Olympic Surfing at Trestles - LA28 San Clemente Surfing Guide

The Olympics are coming to San Clemente.

In July 2028, some of the best surfers in the world will compete for Olympic medals at Trestles State Beach as part of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. For San Clemente, Orange County and Southern California, this is much more than another surf contest. It is an opportunity for one of the most famous waves in California to be showcased on a global stage.

If you're thinking about attending Olympic surfing at Trestles, here's what you need to know about the dates, location, tickets, pricing and what to expect when the Olympics arrive in San Clemente.

When Is Olympic Surfing at Trestles?

The LA28 Olympic Games will take place July 14–30, 2028, with surfing scheduled at Trestles State Beach from July 15 through July 18, according to the current LA28 competition schedule.

The current schedule is:

July 15, 2028
Men's Round 1 and Women's Round 1
7:00 AM–4:30 PM

July 16, 2028
Men's Round 2 and Women's Round 2
7:00 AM–4:30 PM

July 17, 2028
Men's Round 3 and Women's Round 3
7:00 AM–4:30 PM

July 18, 2028
Men's and Women's Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Bronze Medal Matches and Gold Medal Matches
7:00 AM–5:30 PM

The schedule is still subject to change before the Games, so anyone planning a trip should continue checking the official LA28 schedule.

Where Will Olympic Surfing Take Place?

Surfing will be held at Trestles State Beach in the San Clemente area of Southern Orange County.

Trestles is already internationally known in the surfing world and has hosted major professional competitions, including World Surf League events. LA28 describes it as one of the world's premier surfing destinations and highlights its consistent waves and importance to Southern California surf culture.

For locals, this means Olympic competition will be taking place practically in San Clemente's backyard.

Why Was Trestles Chosen for the Olympics?

Trestles offers something extremely important for a surfing competition: consistency.

The area is known for high-quality waves and has a long history of professional surfing competitions. It also represents Southern California surf culture in a way few other locations can.

Surfing only joined the Olympic program at the Tokyo Games, making LA28 another relatively early chapter in the sport's Olympic history.

At LA28, both men's and women's shortboard competitions will be held at Trestles.

How Do You Buy Tickets for Olympic Surfing at Trestles?

The safest place to purchase tickets is directly through the official LA28 ticketing system.

LA28's official ticket website is:

Official LA28 Tickets

LA28 uses AXS and EVENTIM as official ticketing providers.

As of October 2026, the final general-public ticket drop of 2026 has ended. The good news is that LA28 has announced that additional Olympic tickets will become available in 2027 on a first-come, first-served basis, with refreshed inventory across Olympic sports subject to availability.

That means if you missed the earlier ticket releases, there should still be another opportunity to purchase Olympic surfing tickets.

I would recommend signing up for LA28 ticket updates rather than purchasing tickets through an unofficial resale site. LA28 has advised fans that tickets offered for resale before its official resale program launches cannot be verified.

How Much Are LA28 Olympic Surfing Tickets?

LA28 launched its overall Olympic ticket program with tickets starting at $28.

More than one million Olympic tickets were planned for the $28 price point, and LA28 has also stated that nearly half of Olympic tickets are priced under $200 and more than three-quarters are under $400.

However, those figures apply to Olympic tickets overall.

The exact amount you pay to watch surfing at Trestles will depend on the session, ticket category and remaining availability. In particular, expect the medal session on July 18 to be one of the sessions that attracts significant interest.

When shopping for tickets, use the official LA28 site to see the current price for the specific Trestles surfing session you want to attend.

Can You Just Walk Down to Trestles and Watch?

Don't assume your normal Trestles surf-day routine will apply during the Olympics.

Trestles normally has a unique setup because accessing the beach involves walking or biking down to the coastline rather than simply pulling into a beachfront parking lot.

For an Olympic event involving athletes, spectators, security, media and event infrastructure, access and transportation will almost certainly operate differently.

Specific Olympic-day parking, transportation, security and beach-access procedures can continue to evolve as LA28 gets closer.

If you're attending, plan ahead and follow official LA28 and local San Clemente transportation information rather than assuming you'll be able to drive up and park nearby.

What Will You Actually See?

Olympic surfing isn't simply surfers going out and catching as many waves as possible.

Surfers compete in timed heats, generally lasting approximately 25–35 minutes. Judges score rides based on factors including difficulty, variety, commitment and execution.

A surfer's two highest-scoring waves are used toward the heat result.

That format makes watching an Olympic heat at Trestles very different from watching a normal surf session. Every wave can potentially determine who advances and, during the final day, who wins an Olympic medal.

The Final Day Could Be Incredible

If you're trying to choose one day to attend, July 18 is currently scheduled as the medal day.

The current schedule includes:

Men's Quarterfinals
Women's Quarterfinals
Men's Semifinals
Women's Semifinals
Men's Bronze Medal Match
Women's Bronze Medal Match
Men's Gold Medal Match
Women's Gold Medal Match

That creates the possibility of watching Olympic surfing history unfold at one of Southern California's most famous waves in a single day.

Where Should Visitors Stay?

For people traveling specifically to watch Olympic surfing at Trestles, San Clemente is the obvious place to start looking for accommodations.

Nearby areas include:

San Clemente
Dana Point
San Juan Capistrano
Capistrano Beach
Laguna Niguel

San Clemente gives visitors the opportunity to experience the surf culture surrounding the event rather than simply driving down from Los Angeles for the competition.

Downtown San Clemente, Avenida Del Mar, the San Clemente Pier, North Beach and the city's coastal trails are all worth exploring while you're here.

Visitors could also make a larger South Orange County trip out of the event and explore Dana Point Harbor, Laguna Beach, San Juan Capistrano and the surrounding coastal communities.

Olympic Surfing Could Put an Even Bigger Spotlight on San Clemente

San Clemente has been a surf town for generations, but hosting an Olympic event brings an entirely different level of international attention.

People around the world who have never visited Orange County will suddenly be watching Trestles, San Clemente and the Southern California coastline.

And this is one of the things I love about living and selling real estate in South Orange County: access to the outdoors isn't something reserved for vacations.

Surfing, hiking, mountain biking and the beach are part of everyday life here.

Trestles is a perfect example.

A place where locals surf every week is about to become an Olympic venue watched around the world.

Thinking About Living Near Trestles?

If watching Olympic surfing has you wondering what it would actually be like to live near Trestles, San Clemente or the beaches of South Orange County, that's where real estate and lifestyle really intersect.

San Clemente offers everything from beach cottages and condos to ocean-view homes and luxury properties, with neighborhoods stretching from North Beach all the way to the southern end of town near Trestles.

I help buyers and sellers throughout San Clemente, Dana Point, Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel, San Juan Capistrano, Newport Beach and the surrounding coastal Orange County communities.

Whether you're relocating to Orange County, looking for a second home near the beach or simply curious what homes near Trestles cost, I'm always happy to be a local resource.

The Bottom Line

Olympic surfing at Trestles will be one of the most unique events of the LA28 Olympic Games.

The current competition schedule runs July 15–18, 2028, culminating with men's and women's medal events on July 18. Additional Olympic tickets are expected to go on sale in 2027 on a first-come, first-served basis, and the official place to check availability and pricing is the LA28 ticketing website.

For San Clemente, it will also be an opportunity to show millions of people around the world exactly why this stretch of Southern California coastline is so special.