boards stay out of the flagged swimming areas.
- Stingrays in summer; shuffle your feet.
- Stronger rips on bigger swells.
- Best when
- Best on a W to WNW swell (260°–300°) with ESE offshore wind, at mid tide (about 1.5–4 ft).
MoreLess about La Jolla Shores
Longboards at 1.5–4 ft. Most consistent in fall and winter.
Summer brings the city's gentlest surf and the thickest mix of lessons, swimmers and kayaks. Winter is quieter, and its sandbars give better surfers something to ride.
The peaks toward Scripps Pier hit harder and draw more experienced surfers, and bigger swells bring stronger rips.
Rays bury themselves in the warm shallows, thickest toward the Marine Room at the south end. Drag your feet as you wade in, and see a lifeguard if one stings you.
- Local tip
- Come early, because the lots by Kellogg Park and the nearby streets fill fast. Learners have the easiest time in front of the big lifeguard tower.
GOOD TIDE TODAY8:50–11:00 AM2:40–5:20 PM
Guide updated October 2026
Spot research: WannaSurf, Surf-Forecast, Wikipedia, Surfline, Go Surfing San Diego, Deepswell, Sandermaps, San Diego Coastal Guide, City of San Diego, San Diego Union-Tribune and NBC San Diego.
Send a spot correctionLive buoy Scripps Nearshore
- WAVES
- 3.8 ft
- PERIOD
- 14s
- FROM
- WNW 299°
- WATER
- 76°
Observed 1:30 PM · 54 min old
7-day surf
LB longboard · SB shortboard
Thu 12 PM · now
4–5 ft · chest to head ·
5 mph onshore · tide 0.8 ft falling
Swell near the beach: 3.8 ft every 10 s from W
| Time | Surf | Rating | Wind | Tide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 12 AM | 4–5 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 3 mph offshore | 0.6 ft and rising |
| Thu 3 AM | 4–5 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 4 mph offshore | 2.8 ft and rising |
| Thu 6 AM | 4–5 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 4 mph, gusts 5, offshore | 5.4 ft and rising |
| Thu 9 AM | 4–5 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 1 mph, gusts 3, glassy | 3.7 ft and falling |
| Thu 12 PM | 4–5 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 5 mph onshore | 0.8 ft and falling |
| Thu 3 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor | 11 mph, gusts 14, onshore | 1.8 ft and rising |
| Thu 6 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 9 mph, gusts 13, onshore | 4.3 ft and rising |
| Thu 9 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 1 mph, gusts 7, glassy | 3.2 ft and falling |
| Fri 12 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 7 mph, gusts 10, onshore | 1.0 ft and falling |
| Fri 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 4 mph, gusts 5, offshore | 2.6 ft and rising |
| Fri 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 4 mph offshore | 5.6 ft and rising |
| Fri 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 3 mph, gusts 4, offshore | 4.4 ft and falling |
| Fri 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor | 8 mph, gusts 9, onshore | 0.8 ft and falling |
| Fri 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor | 9 mph, gusts 11, onshore | 0.7 ft and rising |
| Fri 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 7 mph, gusts 12, onshore | 3.6 ft and rising |
| Fri 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 4 mph, gusts 7, cross-onshore | 3.7 ft and falling |
| Sat 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 5 mph, gusts 7, cross-offshore | 1.5 ft and falling |
| Sat 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor | 8 mph, gusts 12, cross-onshore | 2.4 ft and rising |
| Sat 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 5 mph, gusts 12, cross-offshore | 5.5 ft and rising |
| Sat 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 5 mph, gusts 11, cross-offshore | 5.0 ft and falling |
| Sat 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor | 7 mph, gusts 10, onshore | 1.1 ft and falling |
| Sat 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor | 9 mph, gusts 13, onshore | 0.0 ft and rising |
| Sat 6 PM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 7 mph, gusts 16, onshore | 2.8 ft and rising |
| Sat 9 PM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 5 mph, gusts 14, onshore | 3.9 ft and falling |
| Sun 12 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 2 mph, gusts 4, glassy | 2.0 ft and falling |
| Sun 3 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor | 3 mph cross-offshore | 2.3 ft and rising |
| Sun 6 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor | 4 mph cross-offshore | 5.3 ft and rising |
| Sun 9 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor | 2 mph, gusts 3, glassy | 5.5 ft and falling |
| Sun 12 PM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor | 5 mph onshore | 1.7 ft and falling |
| Sun 3 PM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor | 8 mph, gusts 9, onshore | −0.4 ft and rising |
| Sun 6 PM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 5 mph, gusts 12, onshore | 1.9 ft and rising |
| Sun 9 PM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 2 mph, gusts 4, glassy | 3.9 ft and falling |
| Mon 12 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 3 mph, gusts 4, cross-offshore | 2.5 ft and falling |
| Mon 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 3 mph cross-offshore | 2.3 ft and rising |
| Mon 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 3 mph cross-offshore | 5.0 ft and rising |
| Mon 9 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 3 mph offshore | 5.8 ft and falling |
| Mon 12 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 5 mph onshore | 2.4 ft and falling |
| Mon 3 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor | 8 mph onshore | −0.5 ft and falling |
| Mon 6 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 3 mph onshore | 1.1 ft and rising |
| Mon 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair, dark hours | 2 mph, gusts 3, glassy | 3.6 ft and rising |
| Tue 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 3 mph, gusts 4, cross-onshore | 2.9 ft and falling |
| Tue 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 1 mph, gusts 3, glassy | 2.3 ft and rising |
| Tue 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 3 mph cross-offshore | 4.6 ft and rising |
| Tue 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 0 mph, gusts 2, glassy | 5.9 ft and falling |
| Tue 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor | 6 mph onshore | 3.1 ft and falling |
| Tue 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor | 7 mph onshore | −0.2 ft and falling |
| Tue 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 4 mph onshore | 0.5 ft and rising |
| Tue 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 3 mph, gusts 5, onshore | 3.0 ft and rising |
| Wed 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 3 mph, gusts 5, onshore | 3.2 ft and falling |
| Wed 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 2 mph, gusts 3, glassy | 2.5 ft and rising |
| Wed 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 2 mph glassy | 4.3 ft and rising |
| Wed 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 2 mph, gusts 3, glassy | 5.8 ft and rising |
| Wed 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor | 6 mph onshore | 3.7 ft and falling |
| Wed 3 PM | Waves unavailable | Longboard Unavailable, shortboard Unavailable | 8 mph, gusts 9, onshore | 0.4 ft and falling |
| Wed 6 PM | Waves unavailable | Longboard Unavailable, shortboard Unavailable, dark hours | 6 mph, gusts 9, onshore | 0.2 ft and rising |
| Wed 9 PM | Waves unavailable | Longboard Unavailable, shortboard Unavailable, dark hours | 3 mph, gusts 5, cross-onshore | 2.4 ft and rising |
Today’s tide
GOOD 8:50–11:00 AM2:40–5:20 PM
La Jolla · feet above low water
Swell
New WNW swell fills in Monday morning; another follows Monday.
Best session from it: Mon 6–11:30 AM at La Jolla Shores
Details
New WNW swell (13s) fills in Monday morning, peaks Monday midday, fades Tuesday.
New SSW swell (13s) fills in Monday morning, peaks Monday midday.
Wave forecast checked against the live Scripps Nearshore buoy.
Updated 2:23 PM · CDIP/Scripps, Open-Meteo and NOAA.
Common questions
Is La Jolla Shores good for beginners?
Yes, it’s a good place to learn.
What tide is best at La Jolla Shores?
It’s best at mid tide (about 1.5–4 ft).
What swell works at La Jolla Shores?
A W to WNW swell (260°–300°) is best, with ESE offshore wind. It picks up swell from SSW to NNW (195°–330°). Most consistent in fall and winter.
What board should I ride at La Jolla Shores?
It’s mainly a longboard wave, best at 1.5–4 ft.
What should I watch out for at La Jolla Shores?
Boards stay out of the flagged swimming areas; stingrays in summer, so shuffle your feet; and stronger rips on bigger swells.