3 curated Surfing spots in the USA, each with its own note and source.
Kalifornien · Best time: Year-round · Beginner
Miles of sandbar beach break. The waves are sharpest around the pier — south side in winter, when the northwest swell drags under the wooden pilings, north side in summer on southwest swell and noticeably hollower — but it is always crowded there and the current shifts you along the beach non-stop. If you are learning, paddle out at Bolsa Chica up the coast.
Sources: Surf Atlas, Visit Huntington Beach (Surf City USA), Huntington Harbor Boat Rentals
Oahu, Hawaii · Best time: Nov–Feb · Advanced
A reef break over shallow reef: the barrelling walls arrive in the northern-hemisphere winter, which is also when the big contests run; summer is far calmer. This is no place to try things out — it counts as a dangerous beach, for the most experienced surfers only. Check with the lifeguards before you paddle out.
Sources: Hawaii Tourism Authority (Go Hawaii)
Kalifornien · Best time: Year-round · All levels
Steamer Lane is a right-hand point with several peaks: Indicators with its long rights, Middle Peak as an A-frame with barrel potential, plus the steep, rocky Slot. Nothing here is ever empty and the localism runs heavy. Around the corner, Cowell's is where you learn — sheltered and mellow. Autumn is the sweet spot, when north and northwest winds blow offshore; winter brings the bigger swells.
Sources: Surf Atlas