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Best Florida Surf Spots – Where To Surf In Florida

   September 29th, 2023   Posted In: Articles   Tags:

florida surf spots
Pic courtesy of Road Trip USA.

The Top 5 Best Surf Spots in Florida

I’ve been outfitting surfers since 2002 — and I’ve been surfing myself. In the process of working with my clients and exploring on my own, I’ve figured out that while California and Hawaii steal the spotlight as surfing meccas, Florida is home to many terrific places to ride the waves. Here’s a list of the top five best Florida surf spots, no matter your experience:

1. Cocoa Beach

If you’re puzzling over where to surf in Florida, Cocoa Beach’s famed pier should top your list. The pier catches many different types of swell, which has made it a place for many historic surfing competitions. Ocean temperatures here get as low as 68 in February and rise to an average of 86 in late July. This beach is just south of Cape Canaveral, the site for many a famous rocket launch, so drop by the Kennedy Space Center for a tour when you’re done riding the waves.

2. New Smyrna Beach

New Smyrna Beach ranks highly on any list of Florida surf spots. The surfers here are famously hardcore, and many sandbars — like the famous Shark Shallows near Ponce Inlet — create quality waves year-round. Expect ocean temperatures as low as 66 in mid-February or as high as 86 in late July.

3. Daytona Beach

Daytona Beach is maybe best known for NASCAR, but it’s a classic surfing town, too, and draws many visitors for Spring Break. The beach has a soft sandy bottom that makes it great for beginners, and its regular swells offer plenty of practice. There are a ton of instructors, too, so even novices are welcome here. Water temperatures here get as low as 59 degrees in February and work their way up to 80 all summer long.

4. Jacksonville Beach

Jacksonville Beach is actually a set of related beaches, each with their own appeal. Atlantic Beach, for instance, offers smaller right and left waves at its many beach breaks, while Huguenot Park serves up punchy waves that crest as high as 2 feet overhead. Ocean temperatures will vary from anywhere between 60 and 65 degrees in winter, when the waves are best. Alternately, wait until summer, when the water will get as warm as 83 degrees.

5. St. Augustine Beach

There aren’t many top-notch surfing spots on the Gulf Coast. But the beaches near St. Augustine, a historic Spanish colony, deliver. The town’s renowned for having a friendly, down-to-earth surfing culture that’s sure to make you feel welcome, no matter your experience or skill. The sea temperature here dips down to 62 in January and February and rises to nearly 84 degrees in August.

Figuring out what wetsuit in certain water temperatures can be tricky, so check out this water temperature chart to guide you in the right direction:

Wetsuit Wearhouse: Water Temperatures

Editor’s Note

This blog post was originally published in 2017 and has since been reviewed and updated. (9/23)

Lauren (LoLo) has been turning words into blog posts for Wetsuit Wearhouse since 2014. She learned to surf for the first time ever in Costa Rica but she gravitates more towards SUP. When she's not scouring the web for travel deals, you can find her either hiking, running, gardening, tending to her animals, or reading a good book outside on a beautiful day.

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7 Comments

  • Al says:

    Hi LoLo / Team,
    I am 59 and overweight. I always snorkel on top of the water and never had a wetsuit. I will be going to the Big Island this Feb and according to what I can find water temp is between 73-78 F and thinking I may need one for this trip – not sure of thickness and suit size. What do you recommend? Is a two piece better for my size?
    Height 66″
    Weight 245 #
    Chest 51″
    Waist 51″
    Hips 47″
    Neck 16″
    Inseam 28.5″

    Thanks,
    Al

  • Laura Lister says:

    Can you advise me? I am 78 years old and find my pool a bit too cold. I would like to purchase a wet suit jacket that is very flexible and easy to swim and do aerobics in. Since swimming helps arthritis, movement is very important. I do not do straight laps, but various exercises worked into a lap. Also – I am overweight so I do not want anything “sexy”.

    What do you think?

    • Crysta Goff says:

      I’m going to send you a private email, Laura. (:

    • John Gross says:

      Hi make sure it has a full zipper they can be hard to get off at your age,you dont want a full suit or a pull over that you may need helping getting on and off,i just checked ebay theres a xxxl camo jacket full zipper,25$bid 15 shipping.looks new.
      And you can use as out of water jacket if its super cold.they really hold heat in shockingly so.
      Because of how hard they are to remove you might want to start with hood gloves and feet.try searchs like neoprine gloves socks hood.jacket check ebay cheap.also thift stores often have wetsuits for like 20$

  • Marco says:

    Hello,

    I read your blog in a quick and non efficient way. I didn’t find the answer I was looking for. I found your views very interesting, points are great too, thank you for your post. It helped me understand a little into what I was looking for. I hope you carry on with your views and different ways of wording your initial subject/subjects. Enjoy reading your book in hot summer days, it’s when you’re most alive in the most ways you can be.

    Regards,
    Marco

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