Venice Beach Surf Guide
Surf spot guide
Ideal Surf Conditions
Swell Direction
SW, WSW, W, WNW combo swells
Wind
E
Surf Height
Waist to head high. Doesn't handle much over eight feet.
Tide
Medium incoming.
Venice Beach Surf Guide
There are a couple of jetties around Venice Beach, but closeouts are still the rule. Venice works best when there are holes in the sandbars or during a crossed-up swell. On a long-period SSW swell, the offshore Santa Monica Canyon refracts a lot of extra swell toward Venice.
Ability Level
Beginner - Intermediate
Beginner to intermediate.
Local Vibe
Welcoming
Peace and Love.
Crowd Factor
Mellow
Almost always a few takers at the jetty and gets crowded if it's half-decent. More spread out down the beach.
Spot Rating
Fun
Lots of closeouts. Needs good sandbars and a crossed up combo swell to really work well.
Shoulder Burn
Light
Not bad unless there is a strong, longer period SSW swell then the current can flow like the Nile.
Water Quality
Fair
It's right outside of the city and can get particularly bad after a rainfall.
Hazards
It's LA....
Bring Your
Shortboard, Fish, Funboard, Longboard, Bodyboard, Skimming, Bodysurfing
Access
Parking lot at Bay Street is your best bet.
Bottom
Sand.
Best Season
October-April.
Do you have local knowledge about Venice Beach?
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