Windansea Beach in La Jolla, with its beautiful sandy beach and sandstone cliffs, is a long-time home to serious surfers, due to its powerful surfbreak. Although it is close to La Jolla's luxury homes, oceanfront hotels and commercial shopping, its secluded atmosphere provides a quiet and romantic ambiance.
Its surfing history goes way back to at least the 1940s, and it has been the base for the Windansea Surf Club since the 1960s. The palm-covered structure on the beach is the iconic surf shack, originally built in 1946 by locals Woody Ekstrom, Fred Kenyon and Don Okey. Home of a series of notorious parties until it was closed down, "The Surf Shack at Windansea Beach" was designated a historical landmark by the San Diego Historical Resources Board in 1998.
The consistent surf is reliably six to eight feet, even in the summer months when other locations are experiencing two to three foot waves. Windansea holds a prominent place in surfing lore, and many renowned surfers have called Windansea their home break, including Pat Curren, Mike Diffenderfer, Joey Cabell, Mickey Munoz and Butch Van Artsdalen.
The north end of the beach is a bit rocky, but the south side has more sand and lends itself toward beach walks and picnics. While there are separate surfing and swimming areas, it is not recommended for children due to its rough surf.
There is a grassy area next to the beach, but in general the beach is a bit lacking in basic facilities, with no drinking fountains, showers, or public restrooms. Only a handful of parking spots are available.
Beach Information
- Lifeguard Protection:
- Lifeguards are normally staffed at this beach on weekends in springtime, daily in summer, and on weekends in September. The hours are generally from 9:00 a.m. to dusk. Check with lifeguards for specific staff hours.
- Rip Currents:
- Most California beaches experience strong rip currents. The safety tips section on the government’s website provides an explanation of rip currents and some methods of freeing yourself if caught in a rip current. The best advice is to swim near a lifeguard.
- Regulated Water Activity Zones:
- This beach has separate water areas reserved by ordinance for swimming and surfing.
- Surfing:
- Surfing can be excellent at Windansea, but the popular surf breaks are very concentrated and can become quite crowded. Novice surfers may wish to consider La Jolla Shores instead.
- Scuba:
- This is not a good beach for scuba diving, due primarily to the shorebreak.
- Restrooms and Showers:
- There are no public restrooms or showers at this beach or anywhere in the vicinity.
- Disabled Accessibility:
- This is a natural beach with numerous sandstone cliff formations. Therefore, the beach is not accessible to wheelchairs. The adjacent sidewalk offers excellent views of the beach.
- Beach Fires:
- Receptacles for beach fires are not provided at Windansea. Open beach fires are prohibited at all San Diego beaches.
- Regulations:
- Standard San Diego beach regulations apply with the following modifications. Please check the government website for a full regulation list.
- While the consumption of alcohol at this beach is prohibited at all times, consumption of alcohol at the park area is prohibited between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and noon.
See More San Diego:
