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GhostFingers · Orange County · South OC

San Onofre

Mile-long cobblestone beachbreak with multiple peaks across the cove inside San Onofre State Park. South and southwest swell window. The longboard-culture seat of Orange County.

South OC Famous + beginner-friendly

Spot intel

Parking

$15 day-use at the San Onofre State Park entrance off the 5 at the Basilone Road exit. The lot runs along the bluff; spaces are walk-down to the sand. Lot fills early on south-swell weekends.

Crowd

Thick on south-swell days. Longboard presence runs generational. Surf-school clusters and family camps spread along the cove.

Beginner-friendly?

Depends.

Wave shape is approachable on the smaller days, but the cove runs at longboard-festival density and the priority hierarchy at the main takeoff zones is locally rotated. Not a wave to learn the lineup at.

Famous for

The Bluffs at San Onofre. Birthplace of the modern California longboard scene through the 1940s San Onofre Surfing Club, and still the regional touchstone for traditional longboarding.

Lineup etiquette

At a longboard-heavy point cove, priority extends further back along the shoulder than at a shortboard break. Dropping in on a wave already taken from the peak is the standard call-out.

When it's on

South through southwest groundswell with light offshore wind from the northeast through east. Mid-tide window.

When beginners can paddle out

Knee-high to chest-high on a mid-tide window with light morning wind, off the side peaks where the longboard rotation is lighter.

Where it breaks

Coordinates
33.3706, -117.5694
Shore faces
SW
Region
South OC, California

Common questions

What swell direction is best for San Onofre?
San Onofre works best on a S to SW swell. It also picks up WSW to WNW swell.
How big does San Onofre need to be?
San Onofre is best in the 2-5ft range on a 12-20s period.
What are the best conditions at San Onofre?
Light or offshore wind under about 8 knots, with the tide around 2-4ft.
Where is San Onofre?
San Onofre is a mellow longboard peaks in South OC, California. The beach faces SW.
Does GhostFingers forecast San Onofre?
Yes. GhostFingers grades San Onofre with a six-tier verdict from swell height, period, direction, tide, and wind. iPhone, summer 2026.

New to reading a forecast? Start here.

Launching summer 2026.

Six-tier verdicts for every California break, calibrated to swell, period, direction, tide, and wind.

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