Linda Mar
South-facing beachbreak in Pacifica, California. Sand bottom, multiple peaks across the cove. The primary Bay Area surf-school venue.
Spot intel
Parking
Paid lot directly behind the beach, $7. Free street parking on Crespi Drive. The Linda Mar Taco Bell parking lot fronts the south end.
Crowd
Thick on weekends and after work. Surf-school clusters sit in the middle of the beach; experienced surfers spread to the side peaks. Water runs mid-50s°F year-round — hooded full suits are standard.
Beginner-friendly?
Yes.
Sand-bottom beachbreak with multiple peaks, forgiving wave shape, and an established surf-school presence. The catches are water temperature, fog, and along-shore current, not the wave.
Lineup etiquette
Beachbreak priority is per-wave, not by lineup position. Standard rule: a wave already taken from the peak isn't open to paddle into.
When it's on
Northwest or west groundswell with light offshore from the east.
When beginners can paddle out
Knee-high to shoulder-high on any tide with light wind. First light runs glassy and uncrowded. Fog cutting visibility is the safety condition that matters more than wave size.
Where it breaks
- Coordinates
- 37.5950, -122.4990
- Shore faces
- W
- Region
- Pacifica, California
Launching summer 2026.
Six-tier verdicts for every California break, calibrated to swell, period, direction, tide, and wind. One email when Linda Mar ships in the app.