Santa Cruz: You'll have nothing but fun at the beaches of Santa Cruz! For an avid surfer, Santa Cruz is a favorite area to find the best waves.

A lot of surfers, especially those who are more experienced, have preferred conditions in which to surf and so a lot of the more popular beaches have webcams (surf cams) set up facing the waves so that a surfer can go to a website and check out the conditions before they head to the beach. There are also dedicated phone numbers you can call to find out the weather conditions, if you prefer to get your information that way.

If you're looking to learn how to surf but don't know where to start, you'll find that there are many surfing schools all along the beaches of California. The varied selection makes it easy to find one that fits your level of experience and learning style, and your pocketbook. Alternatively you could always just head for the beach and hang out with the surfers to pick up tips!