I’m Chris Wilson, the creator of Surf Vagabond. I write practical surf travel guides for people who want honest, useful advice about longboard waves, surf towns, beach destinations, and planning better surf trips.
I’m a longboard-focused surfer, so I usually look at surf destinations through that lens: wave shape, crowd levels, paddle-outs, consistency, tide, access, and whether a place is actually enjoyable for the kind of surfing most traveling surfers are trying to do.
Surf travel can be hard to judge from a distance. A wave might look perfect in photos but be too crowded, too advanced, too tide-dependent, too seasonal, or not ideal for the kind of surfing you actually want.
My goal with Surf Vagabond is to make those decisions easier by focusing on what is actually worth your time, what kind of surfer a destination is best for, when to go, and what I would think about before planning a surf trip.
Why I Started Surf Vagabond
I created Surf Vagabond to help surfers find places that fit the way they actually surf and travel.
A lot of surf content focuses on famous waves without enough practical context. I try to look at the details that matter once you are really there:
- Is this a good longboard wave?
- Is it beginner-friendly, intermediate, or better for advanced surfers?
- What time of year makes the most sense?
- Is the wave consistent or seasonal?
- What is the local surf town like?
- Is it worth building a trip around, or better as one stop along the way?
That practical point of view is the heart of Surf Vagabond.
My Surf Travel Perspective
I have spent a lot of time surfing and exploring coastal places, especially as a longboarder. Some of the surf spots I think about most are places like San Onofre, Malibu, Huntington Beach Cliffs, Tourmaline, and Pleasure Point.
That experience shapes the way I write. I do not just care whether a place is famous. I care whether it makes sense for the surfer reading the guide.
Some surfers want mellow peelers and a relaxed beach town. Others want a bigger, more challenging wave. Some people are planning a full surf trip, while others just want to fit in a session while traveling. Surf Vagabond is written with those differences in mind.
How I Write Surf Vagabond Guides
When I create or update a guide, I focus on practical surf travel decisions, not just broad destination descriptions.
I usually look at:
- Wave type and whether it suits longboarding, shortboarding, beginners, or more experienced surfers
- Best seasons and likely conditions
- Crowd levels and general surf atmosphere
- Ease of access and travel logistics
- Nearby towns, beaches, and non-surf things to do
- Whether a destination is worth planning around or better as part of a larger trip
- Honest tradeoffs, including when a place may be overrated, crowded, inconsistent, or not right for every surfer
I also try to be clear when details can change. Surf conditions, access, local rules, crowds, safety, and travel logistics can shift, so I recommend checking current local information before making final plans.
You can read more about the site’s process here: How Surf Vagabond Creates Guides.
My Approach to Accuracy
Surf travel information is always changing. Conditions vary by season, swell, tide, wind, crowd levels, access, and local rules.
Because of that, I try to write guides that are useful without pretending any surf destination is completely predictable. When a detail can affect your trip, I try to explain the uncertainty and encourage readers to check current conditions, local forecasts, and official travel information before going.
If you notice something on Surf Vagabond that looks outdated, unclear, or incorrect, I appreciate the heads-up. Keeping the site useful matters to me.