South Ocean Beach is a popular surf spot located on the coast of California. It's known for its long stretch of sandy beach, which runs about three miles from Kelly's Cove to Sloat Street. This spot gets quite a mix of surfers due to its accessibility and varying wave conditions. The scene here can change quickly with the tide and swell, so it’s good to check conditions before heading out. There’s plenty of public parking on both ends of the beach, but watch out for the busy traffic on the way to the water.

The surf at South Ocean Beach can be hit or miss, but when it's on, it offers a range of wave sizes, handling anything from 1 meter (around 3 ft) to 4.5 meters (about 15 ft). It can create both right and left-breaking waves over a sandy bottom, making it suitable for various board types, including shortboards, guns, funboards, fish, and longboards. The best time to surf here is during the Autumn and Winter seasons, especially when the swell hits from the Northwest, West, or Southwest. The wind directions that work best are from the Northeast to East-Southeast, while low to mid tides are usually preferable for the best wave quality.