When to go

California works year-round but shines in fall, when offshore winds, lingering warmth, and a mix of north and south swells combine. Winter brings the biggest, most powerful surf; summer is smaller and friendliest for beginners.

Hawaii flips with the seasons: winter sends massive swells to the north- and west-facing shores (the famous North Shore), while summer lights up the south shores with gentler surf.

The Atlantic seaboard depends on storms, and late summer and fall hurricane swells produce the best, most consistent surf. Winter nor’easters deliver cold, powerful waves, and summer is often flat.

Bali and the surrounding islands are a surf magnet during the dry season, when consistent groundswells and offshore winds hit the west-coast reefs. The wet season is quieter and better for the east coast.