Orange County includes surf spots in San Clemente, Laguna Beach, Newport and Huntington. The OC has something for every level surfer. San Onofre State Beach is a great family friendly and beginner spot. Trestles is a ripping spot for experienced surfers. Although people will argue that it's actually in San Diego County. And spots like Salt Creek you’ll find everything in between.
South OC breaks may be a bit less crowded than its northern counterparts but summertime will bring huge crowds on either side of Laguna Beach. South OC has a varied terrain including with cliffs and coves, where the northern areas are pretty much one long, flat beachbreak. North OC spots like a strong south swell and an occasional Baja hurricane to kick it up a notch.
The area is probably best in the summer to early fall. The south facing orientation grabs any south swell. Add to that the Santa Ana winds from the east and you will get beautiful A frame waves, warm water, and gorgeous beaches. As fall and winter hit, breaks are usually better in San Diego or up north in the Ventura area. The south facing breaks get wedged out, but the kids are back in school and the water gets a little too cold for the faint of heart. Water pollution is rampant in southern California, and you shouldn’t go in the water for a couple days after a hard rain, luckily it doesn’t rain much in southern California.