Surf spot

Dana Point

Forecast conditions and map view for Dana Point in USA, California, Orange County. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: USA, California, Orange County
Coordinates: 33.4631, -117.7135

Metric
Metric	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00
Wave height (m)	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.5	0.7	0.7	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.4	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5
Wave direction	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	S	S	S	S	W	W	W	SW	SW	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	SSW	WSW	W	W	SSW	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
Wave period (s)	11.8	11.7	11.3	11.2	11	10.9	11	11	4.5	4.8	5	8.8	9.8	5.5	5.8	5.8	6	5.7	5.8	5.5	6.2	6.4	6.4	6.6	6.7	13.7	9.6	5.8	6.8	13.4	13.3	13.1	14.3	14.2	14.1	13.9	13.8	13.7	13.4	13.3	13.1	12.9	12.8	13.6	13.3	13.3	12.4	12.3	12.2	12.1	12	11.9	11.8	11.7	11.3	11.2
Wave energy (kJ)	144	134	132	122	99	104	99	99	17	24	27	52	57	28	30	38	45	45	40	32	25	24	20	20	19	66	35	18	25	83	88	93	111	118	125	131	129	134	139	144	141	145	142	124	118	118	118	108	99	98	90	83	76	74	69	68
Wind speed (km/h)	8.1	8.4	7.2	13.9	14.1	11	6.6	5.8	8.3	6.4	5.1	11.6	13.6	11.2	5.8	7	7.8	8.2	5.9	14.9	17.9	15.1	10.7	10.5	8.8	7.9	5.8	13	14.4	12.2	6	6.1	5.4	3.6	3.5	11.1	13.8	10.9	6.6	4.7	3.3	1.1	2.6	11.4	15.6	13.3	7.7	3.3	4.1	3.4	3.3	11.3	14.5	13.4	6.6	3.4
Wind direction	SSECross	SSECross	SSECross	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SCross-on	SCross	SCross	SCross-on	SSECross	SECross-off	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SSECross	SSECross	SECross-off	SECross-off	SECross-off	SCross-on	SCross-on	SCross-on	SSECross	SSECross	SECross-off	SSECross	SSECross	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SSECross-off	SCross-on	SECross-off	SGlassy	SSEGlassy	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	SWOnshore	SCross-on	SGlassy	SGlassy	NNEGlassy	WNWGlassy	WSWOnshore	WSWOnshore	WSWOnshore	WOnshore	WGlassy	NWGlassy	NNWGlassy	WGlassy	WOnshore	WSWOnshore	WOnshore	WOnshore	SSWGlassy

Dana Point in Orange County, California, is a classic Southern California surf zone known for its consistent beach breaks, scenic harbor setting, and relaxed coastal vibe. It’s not usually a big heavy-wave destination, but it can produce fun, rideable surf for a range of skill levels, especially when the swell lines up.

Surf character

Wave type: Mostly beach breaks and some reef/point influence nearby
Best for: Beginners to intermediate surfers, with occasional more powerful days for experienced riders
Wave quality: Can be playful and clean, but often depends a lot on swell direction, tide, and sandbar shape
Crowds: Usually popular, especially on good days

Conditions

Swell exposure: Picks up southern swells well, with smaller but still surfable winter NW energy
Wind: Best with light offshore or calm morning conditions; afternoon onshores are common
Tide: Tides matter a lot—some spots work better at mid tide, while others can improve on lower or higher tide depending on sand movement

Vibe and setting

Dana Point has a laid-back surf community feel and a very scenic backdrop with the harbor, cliffs, and coastline. It’s a nice place for a surf session if you want a spot that feels more relaxed than some of the busier Orange County hotspots, though crowds can still build when conditions are good.

Nearby notes

The broader Dana Point area includes several surf spots and harbor-adjacent breaks, so “Dana Point” can refer to a few different wave setups rather than just one single wave.