Seaside Reef

Surf Guide

The first glimpse of ocean you get when heading north through Solana Beach comes as you exit the town and the road finds its way back down to sea level. An immediate left-hand turn will put you in the parking lot directly in front of Seaside. Another quarter-mile north along PCH, you'll find a once-firing, but now fickle, beachbreak called George's. When coming from the I5 freeway, use the Manchester Avenue exit and head west to the coast. Make a left onto Highway 101 and drive past Cardiff Reef. George's is the beach break just past the Chart House restaurant. Parking is free along the side of the highway, from which you can access the stretch of beachbreak known as George's. Seaside has its own huge parking lot right at the break, in which the state charges a day use fee. For years, this area was nothing but a large dirt field that provided sufficient parking during even the most crowded days. In 1996, the state decided there was money to be made here and paved over the soulful gathering place. Disgruntled locals claim that the construction altered the balance of the elements that made Seaside such a great wave, and left behind yet another average spot. Seaside Reef is predominantly a left that can suck out on the takeoff, then flatten out on the shoulder before reforming into a quick and wackable shorebreak. The right off the peak is much softer, but, with a bit of effort, can be milked along to the same inside section. On extreme low tides, the left will produce some serious tubes, and has been featured in more than a few popular surf videos. Taylor Steele's first project, in fact, was a video called Seaside and Beyond. On days without much swell and a high tide, the inside shorebreak can be a fun option.