president's day weekend trip in california?

[adamrod]

considering doing a road trip for some standup surfing. Gonna go with my girlfriend (who has only been out in the waves on a SUP once before). Any suggestions for fun beachy towns with some easy forgiving beginner waves? Santa Barbara? San Luis Obispo? San Diego?

[surfcowboy]

Head down to South OC and North County SD. Too many good spots to even name.

[adamrod]

any suggestions on places/cities to stay that are close by to those beginner spots?

[OUTSIDEWAVE]

Carlsbad, There are some nice hotels  very close to the beach  Tamarack is good so is terramar both are easy waves  however there is a swell due in that  might provide some size.  if so  and she doesn't want to go out in bigger surf take her over to the lagoon and you can do a nice flat water paddle 

[kneecap]

I read this thread after surfing overhead Cardiff with only one other guy out (That's never happened before!!) then drove through Carlsbad on the way home.

I think Carlsbad would be a great trip if I didn't live right next door.  Took some notes on my way through town to help you out. 

The Best Western Beach View Lodge and The Tamarack Beach Resort are right across the street from the beach in Carlsbad proper.  I've been in both and they're nice with ocean views if you get the right room.  You're close to Tamarack and Warmwater Jetty from both, with a quick jaunt south to Terramar or plenty of fun waves south.  The Carlsbad Inn is right there too but I've never been in it.  Those places are great as you're walking distance from downtown- lots of good restaurants, bars, wine tasting, etc.

A couple miles south is the Hilton Garden Hotel.  It's on the bluff (across the street from the ocean).  Probably epic sunsets, newer hotel, just farther to get to amenities.  To the north, you can see the reef at Terramar and to the south you can see Campgrounds.

I'd probably pick one of the first three so you can sample town easier.  Also, if the surf is big you can drive 40 min north to Sano and ride a few, jam on the ukulele, and have a beach fire.

[T-Boy]

Good post Knee, I remember Tamarack when Novak's was across the way- the best burger's ever! I graduated from Carlsbad High in '64 and moved up to central cal. in the early 70's. When I get back to the coast this spring going to cruise down and see mr. Blair about a board, be fun to see the place now. Aloha, T

[JimK]

I gotta agree with Surfcowboy Head down to Encinitas stay at the Villa Mar and my favorite SUP adventure put in at Cardiff Reef catch a few with the crew then paddle north up through the "Pipes" area lots of fun little breaks along the way. Watch your setup when you get up to Swami's you can catch a few if the crowd is right other wise go up and ride the short left on the other side of Swami's point Next to nobody there.

Then as the wind chops it up paddle back on the inside of the kelp and watch the ecosystem

Lots of good food Have fun

JimK
www.extremewindsurfing.com

[OUTSIDEWAVE]

you pretty much can't go wrong in this area. swamis and pipes probably have the most neg vibe about sup  but  bizarrely cardiff reef seems to me a  haven  for it. Carls bad in 64, nice I surfed the rack in 71 for  the first time  that was when there was a dirt road to the parking lot.

[adamrod]

thanks guys! encinitas is a bit of a haul from the sf bay, but maybe we'll make it down there to check it out.

[surfcowboy]

Ok guys, if he's not gonna drive the extra 3 hours we gotta to the same thing over again for Santa Barbara/Ventura.

[Old School 213]

Refugio beach - nice camp site away from everything but the train. Reasonable flat water paddling around the kelp beds but not recommended for surf unless the planets line up and the point right is breaking (not likely).

Like that?

[Weasels wake]

SLO County will be very windy that weekend (yay for me), Gale force on Sat. down to mild by Monday, so the ocean will be rough even in the mornings.

[TallDude]

Dana Point or San Clemente are few nice little beach towns. Tons of places to stay. Your girl friend would have no problem at Doheny. She'd probably be fine at Dog Patch (designated SUP break south end of San Onofre 'surf beach' just north of the power plant). You park right on the sand at SanO ($15). Fire pits, sunsets, good vibe all around. The San Clemente pier has a the Fisherman's resturaunt and bar on the pier. You can SUP anywhere along there as well. More of a sandy shorebreak, but fun. North of the pier is one of my favorite trolling spots. I'll probably be at Dog Patch at some point this weekend. If you make it this way, look for the tallest guy in the line-up, that's always me. Sunday might be a little blown mid-day.

[Bulky]

Don't come to Santa Barbara.  It sucks here! 

I can't really give great recommendations on places to stay (I live here so I haven't the need), but a pretty tame place to put in is Goleta Beach--drive all the way down to the right as you come into the park.  The bay is usually very tame--and gets even calmer if you hug the coast and get into the lee around UCSB.  You'll see the obvious break up the coast at Campus Point.  Pretty tame with a few peaks depending on the swell.  You'll probably see a few SUPs around.  Mellow break if she wants to try surfing.

PM me if you want more recs about places to eat, etc.

[supdiscobay]

Took my wife to Dana Point Harbor for a flat water paddle on Tuesday and was rewarded with fun small waves at the Doheny Rivermouth.  I saw some waves breaking further south and further out to sea, so I paddled out to a break I later found out is called Killer Dana.  Tide was low and it was breaking.  I had it all to myself, with chest to head high.