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GhostFingers · Orange County · South OC

Doheny

South-facing beachbreak at the mouth of San Juan Creek in Dana Point. Sand and cobble bottom shaped by the Dana Point headland to the west. The iconic Orange County beginner and longboard wave.

South OC Famous + beginner-friendly

Spot intel

Parking

$15 day-use at Doheny State Beach off the 5 at the Pacific Coast Highway exit. Free metered parking on Del Obispo Street north of the park. Rocks expose along the inside on low tide.

Crowd

Thick across the day, thickest on south-swell weekends. Longboard and SUP presence runs heavy. Surf schools work the inside.

Beginner-friendly?

Yes.

Sand-and-cobble bottom, slow wave shape, lifeguarded beach inside a state park. The catches are weekend density and rocks on the inside at low tide, not the wave.

Famous for

Doheny State Beach. The mellow longboard right at the mouth of San Juan Creek, the original site of the first WSA contest in 1959, and the spot that anchored Bruce Brown's early surf films.

Lineup etiquette

At a longboard-heavy break, priority extends further back along the shoulder than at a shortboard wave. Paddling inside an active takeoff is the standard call-out.

When it's on

South through southwest groundswell with light offshore wind from the northeast through east. Mid-tide window. The inside cleans up off the low.

When beginners can paddle out

Knee-high to chest-high on the incoming mid-tide window with light morning wind. Watch the inside cobble at the bottom of the tide.

Where it breaks

Coordinates
33.4560, -117.6832
Shore faces
SSW
Region
South OC, California

Common questions

What swell direction is best for Doheny?
Doheny works best on a S to SW swell.
How big does Doheny need to be?
Doheny is best in the 2.5-6ft range on a 12-18s period.
What are the best conditions at Doheny?
Light or offshore wind under about 6 knots, with the tide around 2-4ft.
Where is Doheny?
Doheny is a beginner-friendly point in South OC, California. The beach faces SSW.
Does GhostFingers forecast Doheny?
Yes. GhostFingers grades Doheny with a six-tier verdict from swell height, period, direction, tide, and wind. iPhone, summer 2026.

New to reading a forecast? Start here.

Launching summer 2026.

Six-tier verdicts for every California break, calibrated to swell, period, direction, tide, and wind.

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