“Chilled Out Vibes”: 9 Hotels and Resorts for the Best Surfing Vacations in the United States

Beloved by the most hardcore of East Coast surfers, the waters of Montauk are cold, but the coastline is beautiful and it’s easily accessible by the Long Island Rail Road line from New York City. Once a surfing secret, the place is yet to be overrun with legions of newbie paddleboarders (locals beg they stay far away from the crowded surf lineup) while still enjoying a sleepy and casual hippie-type atmosphere. This beautiful coastline is said to be stalked by the Montauk Monster, a failed military experiment when they opened another dimension. Avoid bumming it on the beach with the Montauk Monster with a stay at the lovely Ocean Resort Inn, 3 miles from the best surfing USA this area can grant you.

Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina is surrounded by salt marshes and sandy barrier islands and a welcoming southern attitude with a big side of BBQ. Visit the Surf City Surf Shop, opened since 1978 to get set up for a day with the waves. The swells here can have strong winds and currents, beloved by pros but beware to beginners. Since this community is surf-centric, it’s easy to get lessons or chat with locals about tips. Our best tip includes a stay at the Blockade Runner Beach Resort where you’ll be able to spot water conditions from your window.

New Smyrna Beach is a premier surfing destination, even if the sole reason was the 300 surfable days a year. The warm waters welcome those without wetsuits as do the waves. Head to the less crowded of the 13 mile stretch of beach to either Sapphire Road or Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park. With waves and weather like these, you’re going to want to stay as close to the beach as humanly possible, short of a blow-up bed in the actual ocean. The Islander Beach Resort is just close enough that you can smell salt in the air at all times, and you can spot that incoming wave and be down to the shore fast enough to ride it.

Santa Cruz’s beaches used to be where surfers prepared for the more powerful Hawaiian waves on wooden boards and also played an integral part in the development of the wetsuit by Jack O’Neill. This is a veritable field trip for those surfing obsessed with over 11 awesome surf spots and a Surfing Museum, as well as several surf schools for everyone from beginners to seasoned surfers. Be sure to try the classic Californian surf spots like Steamer Lane and Pleasure Point. From the Westcliff Inn, it’s a short and beautiful walk to the iconic Steamer Lane where you’ll be able to catch those gentle morning waves alongside some classic surfer dudes and dudettes.

Almost every beach in Hawaii and every town is a surf town but Paia on Maui’s North Shore stands apart from the rest. This haven brings in artists and surfers from all over the world as much for its easy-going lifestyle as its waves. While it might not be the mecca of Hawaiian surfing that is Oahu’s North Shore, the level is a bit lower so it’s a good place to learn and get comfortable in the water. The strongest winds start blowing around lunch so get to the beach early and siesta at the Nalu Kai Lodge in the afternoon. Your optimal location will make it that much easier to get up early in the morning to catch the smoothest waves surfing USA can offer you.

Home to surfing star Kelly Slater, legions of fervent young surfers head to Cocoa Beach to try their shot at the swells which made Slater a household name. You may have trouble scoring a spot while Slater is out riding, which he seems to do fairly often but his name has brought fame to the surfing community. There is an abundance of schools here to teach you the ropes. Staying at the Surf Studio Beach Resort means you can get a paparazzi view of Slater and his pals if you’re feeling shy or, if you’re so inclined, it’s close enough to go ripping to the shore with your board and a permanent marker for his autograph.

At the Shorebreak Hotel, you’re never more than 100 feet away from Huntington Beach, Surf City: 9.5-miles of beautiful sandy beach with mild year round conditions making for some of the best surfing on the West Coast and home of the US Open Of Surfing. The beach is known for its consistent waves and abundance of great surf shops (check out world famous Huntington Surf & Sport and Jack’s) as well as a friendly atmosphere. If you’re new to the sport, start your surfing career at the Shorebreak with a 90-minute surf lesson which includes equipment rental and welcome amenities on top of that dreamy location.

There isn’t a surfer on earth that hasn’t had a mid-week daydream about the beaches of Hawaii. At Turtle Bay Resort, those dreams come true… and then some. Resting on five gorgeous miles of beach, the resort proves to be heavenly for those looking for the perfect balance between activity and relaxation. Spend your morning surfing, take a break on land with a scenic hike or horseback ride and then refuel with a fresh farm-to-table meal. Unwind in the evening with some socializing at their ”Surfer”; locals, pro-athletes, celebs and visitors are known to frequent the watering hole.

For surfers looking to experience pristine waves as well as pristine rooms, Pelican Hill is the perfect confluence of the two. The resort rests along the stunning Crystal Cove State Park, one of SoCal’s last oceanfront nature preserves. Hang loose in an elegant private villa or a lush, beachy bungalow and when you’re sore from a day of shredding, head to the Wellness Spa for a little R&R.