Surfing at Princeton Jetty

Nearby Address: 4100 Cabrillo Hwy N, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
GPS Coordinates: N 37°30.051′, W 122°28.2363′ Elev 28ft
Facilities: nearby restrooms, no showers
Best Conditions: West and South swells
Difficulty: Intermediate

By Court Rye | in None | Tags: Bay Area, Beach, California, Surfing

Young surfer going out at Princeton Jetty

Northern California is known for cold water, rocky beaches, big waves and great white sharks. Mavericks has gotten a lot of attention for its triple overhead monsters but most regular… sane, surfers ride at places like The Jetty, Princeton Jetty to be exact.

While it’s a great place to surf when there’s a South or Westward swell it’s also a fun place to wind surf and kite board which I touch on in the video below. Most waves break from left to right and the biggest sets are near the rock jetty on the North end of the beach. Even on crowded days The Jetty can be a great place to catch a few empty waves, with so many people crowding the pit on the North there is plenty of room all along the beach going South.

Princeton Jetty is one of the safest feeling beaches in NorCal because there are always people walking or driving by on the Cabrillo Highway. On a nice day the beach and rocks are packed with spectators. There’s plenty of good food nearby in Half Moon Bay and the Marina area just North of the beach. Restrooms are easy enough to find but there aren’t any showers and parking is a bit haphazzard, cars whoosh by at high speed so be careful.