Dude, here rolls the perfect wave
The long crescent shoreline, combined with cobbles and sand supplied by Malibu Creek, makes Surfrider Beach one of the most renowned point breaks in the world. A point break is a wave that breaks onto an obstruction, like rocks. The Surfrider waves rule supreme because of their size and shape. They’re about six feet from top to bottom and can provide long rides. It’s possible to catch a single wave from Malibu Beach Lagoon all the way to Malibu Pier – about a half mile. Soft enough for beginners to learn on, yet swift and hollow enough for the more advanced to rip, the waves are suitable for surfers of all experience levels. Champions of the sport Andy Lion and Allen Sarlo are seen frequently in the waters here.
During the summer there’s a south swell that makes it a popular season for surfing. For weeks, the waters are deliciously warm, often hovering in the 70s – no need for a wetsuit. The wind, if any, is light, preventing the faces of the waves from getting choppy. Anecdotally, the temperature in the cove tends to be 10 degrees higher than the great Zuma Beach, 10 miles to the north. Even a fog bank stretching 13 miles from Zuma south to Big Rock will somehow magically skip Surfrider, leaving the cove endlessly sunny.
Info
Address Just south of the Adamson House: 23200 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90265 | Getting there Unmetered street parking along Pacific Coast Highway; paid lot at Malibu Lagoon State Beach; paid lot next to Adamson House | Hours Daily, sunrise to sunset| Tip Take a tour of the Adamson House (see address above; www.adamsonhouse.org). Built in 1929, it is the ultimate Malibu beach house, with an old California history.
Despite being such an idyllic beach, Surfrider was relatively unknown to the world until it was immortalized in the 1959 movie Gidget. Based on the book by Frederick Kohner, Gidget chronicled the efforts of Kohner’s teenage daughter, Kathy, to surf with the boys in Malibu. (“Gidget” was a nickname given to Kathy – a combination of the words “girl” and “midget.”)
Find the iconic brick wall, often covered with a row of colorful surfboards, where the character Gidget leaned her board. Located south of the better-known Malibu Lagoon State Beach, it’s a great spot to kick it year-round, watching the beach rats compete for that perfect wave.
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