Tarantulas Surf Guide

Tarantulas in Santa Barbara is an exposed beach and reef break that has consistent surf and can work at any time of the year. The best wind direction is from the northeast. Tends to receive a mix of groundswells and windswells and the best swell direction is from the southwest. A right hand reef. Often Crowded. Beware of rips and rocks.

Tarantulas Spot Info

Type:Rating:Reliability:Todays Sea Temp*:
Beach and reef3consistent
60°F*ocean temperature recorded from satellite

Surfing Tarantulas:

The best conditions reported for surf at Tarantulas occur when a Southwest swell combines with an offshore wind direction from the Northeast.

What's the best time of year to surf Tarantulas (for consistent clean waves)?

februaryBest Season: autumn
The best time of year for surfing Tarantulas with consistent clean waves (rideable swell with light / offshore winds) is during Autumn  and most often the month of February. Clean surfable waves are typically found 8% of the time in February while 16% of the time it tends to be blown out. For the remaining 76% of the time it is considered too small by most surfers but may still be OK for beginners and groms at times.
clean
8%
Surfable waves that hold up well for longer rides in prevailing cross-offshore, offshore or light wind conditions.
blown out
16%
Surfable sized waves that are of poorer quality due to prevailing onshore, cross-onshore or windy conditions (may be preferable for kitesurfing).
too small
76%
Waves usually considered too small for good surf. Some wave-magnet breaks may still work though if conditions are right (on occasion).

Explore Tarantulas Location Map

Interactive Tarantulas surf break location map. View information about nearby surf breaks, their wave consistency and rating compared to other spots in the region. Current swell conditions from local buoys are shown along with live wind speed and direction from nearby weather stations. Click icons on the map for more detail. The closest passenger airport to Tarantulas is Vandenberg Afb (Lompoc) Airport (VBG) in USA, 26 km (16 miles) away (directly). The second nearest airport to Tarantulas is Point Mugu Nas Airport (NTD), also in USA, 134 km (83 miles) away.

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  • Live Wave Height (ft)
  • Live Wind Speed (mph)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (ft)
  • Wind Speed (mph)
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Please note that some surf spot locations are approximate to protect their exact location while others are not shown at close zoom level.
Tarantulas Surf Forecasts:
Todays Surf Summary
Sunday, 6 July 2025, 06:00 Local Time
Sunday 06
8AM11AM2PM5PM
Wave (ft)
6
NW
5.5
NW
2.5
SSW
2.5
SSW
Period (s) 8 7 17 16
Wind (mph)
10
10
20
20
Wind State cross-
off
cross cross cross

Swell History at Tarantulas

Surf stats for Tarantulas, see the swell variation by month or season on the history page here.

Wind History at Tarantulas

Wind stats for Tarantulas, see the variation in direction and stength by month or season on the history page here.

Tarantulas Reviews:

Interactive Porthcawl Point location map. View nearby buoy information, live wind conditions and surrounding roads, paths and locations to help find new breaks. Click the buoys or wind icon to view more information.

Ratings
Based on 4 votes.
  • Overall:3.0
  • Quality on a good day:4.0
  • Consistency of Surf:3.8
  • Difficulty Level:4.0
  • Wind and Kite Surfing:3.5
  • Crowds:2.7
  • ...

See all 18 ratings


Review
Impartial reviews submitted by Surf-Forecast users.
Stanton Foster from United States
“I lived here for 12 years. The left can be world class, the right longer but not as perfect compared to the left when it is at its best.

Quality on a good day: 4 - straight west 18 sec. swell, offshore, med tide.
Access: 4
Consistency: 4
Difficulty: 4
Water quality: 4-5 No creek mouth at T's, no issues other than visibility
Crowds: 3. Weekdays, dawn patrols, late pm glass offs. No crowd issues
Other options: 2
Scenery: 5
Equipment: 2 (park store has minimal board supplies
Windsurfing/Kite boarding: 5 (an international destination for experts)
Local Attitude: 4
Eating: 2 (ok breakfast & lunch grub at park store)
Regional rating: 4
Accommodations: 1 (camping only)
Drinking: 5 (park store)
Camping: 5
Onshore wind: 3 (if kelp is thick, rating higher)
Entertainment: 2”

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