Under 2 Hours From LA Is California's Premiere Surfing Paradise With A Gorgeous Beach And Scenic Coastal Trails

Surfing is synonymous with California. In 2018, the state made surfing its official sport, designating September 20 as California Surfing Day each year thereafter. The state has hundreds of miles of surfable coastline and legendary breaks that attract ocean athletes from around the world. One of its most recognizable surfing spots is Trestles Beach in San Clemente, only 65 miles south of Los Angeles on Interstate 5. Trestles is known for having five distinct surf breaks, and has even been chosen to host the surfing competition at the LA28 Olympic Games.

Like any surfing paradise worthy of your board wax, Trestles Beach has a storied past. While it's now within the boundaries of San Onofre State Beach, it was part of an off-limits U.S. Marine Corps base back in the 1940s, per Surfer Today. This didn't deter wave chasers from making the most of its perfect point breaks, which sometimes led to arrests for trespassing. All of this changed in 1971, when former President Richard Nixon made the 3.5-mile coastline a public state beach.

Named after a nearby railroad trestle, Trestles Beach is revered by locals and visitors alike. For this reason, it's widely considered one of California's most crowded and competitive surfing spots. However, beginners can still enjoy the area by seeking out smaller waves. Even if you're not surfing, the views and coastal trails here are pretty enough to make the walk from your car worthwhile.

Trestles Beach makes up the northern section California's beloved San Onofre State Beach. While most of the attention is on the waves, the soft sand, surrounding cliffs, and greenery provide a scenic backdrop for sunbathing and strolling on the shore. The five breaks at Trestles Beach are called Church, Middles, Lowers, Uppers, and Cottons. Lower Trestles is one of the most challenging, making it popular among highly skilled surfers on shortboards. Middles is considered more beginner friendly and suitable for longboard users. Also good for newbies is a section known as Old Man's, which has smaller waves and a family-friendly beach.

Another major draw of Trestles Beach is its network of coastal hiking trails. In fact, hiking to the beach is the only way to get there, as it's not possible to reach Trestles by car. The 0.8-mile trail to the shore takes you through the surrounding wetlands and past the train tracks that inspired the beach's name, according to AllTrails. Avid hikers can take the Panhe Nature Trail to Trestles Beach, a 4.9-mile, moderately challenging route that begins at San Mateo Campground, with plenty of wildlife, birds, and native plants to see along the way.

Trestles Beach is located roughly halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego, ranked the friendliest major city in the U.S. in 2025. It's just a few minutes away from San Clemente, California's "Spanish Village by the Sea," which offers beautiful beach camping at San Clemente State Beach, just over 5 miles up the coast from San Onofre.