Best Time to Ride · Surfing · May · North America

Where to go surfing in North America in May

The 19 best surfing spots in North America in May, ranked by wave height.

Find the best time to goTap a spot to see when to go: wind, waves, water temperature, sun and rain in every month, from years of weather statistics.

Updated October 2026 · weather data 2022–2026

In short

Best for surfing in North America in May: Oahu – Pipeline (United States), Kauai – Hanalei Bay (United States) & Puerto Escondido – Zicatela (Mexico).
Water at the top 10: 12–29°C.
Warm enough for no wetsuit: Oahu – Pipeline, Kauai – Hanalei Bay & Puerto Escondido – Zicatela.
For beginners: Santa Cruz – Cowell's, Malibu – Surfrider Beach & Huntington Beach.

By continent

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1

Oahu – PipelineUnited States · water 25°C · air 27°C2 m wavesAdvanced only · no wetsuit · ✈ HNL 41 km 2

Kauai – Hanalei BayUnited States · water 25°C · air 25°C1.9 m wavesIntermediate and up · no wetsuit · ✈ LIH 32 km 3

Puerto Escondido – ZicatelaMexico · water 29°C · air 34°C1.7 m wavesAdvanced only · no wetsuit · ✈ PXM 4 km 4

Maui – Honolua BayUnited States · water 26°C · air 27°C1.5 m wavesAdvanced only · no wetsuit · ✈ JHM 7 km 5

CabareteDominican Republic · water 28°C · air 31°C1.3 m wavesIntermediate and up · no wetsuit · ✈ POP 17 km 6

Santa Cruz – Cowell'sUnited States · water 13°C · air 20°C2 m wavesBeginner-friendly · 5/4 wetsuit and boots · ✈ MRY 45 km 7

Trestles – San ClementeUnited States · water 18°C · air 20°C1.1 m wavesIntermediate and up · 4/3 wetsuit · ✈ CLD 40 km 8

Malibu – Surfrider BeachUnited States · water 17°C · air 22°C1 m wavesBeginner-friendly · 4/3 wetsuit · ✈ LAX 27 km 9

Huntington BeachUnited States · water 17°C · air 21°C1 m wavesBeginner-friendly · 4/3 wetsuit · ✈ SNA 13 km 10

Westport – WashingtonUnited States · water 12°C · air 14°C2 m wavesIntermediate and up · 5/4 wetsuit, hood, boots and gloves · ✈ OLM 92 km 11

Mavericks – Half Moon BayUnited States · water 12°C · air 16°C1.9 m wavesAdvanced only · 5/4 wetsuit, hood, boots and gloves · ✈ SFO 18 km 12

Tofino – Long BeachCanada · water 12°C · air 14°C1.8 m wavesBeginner-friendly · 5/4 wetsuit, hood, boots and gloves · ✈ YAZ 1 km 13

Morro BayUnited States · water 13°C · air 16°C1.7 m wavesBeginner-friendly · 5/4 wetsuit and boots · ✈ SBP 25 km 14

Folly Beach – The WashoutUnited States · water 24°C · air 26°C1 m wavesBeginner-friendly · shorty · ✈ CHS 28 km 15

Wrightsville BeachUnited States · water 22°C · air 26°C1.1 m wavesBeginner-friendly · shorty · ✈ ILM 13 km 16

Short Sands – OregonUnited States · water 12°C · air 15°C1.7 m wavesBeginner-friendly · 5/4 wetsuit, hood, boots and gloves · ✈ PDX 108 km 17

Cocoa BeachUnited States · water 26°C · air 30°C0.8 m wavesBeginner-friendly · no wetsuit · ✈ MLB 30 km 18

Blacks Beach – La JollaUnited States · water 18°C · air 20°C1.1 m wavesAdvanced only · 4/3 wetsuit · ✈ SAN 18 km 19

SayulitaMexico · air 29°C1 m wavesBeginner-friendly · ✈ PVR 29 km

The 19 spots with the best surfing conditions in May, from years of weather data, ranked by wave height and, a little, warm water. Wave height: average daily maximum.

Questions

Where is the best surfing in North America in May?

Oahu – Pipeline (United States): 2 m waves; Kauai – Hanalei Bay (United States): 1.9 m waves; Puerto Escondido – Zicatela (Mexico): 1.7 m waves.

Where is the water warm in May?

Puerto Escondido – Zicatela: 29°C, no wetsuit; Cabarete: 28°C, no wetsuit; Cocoa Beach: 26°C, no wetsuit.

Where can beginners go surfing in May?

Good spots for beginners this month: Santa Cruz – Cowell's, Malibu – Surfrider Beach & Huntington Beach.

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