South Florida Surfing

South Florida is home to the most publicized stretch of coast in Florida.
However, it's not known for its consistent swells, but rather for its beautiful
beaches, exotic locals, warm weather, and an impressive party scene. But when
the waves are pumping, South Florida surf can get as good as anywhere else.

May through August in South Florida will drive a surfer crazy with flatness: weeks will pass without a single rideable ripple from the Atlantic Ocean. If you can make it through the summer months, and the late August/early fall hurricanes, wintertime low-pressure systems send fairly consistent groundswell into South Florida beaches. Consistent spots such as Stuart Rocks, Reef Road in Palm Beach, and the Juno Pier turn these northeast swells into long, clean lines and rippable walls. With a big east or northeast swell, advanced surfers will find huge waves at such legendary spots as Pump House and the Jupiter Beach Inlet.

Surfing in South Florida can very aggressive, especially at the top spots. Respect everyone in the water and you should be fine. PS: The Lake Worth Pier is extremely localized, and is not a good option for beginners.

What South Florida lacks in wave consistency, it makes up for in quality. Water temps stay in the 80’s from May to November, and barely drop below 70 from November through March. The water’s crystal clear and teeming with life, so pack a fishing rod, spear gun or snorkel gear for when the surf is flat.

Find a surf school in South Florida.

South Florida Surf Breaks

Ft. Pierce Inlet – Fort Pierce, FL
Surf Location	North Jetty is within Fort Pierce State Park. The State Park is a wildlife sanctuary with an entrance fee of $3.25.
Best Swell Direction	East and Southeast groundswell
Best Tide	Incoming high tide
Best Wind Direction	West
Best Surf Season	Late summer through fall hurricane season
Wave Quality	Excellent form off the Jetty
The Surfers	Very crowded. Mellow vibe.
Boards	Shortboard, fish, funboard, longboard
Paddle Out	Easy
Skill Level	Beginner to Advanced
Bottom	Sand
Watch Out For…	Swimmers, locals, the Jetty
Water Condition	Clean and clear

Fort Pierce, South Florida - Surf Video

 

Walton Rocks – Fort Pierce, FL
Surf Location	Seven miles south of the South Causeway in Fort Pierce on A1A
Best Swell Direction	Northeast
Best Tide	Mid incoming tide
Best Wind Direction	West
Best Surf Season	Winter
Wave Quality	Sloppy. Can be good, not great.
The Surfers	Usually thin crowds; can get competitive, though
Boards	Shortboard, fish, funboard, longboard
Paddle Out	Pretty tough
Skill Level	Intermediate to Advanced
Bottom	Reef
Watch Out For…	Some rocks/reef, sharks
Water Condition	Clean

Stuart Rocks – Stuart, FL
Surf Location
Best Swell Direction	Northeast
Best Tide	Incoming high tide
Best Wind Direction	West
Best Surf Season	Late summer and fall for hurricane season. Winter and early spring for northeast swells.
Wave Quality	Excellent spot. Point break style wave, breaks either right or left depending on swell directions. Nice long rides with tube sections.
The Surfers	Usually very crowded and aggressive. Not a good spot for beginners.
Boards	Shortboard, fish, funboard, longboard
Paddle Out	Can be tough or easy
Skill Level	Intermediate to Advanced
Bottom	Sand, some reef and rocks
Watch Out For…	Reef sections, sharks, locals
Water Condition	Clean and clear

Stuart Rocks, South Florida - Surf Video

 

Hobe Sound Wildlife Refuge – Stuart, FL
Surf Location
Best Swell Direction	Northeast
Best Tide	Incoming high tide
Best Wind Direction	West
Best Surf Season	Late summer and fall for hurricane season. Winter and early spring for north swells.
Wave Quality	Good spot for large surf. Long, speedy walls. Waves break on the outer reef and peel through to the inside sandbar.
The Surfers	Can get crowded. Mellow vibe.
Boards	Shortboard, fish, funboard, longboard – anything that paddles well
Paddle Out	Tough – breaks way outside
Skill Level	Intermediate to Advanced
Bottom	Outside reef, inside sand
Watch Out For…	Sea life, sharks, exhaustion from paddling
Water Condition	Clean and clear

Coral Cove Park – Jupiter Beach, FL
Surf Location	Two miles north of the Jupiter Island entrance
Best Swell Direction	Northeast
Best Tide	Incoming high tide
Best Wind Direction	West
Best Surf Season	Late summer and fall for hurricane season. Winter and early spring for north swells.
Wave Quality	Hit or miss. Can be very good.
The Surfers	Mellow vibe and crowd
Boards	Shortboard, fish, funboard, longboard
Paddle Out	Can be tough or easy
Skill Level	Intermediate to Advanced
Bottom	Reef
Watch Out For…	Rocks, reef, sharks, sea turtles
Water Condition	Clean and clear

Jupiter Inlet – Jupiter Beach, FL
Surf Location	Directly east of where A1A meets FL-707
Best Swell Direction	Northeast or Southeast groundswell
Best Tide	Low incoming tide
Best Wind Direction	West
Best Surf Season	Late summer and fall for hurricane season. Winter and early spring for north swells.
Wave Quality	One of the few bigger wave spots in Florida. Speedy waves with good form and nice tube sections.
The Surfers	Crowded. Heavy local vibe. Aggressive surfers.
Boards	Shortboard, fish, funboard, longboard
Paddle Out	Easy
Skill Level	Advanced
Bottom	Sand and some rocks
Watch Out For…	Locals, sharks, boats near the lineup
Water Condition	Clean and clear

Juno Pier – Juno Beach, FL
Surf Location	Next to Juno Park in Palm Beach County
Best Swell Direction	Northeast or Southeast groundswell
Best Tide	High tide, incoming and outgoing
Best Wind Direction	West-Northwest, East-Southeast
Best Surf Season	All seasons - among the most consistent spots in the region
Wave Quality	Good
The Surfers	Very, very crowded
Boards	Anything that floats
Paddle Out	Easy
Skill Level	Total Beginner to Advanced
Bottom	Sand
Watch Out For…	Sharks, undertow, Beach Patrol
Water Condition	Clean and clear

Juno Pier, South Florida - Surf Video

 

Civic Center – Juno Beach, FL
Surf Location	In Jupiter, just North of Palm Beach. East side of Indiantown Rd.
Best Swell Direction	Northeast or East groundswell
Best Tide	Low and mid incoming
Best Wind Direction	West
Best Surf Season	Fall, Winter, Spring
Wave Quality	Breaks way outside on big swells. One of the few big wave spots in the area. Can handle a very large swell. Long, fast rides.
The Surfers	Can get crowded
Boards	Shortboard, fish, funboard, longboard
Paddle Out	It’s a long paddle that can be tough
Skill Level	Advanced
Bottom	Sand
Watch Out For…	Tiring paddle-out, locals
Water Condition	Clean and clear

Reef Road – Palm Beach, FL
Surf Location	Reef Road in Palm Beach, two miles north of post office along A1A
Best Swell Direction	Northeast groundswell
Best Tide	Low to Mid incoming
Best Wind Direction	West
Best Surf Season	Winter
Wave Quality	Legendary Florida surf spot. Long rippable break on North swells. Can get hollow.
The Surfers	Very localized and competitive. A lot of local pros and talent surf here.
Boards	Shortboard, fish, funboard, longboard
Paddle Out	Moderate
Skill Level	Advanced
Bottom	Sand and some rocks
Watch Out For…	Locals, some rocks, sharks
Water Condition	Clean and clear

Lake Worth Pier
Surf Location	Between West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale, right off of FL-802
Best Swell Direction	Northeast groundswell
Best Tide	Incoming
Best Wind Direction	West
Best Surf Season	Winter and Early Spring
Wave Quality	Perfect, long lefts peel point break-style on north swells
The Surfers	Very localized, crowded and competitive. Not for beginners.
Boards	Shortboard, fish, funboard, longboard
Paddle Out	Can be tough
Skill Level	Intermediate to Advanced
Bottom	Sand
Watch Out For…	Unfriendly locals
Water Condition	Clean and clear

Delray Public Beach
Surf Location	Half a mile south of Atlantic Ave. Red flags indicate the surf zone.
Best Swell Direction	Northeast groundswell or big East-Southeast windswells
Best Tide	Low to mid incoming
Best Wind Direction	West
Best Surf Season	Winter
Wave Quality	Rarely breaks. Good form when it does.
The Surfers	Strong local crowd with lots of out-of-town visitors on good days. Can get crowded.
Boards	Shortboard, fish, funboard, longboard
Paddle Out	Easy on small, sloppy days, tougher with big swells
Skill Level	Total Beginner to Advanced
Bottom	Sand
Watch Out For…	Nothing
Water Condition	Clean and clear

Boca Raton Inlet – Boca Raton, FL
Surf Location	Off of S. Ocean Blvd, halfway between Palmetto Park Rd and FL-810
Best Swell Direction	Northeast groundswell, East windswell
Best Tide	Incoming
Best Wind Direction	West and East-Southeast
Best Surf Season	Winter
Wave Quality	Long rides with great form on north swells
The Surfers	Localized, can get crowded on weekends, but mellow and spread out dring the week
Boards	Shortboard, fish, funboard, longboard
Paddle Out	Pretty tough
Skill Level	Intermediate to Advanced
Bottom	Sand and some reef
Watch Out For…	Reef, locals and sharks
Water Condition	Clean and clear

Deerfield Beach, FL
Surf Location	Right in the city, off of A1A
Best Swell Direction	Northeast groundswell or big East-Southeast windswells
Best Tide	Incoming
Best Wind Direction	West
Best Surf Season	Late Fall, Winter, Early Spring
Wave Quality	Rarely breaks, sloppy
The Surfers	Very crowded. Can get pretty competitive.
Boards	Shortboard, fish, funboard, longboard
Paddle Out	Moderate
Skill Level	Total Beginner to Advanced
Bottom	Sand
Watch Out For…	Nothing
Water Condition	Clean and clear

Pompano Beach, FL
Surf Location	Right in the city of Pompano. Easy beach access, but limited parking.
Best Swell Direction	Northeast groundswell or big East-Southeast windswells
Best Tide	Low incoming tide
Best Wind Direction	West
Best Surf Season	Late Fall, Winter, Spring
Wave Quality	Rarely breaks. Good form when it goes.
The Surfers	Not very crowded, mellow vibe
Boards	Shortboard, fish, funboard, longboard
Paddle Out	Easy
Skill Level	Total Beginner to Advanced
Bottom	Sand
Watch Out For…	Nothing
Water Condition	Clean and clear

Haulover Inlet - Miami Beach, FL
Surf Location
Best Swell Direction	Northeast groundswell or big East-Southeast windswells
Best Tide	Incoming
Best Wind Direction	West
Best Surf Season	Late Fall, Winter, Early Spring
Wave Quality	Rarely breaks. Sloppy on windswells. Good form on clean groundswells.
The Surfers	Can get crowded. Mellow vibe.
Boards	Shortboard, fish, funboard, longboard
Paddle Out	Moderate
Skill Level	Total Beginner to Advanced
Bottom	Sand
Watch Out For…	Nothing
Water Condition	Clean and clear

South Beach - Miami, FL
Surf Location
Best Swell Direction	Needs a 0 degree North Swell
Best Tide	Incoming
Best Wind Direction	Northwest
Best Surf Season	Winter
Wave Quality	Rarely breaks, but when it does, it’s one of the best waves in Florida. Steep walls make big barrels and speedy rides.
The Surfers	Very, very crowded. Can get pretty competitive.
Boards	Shortboard, fish
Paddle Out	Easy to Moderate
Skill Level	Advanced
Bottom	Hard-packed sand
Watch Out For…	Locals, shallow sandbars
Water Condition	Clean and clear