Surf spot

Manresa

Forecast conditions and map view for Manresa in USA, California, Santa Cruz. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: USA, California, Santa Cruz
Coordinates: 36.9317, -121.8635

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	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.3	0.8	0.9	1	1	1	1.1	1.1	1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1	1	0.9	0.9	0.8	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.5	0.4	0.4
Wave direction	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SW	SW	SW	W	SW	SW	SW	WSW	WSW	W	W	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW
Wave period (s)	14.2	13.9	13.6	13.2	12.8	12.9	12.3	12.2	12	12	11.6	11.8	11.8	11.8	7.5	11.6	11.1	11.1	8.6	8.3	8	8.7	5.7	4.9	5.5	5.9	6.2	6.5	6.4	6.3	5.9	6.2	6.1	6.1	6	6	6	6.2	6	7	7.7	7.7	7.7	7.8	7.8	7.8	7.8	6.8	10.9	10.8	12.6	12.3	12.3	12.2	12.3	12.4
Wave energy (kJ)	185	189	180	151	152	163	103	100	97	84	73	106	106	106	58	91	66	67	37	31	35	17	41	41	59	70	82	102	92	85	90	95	97	93	82	79	69	61	56	65	52	49	46	41	43	41	38	36	55	54	67	65	59	63	59	55
Wind speed (km/h)	1.9	2.1	1	9.9	12.2	10.8	7.5	2.6	1.1	2.4	2.2	9.4	13.4	11	6	2.2	4.7	2.5	3.1	7.9	12.7	7.7	5.5	4.4	3.8	3.8	3.4	8.4	12.8	9.3	9	4.6	4.2	3.2	4.1	7.7	12.3	10.4	4.6	2.9	3.4	3.1	3.1	8.4	11.8	10.2	4	1.9	4.5	3.1	1.1	7.4	11.5	9.9	6.2	5.1
Wind direction	ESEGlassy	ENEGlassy	NWGlassy	SWOnshore	SWOnshore	SCross-on	SECross	SEGlassy	WGlassy	ENEGlassy	EGlassy	SWOnshore	SSWOnshore	SSECross-on	ENEOffshore	NGlassy	NNEGlassy	NGlassy	ENEGlassy	SWOnshore	SWOnshore	SSWOnshore	ECross-off	NGlassy	NNEGlassy	NEGlassy	ENEGlassy	SWOnshore	SWOnshore	SSWOnshore	ECross-off	ENEGlassy	ENEGlassy	ENEGlassy	SEGlassy	SWOnshore	SWOnshore	SWOnshore	SSWGlassy	SGlassy	SSWGlassy	SSEGlassy	SSEGlassy	SWOnshore	SWOnshore	SWOnshore	SSWGlassy	SSEGlassy	ENEGlassy	NEGlassy	ESEGlassy	SWOnshore	SWOnshore	SWOnshore	SSECross-on	ECross-off

Manresa State Beach (Santa Cruz County, California) is a mellow, scenic beachbreak just south of Aptos and not far from Santa Cruz. It’s a long stretch of open beach with a relaxed feel, backed by dunes and farmland rather than cliffs or dense development.

Surf character

Type: Beachbreak
Wave quality: Usually soft to moderate; can get fun and playful rather than consistently powerful
Best conditions: South swells and west/northwest swells depending on sand setup; most commonly enjoys clean, light offshore winds or calm mornings
Wave shape: Typically rolling peaks with lefts and rights
Skill level: Great for beginners to intermediates, though stronger winter swells can make it more challenging

Spot vibe

Less crowded than many Santa Cruz County surf breaks, especially compared with the more famous town spots
Open beach with plenty of room, giving it a more laid-back and less territorial atmosphere
Popular with surfers, beachgoers, and people walking the coastline

Conditions to watch

Sand movement matters a lot — the best peaks change seasonally
Can be chunky or close out when swells get too big
Water is cold year-round, so a wetsuit is needed most of the time

Amenities / access

Easy beach access from Manresa State Beach parking areas
Basic facilities are typically available at the state beach
Exposed to weather, so wind and tide can significantly affect quality

Quick summary

Manresa is a fun, forgiving Santa Cruz beachbreak that works best on smaller to medium surf with clean conditions. It’s a solid spot for practicing and cruising, with enough swell sensitivity to keep it interesting.