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About San Onofre State Beach – Surfing Beach (Old Man’s) in San Clemente, California

San Onofre Surfing Beach (the official state park name) is located between the city of San Clemente and Camp Pendleton in North San Diego County. It’s one of the top surf beaches in the area with a long break and easy access. The beach itself is mostly rocks at the water’s edge, so while it’s good for sunbathing in the sandy parts, it’s not ideal for walking or wading in the surf.

Access to this public beach is via the Old Pacific Highway from San Clemente. Surfing Beach, which has nicknames like “San O” and “Old Man’s”, is next to the decommissioned SONGS nuclear plant, which you can’t miss from the freeway (looks like it should be wearing a bikini over it).

With a name like Surfing Beach you can bet that this beach has a consistent break that draws surfers from around the region. It is considered one of the top surf breaks for beginners in Southern California.

Volleyball courts and fire rings are provided next to the long linear parking area that spans the full length of the beach. Six restroom buildings are spaced out along this parking area.

Surf Beach is for day-use only (park hours are 6am-10pm from 4/15 thru 9/31 and 6am-8pm from 10/1 thru 4/14). The Bluffs Beach area of San Onofre State Beach south of here offers a tent and RV campground, many trails, and six numbered beaches that you must hike down the bluff to reach.

Address
Old Pacific Highway & Beach Club Rd
San Clemente, CA 92672
Phone
949-492-4872
Park Name
San Onofre State Beach
Other Names
San O, Old Mans, Surf Beach, Dogpatch, The Point
Owner
State Park
Pet Details
No dogs allowed on the beach
Fees
Fees for parking
Activities
Surfing, Sunbathing, Volleyball, Fishing, Bonfires
Amenities
Restrooms, Fire Pits, Volleyball Courts, Lifeguards
Map of San Onofre State Beach – Surfing Beach (Old Man’s)
San Clemente, US
8:54 am, March 29, 2024
temperature icon 55°F
L: 53° H: 58°
Feels like 54.55 °F clear sky
Wind gusts: 1 m/s
UV Index: 1.46
Precipitation: 0 inch
Visibility: 10 km
Sunrise: 6:41 am
Sunset: 7:08 pm
Humidity 84 %
Pressure1010 mb
Wind 1 m/s

Nearby Beaches

Trestles Beach

1.4 miles away

Trestles Beach is the northernmost part of San Onofre State Beach and of San Diego County, but access is...

View beach

Nearby Lodging

Reviews

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Rated 5.0 out of 5
February 6, 2024

San O is closed until they fix the washout on the beach road which happened this weekend.

Eugene