There are so many wonderful places to surf close to Miami. South Florida stands out as one of the best coast stretches in the state. It is not really known for the swells though. It is popular because of the party scene, warm weather, highly exotic locals and lovely beaches. Even so, when waves are strong and pumping, the surfing available is tremendous.
Surfing in the entire area can be really aggressive, especially when talking about the top spots. Make sure that you respect everyone. The locals will want that and they do not take it lightly when someone does not respect surfing lines.
On the whole, although clearly lacking in consistency, surfing is of great quality. Water temperature is almost always great and you have access to so many extra activities that you can take advantage of when you do not surf.
In order to help you find some great options, here are some surfing places close to Miami that you do want to take advantage of.
Ft Pierce Inlet Surfing
The surf location here you want to consider is North Jetty, deep inside Fort Pierce State Park. You need to pay an entrance fee and the best swell direction here is groundswell from East and Southeast. Surfers want to visit during late summer, up to fall hurricane season. During those months you can actually expend a lot of surfers to be present. You have an easy paddle out and the skill level that is covered ranges from beginner to advanced. The water is always clear and clean.
Walton Rocks Surfing
The surfing location is 7 miles away from South Causeway, Fort Pierce, to the south. You will want to go surfing during the winter for the best season and you should know that wave quality is not the best in the region. However, the crowds are thin. They do end up being pretty competitive but you will have a lot of room to surf. The boards that you can use are fish, shortboard, longboard and funboard. It is a little tough to paddle out and the skill level needed is intermediate to advanced. This is not a location for beginners and you should watch out for reef sharks and rocks.
Stuart Rocks Surfing
You want to visit the Stuart Rocks starting from late summer till fall hurricane season. Also, you can go surfing during early spring and winter if you want northeast swells. The wave quality is really high. You have point break waves towards right or left based on the direction of the swell. Many great tube sections are present. The area is quite crowded and we can say that this is not a region close to Miami when you are a beginner. Intermediate to advanced is the skill level that you need to be at. The water is beautiful, clear and clean.
Obviously, there are many other spots that can be great for surfing near Miami. These are just the 3 that we see as being the most interesting. You have to look at all the options that are available for you though. You will be surprised to notice the fact that there is a huge diversity available.