Surfing in United States in May
In May the best surfing in United States is at Trestles – San Clemente, Blacks Beach – La Jolla & Malibu – Surfrider Beach.
Updated November 2026 · weather data 2022–2026
In short
- Waves: 1.5 m on average (daily maximum)
- Water: 12–27°C, 5/4 wetsuit, hood, boots and gloves at 12°C; 5/4 wetsuit and boots at 13°C; 4/3 wetsuit at 17–18°C; 3/2 wetsuit at 21°C; shorty at 22–24°C; no wetsuit at 25–27°C
- Air: 23°C by day, 17°C at night
- Weather: sun (6+ hours) on about 29 days, rain (1+ mm) on about 12; a day can have both
- Warm enough for no wetsuit (10 of these spots), for example Oahu – Pipeline, Oahu – Waimea Bay & Kauai – Hanalei Bay.
- For beginners: Malibu – Surfrider Beach, Huntington Beach & Santa Cruz – Cowell's.
When are you planning to go?
1
MayPEAK SEASON
Trestles
San Clemente · United States
1.1 m waves18° water20° air
Intermediate and up · 4/3 wetsuit · ✈ CLD 40 km
2
MayPEAK SEASON
Blacks Beach
La Jolla · United States
1.1 m waves18° water20° air
Advanced only · 4/3 wetsuit · ✈ SAN 18 km
3
MayPEAK SEASON
Malibu
Surfrider Beach · United States
1 m waves17° water22° air
Beginner-friendly · 4/3 wetsuit · ✈ LAX 27 km
4
MayPEAK SEASON
Huntington Beach
United States
1 m waves17° water21° air
Beginner-friendly · 4/3 wetsuit · ✈ SNA 13 km
5
MayGOOD
Pipeline
Oahu · United States
2 m waves25° water27° air
Advanced only · no wetsuit · ✈ HNL 41 km
6
MayGOOD
Waimea Bay
Oahu · United States
2 m waves25° water27° air
Advanced only · no wetsuit · ✈ HNL 39 km
7
MayGOOD
Cowell's
Santa Cruz · United States
2 m waves13° water20° air
Beginner-friendly · 5/4 wetsuit and boots · ✈ MRY 45 km
8
MayGOOD
Westport
Washington · United States
2 m waves12° water14° air
Intermediate and up · 5/4 wetsuit, hood, boots and gloves · ✈ OLM 92 km
9
MayGOOD
Mavericks
Half Moon Bay · United States
1.9 m waves12° water16° air
Advanced only · 5/4 wetsuit, hood, boots and gloves · ✈ SFO 18 km
10
MayGOOD
Hanalei Bay
Kauai · United States
1.9 m waves25° water25° air
Intermediate and up · no wetsuit · ✈ LIH 32 km
11
MayGOOD
Kailua Beach
Oahu · United States
1.9 m waves25° water27° air
Intermediate and up · no wetsuit · ✈ HNL 22 km
12
MayGOOD
Haleiwa
Oahu · United States
1.7 m waves26° water27° air
Intermediate and up · no wetsuit · ✈ HNL 36 km
13
MayGOOD
Morro Bay
United States
1.7 m waves13° water16° air
Beginner-friendly · 5/4 wetsuit and boots · ✈ SBP 25 km
14
MayGOOD
Short Sands
Oregon · United States
1.7 m waves12° water15° air
Beginner-friendly · 5/4 wetsuit, hood, boots and gloves · ✈ PDX 108 km
15
MayGOOD
Honolua Bay
Maui · United States
1.5 m waves26° water27° air
Advanced only · no wetsuit · ✈ JHM 7 km
16
MayGOOD
Ho'okipa
Maui · United States
1.5 m waves25° water28° air
Advanced only · no wetsuit · ✈ OGG 9 km
17
MayGOOD
Kanaha Beach Park
Maui · United States
1.5 m waves25° water28° air
Intermediate and up · no wetsuit · ✈ OGG 0 km
18
MayGOOD
Outer Banks
Waves · United States
1.2 m waves21° water21° air
Beginner-friendly · 3/2 wetsuit · ✈ EWN 153 km
19
MayGOOD
Wrightsville Beach
United States
1.1 m waves22° water26° air
Beginner-friendly · shorty · ✈ ILM 13 km
20
MayGOOD
Rockaway Beach
New York · United States
1 m waves13° water20° air
Beginner-friendly · 5/4 wetsuit and boots · ✈ JFK 7 km
21
MayGOOD
The Washout
Folly Beach · United States
1 m waves24° water26° air
Beginner-friendly · shorty · ✈ CHS 28 km
22
MayGOOD
Jupiter
Florida · United States
0.9 m waves27° water30° air
Intermediate and up · no wetsuit · ✈ DJT 29 km
23
MayGOOD
Cocoa Beach
United States
0.8 m waves26° water30° air
Beginner-friendly · no wetsuit · ✈ MLB 30 km
Averages of the 23 spots on this page. Wave height: average daily maximum.
Questions
Where to go surfing in United States in May?
Trestles – San Clemente: 1.1 m waves; Blacks Beach – La Jolla: 1.1 m waves; Malibu – Surfrider Beach: 1 m waves.
How warm is the water in United States in May?
12–27°C: 5/4 wetsuit, hood, boots and gloves at 12°C; 5/4 wetsuit and boots at 13°C; 4/3 wetsuit at 17–18°C; 3/2 wetsuit at 21°C; shorty at 22–24°C; no wetsuit at 25–27°C.
Where can beginners go surfing in May?
Good spots for beginners this month: Malibu – Surfrider Beach, Huntington Beach & Santa Cruz – Cowell's.
Which airport is closest?
McClellan-Palomar Airport (CLD), 40 km from Trestles – San Clemente; San Diego International Airport (SAN), 18 km from Blacks Beach – La Jolla; Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), 27 km from Malibu – Surfrider Beach.
Read more
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