San Diego is the epicenter of surfing in the mainland United States, it’s in our DNA. The greats of surfboard design—Skip Frye, Rusty Preisendorfer, Gary Linden and Justin Ternes—got their start in the city. The fish and the egg surfboard shapes were first pioneered in San Diego waters and are largely associated with the city’s surf culture. And beyond its storied history, San Diego is also graced with miles of surf ranging from sloping beach breaks to pitching reef breaks and even a couple of point breaks. No matter what type of swell, there’s usually something to surf in San Diego. So, with reverence and stoke, we’re bringing you the ultimate guide to San Diego’s top surf spots. See you in the lineup.
Before we paddle out, some helpful wisdom from a lifetime of surfing San Diego:
While there are rideable swells all year, the best times to surf are fall and winter.
Conditions can be fickle, and Surfline isn’t always accurate. When in doubt, bring two boards: your go-to for the best-case forecast and a longboard or fish in case it’s smaller.
Localism isn’t usually an issue in San Diego unless you’re dropping in on the locals and getting in other surfers’ way. When in doubt, surf at a more beginner-friendly spot. Tourmaline is your friend.
The stingray shuffle is a must, but sometimes bad luck is just bad luck. If you get stung, soak your foot with hot water (as hot as you can bear) to slowly extract the venom. My current sting count is three.
Jellyfish are known to surface from time to time. I’ve rarely encountered them in the water, only dead ones on the beach. Contrary to popular belief, urine can actually exacerbate the pain and embarrassment. Hot water is the key.
Looking to rent gear? Check out our guide to the best surf shops in town. Rent before you buy, and when it’s time to buy support your local shaper.
Tourmaline is San Diego’s Malibu—a consistent beach break north of Crystal Pier enjoyed by expert longboarders, the most beginner of beginners, and the occasional shortboarder on bigger days. Tourmaline isn’t just a surf spot; it’s a community—of sorts. It’s not uncommon to see 12 people paddling for the same wave, three actually catch the wave, and finally one or two ride the wave to shore.
Typically, more advanced surfers will ride the peak just in front of the Tourmaline parking lot or will paddle out to PB Point when larger swells refract into long dreamy rights. Beginner surfers should stick to the less crowded sections around Law Street down to the pier, where the crowds thin and offer plenty of waves to go around.
Ideal Swell Direction: W, NW, SW Break type: Beach break Board choice: Longboard or fish; soft-top on crowded days Hazards: Crowds, rocks, Wavestorm projectiles Parking: Try to snag a spot at the Tourmaline parking lot or find street parking around Law Street.
Mission Beach
Mission Beach is quintessential San Diego—hippies, an iconic boardwalk and plenty of sandbars stretching from Mission Jetty toward Belmont Park. The jetty is the most consistent surf spot in Mission Beach due to the structure, which is ideal for northwest swells that benefit from the wind protection from the south. It’s also got an upfront parking lot that’s typically full of loitering stoners and parking wars in the summer, but can be useful in a pinch during the colder months. The waves tend to bowl up, offering fast and rippable waves that are great for practicing snaps and airs.
While the jetty is the main draw, sandbars further north toward Belmont Park offer punchy waves that are popular with bodyboarders and shortboarders on a good swell. Crowds can definitely be a factor, especially during the summer, where you’ll dodge locals, bodyboarders, and out-of-towners experiencing the ocean for the first time. Do the stingray shuffle, watch out for the occasional jellyfish during the summer, and look both ways for “SloMo” (the rollerblading regular) before crossing the boardwalk.
Ideal Swell Direction: NW to W Break type: Beach break Board choice: Fish or shortboard Hazards: Crowds, stingrays, boardwalk collisions Parking: Mission Jetty parking lot, Belmont parking lot or street parking along Mission Boulevard.
This North County spot is the ideal reef break for beginner surfers getting their bearings—hence the Cardiff Kook statue. While beginner-friendly, the spot is a consistent wave machine thanks to the rocky reef, which produces peeling lefts and rights for surfers of all levels. It’s not uncommon to get out-paddled by longboarders, so consider bringing more board than you need to beat the crowds.
On weekends the place can be a bit of a zoo, but there are generally plenty of peaks from the mellow, southernmost Tippers peak to the more advanced Pipes break further north. The spot offers long rides which can take you from the campgrounds down to Cardiff on the right day.
For the best experience, book a campsite at San Elijo campground and have yourself the ultimate staycation surf trip, hitting dawn patrol and sunset sessions. For dinner, walk a block into town and get yourself a slab of Cardiff Crack to throw on your camping stove for the ultimate post-surf meal.
Ideal Swell Direction: NW, W Break type: Rocky reef break Board choice: Longboard up to a shortboard on bigger days Hazards: Reef on low-tide, crowds on weekends Parking: Parking along Highway 101 or at the campground with a site.
Photo Credit: Cole Novak
Intermediate San Diego Surf Spots
Scripps Pier
If you can find a parking spot, Scripps Pier is a real gem. The beach break picks up swells from most directions and is the ultimate proving ground to step up your surfing, whether that be hitting your first air, hunting for an elusive tube or practicing your snaps. The lineup can get crowded at Scripps, but there are often plenty of peaks in between the crowds if you’re vigilant. At the south end, you have La Jolla Shores, which is often an obstacle course of dodging Wavestorms, swimmers and kooks.
South of the pier is your best bet at Scripps offering consistent rights along the pylons with peaks scattered towards La Jolla Shores. When the waves are pumping, the north side of the pier has remarkably consistent peaks if you can dodge pier pylons and groms working on their air reverses. The paddle out can be a bit of a shoulder burner on bigger days, so paddle out near the pier to ride the conveyor belt-like current out to the lineup.
Ideal Swell Direction: SW, W, NW Break type: Beach break Board choice: Shortboard or fish; avoid longboards on crowded days Hazards: Crowds and reef at the northern edge of Scripps Parking: La Jolla Shores parking lot or street parking around El Paseo Grande for Scripps.
Oceanside
Oceanside is a quintessential North County surf spot, offering consistent beach break waves from the harbor entrance all the way to Tyson Park. The south side is generally known for its punchy, hollow rights and lefts, while the north side can be a bit more forgiving and beginner-friendly. The pier itself is a swell magnet, often picking up waves when other spots are flat. While the spot is ideal for intermediate and advanced surfers, it can be a good spot for beginners when it’s under three feet.
The lineup can get crowded, especially on weekends and during the summer, but there are multiple peaks to spread out. Better surfers will typically set up close to the pier pylons, so head a bit further north for less crowded peaks. After a session, fuel up at Local Tap House or Harney Sushi Oceanside.
Ideal Swell Direction: W, NW, SW Break type: Beach break Board choice: Shortboard, fish or longboard Hazards: Pollution after rain and strong currents Parking: Large parking lot at the end of Mission Avenue and street parking nearby.
Photo Credit: John O’Nelio
Sunset Cliffs
“Iconic” is an understatement—Sunset Cliffs is the definition of old-school San Diego surf culture. Sunset Cliffs is usually working under most swell conditions across three miles of unique breaks. You can surf the beginner-friendly waves at No Surf (ironically named) in the north, while intermediate and advanced surfers can find rippable reef breaks at Garbage Beach and Luscombs.
While traversing the unstable cliffs deters some, others reap the reward of this fun reef break that benefits from wind-protecting cliffs and a massive kelp bed outside the break which smooths out the chop when the rest of San Diego’s waves are crumbly. The spot works best during low to mid-tide and provides a massive canvas for you to carve anything from longboards and mid-lengths to shortboards during bigger swells.
Take a board that you’re comfortable paddling a bunch, but also realize you’re going to be lugging that thing back up the cliffs. Entering and exiting the surf during high tide is the biggest pain about surfing Sunset Cliffs.
Ideal Swell Direction: W, NW, SW Break type: Reef break Board choice: Longboard or mid-length; shortboards when it’s big enough Hazards: Rocky reef and unstable cliffs Parking: Sunset Cliffs Natural Park or street parking around Sunset Cliffs Boulevard.
Swami’s
The closest thing we get to a wave machine in San Diego County proper is Swami’s. The killer point break is located just below Encinitas‘ iconic Self-Realization Temple, which shrouds the spot with a unique mysticism and comes alive during winter swells. The point break produces consistent “leg burners,” allowing you to work on your carving while dodging traffic in the water. On bigger days, it’s the spot to be, making that canvas even better for sweeping turns and bringing out local legends like Rob Machado and Taylor Knox.
On the outside, locals on logs often hold down the long rolling sets, while further inside shortboarders hunt for the steeper bowl sections. On the paddle out, you’ll encounter cobblestone rocks especially at low tide so keep your duck dives shallow to avoid dings. If you do, just grab a used board at Hansen’s just up the street and tell them I sent you.
Ideal Swell Direction: W and NW Break type: Point break Board choice: Anything between a shortboard and longboard Hazards: Drop-ins, rocks Parking: Street parking along Highway 101.
Advanced San Diego Surf Spots
Windansea
Windansea is arguably San Diego’s most recognizable surf spot with its iconic shack and reputation for being one of the city’s more localized breaks. The spot is home to one of the city’s oldest surf communities, dating back to the early 1900s, and is the home of the Windansea Surf Club, first founded in the 1960s by surf pioneers Mike Hynson, Skip Frye, and others. The reef break works best on more powerful swells, which can create clean A-frame waves—fun rights and steeper lefts when the waves allow.
The reef can be a factor on lower tides, so it’s best to spread out like a starfish when you bail to avoid getting “cheese-grated.” On bigger days, the lineup can be filled with San Diego’s most talented surfers, including Joel and Tosh Tudor, Skip McCullough, and more, so watch who you’re dropping in on.
Ideal Swell Direction: NW, SW Break type: Reef break Board choice: Longboard or midlength for outside; shortboard or fish for the inside section Hazards: Reef, localism Parking: Street parking around Neptune Place and Nautilus Street.
Courtesy of Surfline
Trestles
While technically located on the edge of Orange County, Trestles is a world-class surf spot that every San Diego surfer should experience. Part of California surfing history, Trestles was the testing ground for SoCal’s innovative board builders in the ‘60s and a pillar of the World Surf League tour each year for good reason. This break is arguably the most dependable wave in California due to cobblestones that forge consistent waves that serve as canvases for surfers from nose-riders to high-performance shortboarders and everything in-between.
While it isn’t a treacherous spot, surfers are required to have an acute sense of surfing etiquette—knowing who has the right of way when five surfers have a paddle battle for the same wave; the ability to dodge a “yard sale” of boards, fins, and beginners effectively; and the ability to make the most of the coveted waves that finally come your way. Trestles has a break for everyone: Lowers is the star of the show (home to the WSL Finals) offering perfect, high-performance rights, Uppers offers slightly mellower but still rippable waves, Church gives fast, hollow rights, and Cottons serves up fun lefts for the folks that like riding anything from Takayama longboards to mid-lengths. The biggest hazard in the lineup is yourself—watch for cobblestones on exit, e-bike riders, and rattlesnakes on your way to SoCal’s greatest wave.
Ideal Swell Direction: SW, W, NW Break Type: Point break Board choice: Shortboard for Lowers, shortboard or midlength for Middles and Uppers, longboard for Cottons Hazards: Other surfers, cobblestones Parking: Street parking off the Cristianitos exit or at the San Onofre Bluffs Campground.
Photo Credit: Cole Novak
Blacks Beach
Blacks is San Diego’s premier big wave. Like a moat that surrounds a castle, you have to navigate 300-foot cliffs, big sets, and the occasional naked hippie before making it to the lineup. Blacks’ bathymetry attracts the biggest swells to hit San Diego due to its massive Scripps Canyon that plunges 1,000 feet deep across a mile of the beach. To get there, park at the Torrey Pines Gliderport, which can serve as overflow parking at UC San Diego during the school year, and make your way down one of Blacks’ trails to the beach.
The result is massive waves that funnel through this underwater canyon, providing the most hollow waves for San Diego’s top surfers. During the biggest swells, Blacks can reach upward of 20 feet and can be a torturous test of endurance for the most unhinged surfers. Besides massive waves in the winter, surfers need to watch out for falling cliffs (the last collapse happened in 2023 after a large rainfall), strong currents and the occasional great white sighting, thanks to the undisturbed Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve.
Ideal Swell Direction: W, NW, SW Break type: Beach break Board choice: Shortboard or gun when it’s big Hazards: Rip currents, canyon sets, occasional shark sightings Parking: Torrey Pines Gliderport
Cole Novak is an award-winning writer with a passion for highlighting local figures, small businesses, and nonprofits. Born and raised in San Diego, Cole is passionate about photography, surfing, art, the local food scene, and the great outdoors.
Golf Pro Tina Mickelson gives us an insider's look at Ely Callaway's restricted golf dreamland in Carlsbad
Courtesy of Ely Callaway Performance Center
By Tina Mickelson
“Come test something.”
Those are quite possibly my three favorite words in the English language—all due respect to “I love you” or the highly underrated “you were right.”
I’ve been a PGA Golf Professional since 1994, and yes, full bias disclosure, a Callaway Golf Ambassador for 18 years. One of the bonuses that comes with that combo is access to the Ely Callaway Performance Center—a place so exclusive it gives “velvet rope” vibes.
Originally opened in 2006 as a highly functional (yet not exactly breathtaking) test facility, the ECPC got a serious glow-up in 2018 when Gil Hanse (along with partner Geoff Shackelford) turned it into what can only be described as a fully engineered golf playground. Hanse is no stranger to golf course renovations. In 2024, he completed an extensive redesign of the Omni La Costa North Course in Carlsbad, so it could host the NCAA Division 1 Golf Championships. He also worked on acclaimed courses like Winged Foot, Merion Golf Club, and Oakmont Country Club.
In just two months, it went from a standard test center and R&D lab to a fully dialed-in golf playground.
Courtesy of Ely Callaway Performance Center
What was once purely practical is now intentionally designed to be both precise and inspiring. The targets are staggered with purpose—forcing creative shot-making while also calling you out on your actual distances (no more “that’s my 150-yard club … ish”).
Add a massive hitting area, bunkers and greens that mimic real on-course conditions, a “Himalayas” putting green (named for its roller-coaster undulations), an upgraded indoor putting lab, and a 120-decibel sound system blasting a very golf-appropriate playlist, and suddenly it’s a rare blend of high-performance testing facility and “don’t mind if I stay here all day” energy. Since this isn’t exactly open to the public, SDM asked me to take you behind the curtain.
As the iron gates part, it feels less like arriving at a practice facility and more like being granted backstage access at a rock concert—if the bandmembers were made entirely of launch monitors and perfectly manicured turf.
There are no mats. No guessing. No “I think that one felt good?” Just conditions that mirror exactly what tour players see in competition. Because when you’re testing equipment at this level, accuracy isn’t a bonus—it’s the whole point.
Even the sand matters. Different textures. Different densities. Because bunkers have personalities, too, and they are often unfriendly. And the golf balls? Brand. New. Not the usual “these have seen some things” range balls. New balls mean consistent spin, truer trajectory, and no surprises. The older a golf ball gets—and the more it’s been baked in the sun, scuffed, or generally lived a full and complicated life—the less reliable it becomes. Think of it like this: fresh ball, predictable performance; old range ball, slight chaos with a side of mystery.
I’m escorted to my personal hitting bay—basically a pop-up shaded oasis stocked with enough equipment to make a gear junkie weak in the knees. Shafts in every weight and profile imaginable. Heads lined up like they’re waiting to be drafted by their favorite team.
Courtesy of Ely Callaway Performance Center
Toptracer technology was patiently waiting to track every one of my swings, each shot instantly delivering ball speed, launch, spin, carry distance, and dispersion (a polite way of saying consistency, or lack thereof), so there’s no guessing—just data telling the truth, whether I like it or not.
We start with irons. Different heads, different feels, different results. When I miss a shot, the ball tends to leak right, so we check lie angle. A quick adjustment—2 degrees upright—and suddenly the clubface is consistently square at impact like it remembered its job. Effort level: down. Ball flight: improved. Confidence: creeping back.
Next we look at the different shaft options—because nothing says “fun afternoon” like realizing a higher kick point can change your entire golf identity. Shaft flex (how much the shaft bends during your swing) helps determine whether you get more height and distance or more control, while kick point (where the shaft bends the most) influences your ball flight—lower kick point for higher launch, higher kick point for a flatter, more penetrating shot. In other words, one small tweak and suddenly you’re hitting shots you’d normally only describe later, slightly exaggerated, over a glass of wine.
Then we move through the bag: hybrids, fairway woods, drivers, wedges. It’s a full rotation of “try this,” “now try this,” and “okay wait … THAT one.”
And yes—the new Quantum driver and fairway woods made an appearance. Without getting too deep in the weeds, they’re faster, more forgiving, and smarter (thanks to AI face mapping) than previous models. Translation: Even your mishits are now slightly less embarrassing. And they were not the only things getting tested. My patience was under attack because the driver and woods would not be available to the public for a good three months.
Courtesy of Ely Callaway Performance Center
Watching the fitting team work is like watching a Formula 1 pit crew. Clubs are swapped in seconds. Shafts tightened, adjusted, replaced. One minute you’re swinging something that seems “fine,” and the next, you’re holding a club that feels like it is a part of your DNA.
Then there’s the putter fitting. Drivers are physics. Putters are therapy. Inside the putting lab, sensors track everything—tempo, face angle, path—things you didn’t even know could be measured. Within minutes, my data politely informs me that my putter face is slightly closed at impact. Not shocking, but also not ideal.
A few quick adjustments—different head (with a bit more weight at the toe to discourage the face swinging closed at impact), shorter shaft (so I feel more over the ball, which helps my eyeline)—and suddenly the ball starts rolling exactly where I’m aimed.
Same stroke. Same golfer. Completely different outcome. If only the rest of life worked like that.
And then there’s the part that feels slightly classified. The ECPC isn’t “just” a performance center—it’s also where future equipment lives before the public even knows it exists. I’ve been there when certain clubs were basically under surveillance. Not “don’t touch,” but more “please keep phones in your pocket.”
It’s golf’s version of Area 51. Except instead of aliens, it’s drivers that won’t hit shelves for another year—and like I mentioned, waiting is not my strong suit.
Getting to test the newest equipment isn’t just a perk—it’s part of the job. It’s what allows me to stand in front of students and say, “I’ve tried it. I know what works and what doesn’t. And more importantly, I know why.” And if I happen to sprint to my car every time the phone rings and someone says, “Come test something” … well, that’s just professional courtesy.
Callaway isn’t the only place to get your swing analyzed and clubs fitted. You can stroll into big retail spots like The Golf Mart or Golf Galaxy, book a next-level session at a dedicated studio like Club Champion or True Spec Golf, test brand-specific gear at various manufacturing companies (many located in Carlsbad), or even combine a lesson and a fitting at GOLFTEC. And let’s not forget your local golf course, where fittings happen on actual turf, on a driving range you have some history with—many times with the golf professional who is familiar with your swing so they can give you valuable input. With this many options, there’s really no excuse, other than pride, to keep blaming your clubs.
Arts District Liberty Station officially became one of the state’s designated cultural districts, joining a list reserved for places with thriving creative communities. Considering the campus is home to more than 100 galleries, artist studios, museums, and arts organizations—not to mention The Joan, the 42,000-square-foot performance center housing Cygnet Theatre—it was only a matter of time until the district got its flowers.
Best Deterrent of Public Vandalism
Vision Culture Foundation
If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em. The National City Public Works building has been a target of graffiti artists for years, only to be constantly painted over (and the cycle restarts). Now, it’s working with the local artists from Vision Culture Foundation to create intentional public murals. A win-win in our book.
One of the biggest questions this year is who will show up for San Diego arts and culture—so a Best Of nod goes to a nonprofit that’s been doing it for years. Founded by longtime arts advocate Susanna Peredo Swap, Vanguard Culture has staged events for creatives, told their stories, and just created an SD ARTS Pass—a single ticket that gets you access to 39 creative spots.
Photo credit: Carly Topazio
Best Way to Overcome Your Fear of Ghosts
The Rosin Box Project
Ballet’s already got a sort of otherworldly thing going for it, with people morphing into 90-degree angles and defying gravity with each pirouette. The Rosin Box Project feels like a raw, creative new force in the classic art form, though—especially with its annual Ghost Light Masquerade. It’s a dance of eerie spirits that makes you second-guess what’s real and what’s not.
Best Music Venue That Also Sells Hot Dogs
Gallagher Square
Once upon a time, Gallagher Square was just a grassy knoll behind the outfield wall at Petco Park. Now, it’s a concert venue, playground, play ball field, dog park, and unofficial home for those who prefer the vibe of baseball more than the actual game. Big-time performers are showing up: Ms. Lauryn Hill, Cypress Hill, and Peach Pit.
Best Local Canvas
Casa Casillas
Casa Casillas has filled a long-standing gap in Chula Vista’s art scene. Open since last August, the space gives local artists a dedicated venue to display their work and visitors a chance to explore the neighborhood’s vibrant art. Two rotating resident artists always keep the space moving, so it rarely looks the same twice.
Courtesy of Alley Cat Art Fest
Best Place to Say “I Think It’s About Capitalism”
Alley Cat Art Fest
El Cajon translates to “the box” in Spanish—a nod to the city’s surrounding hills—but Alley Cat Art Fest (previously called Artivál) doesn’t stay inside it. As the first arts festival in East County, it celebrates local galleries, sculpture, live music, and food trucks—the whole nine.
Best On-Two-Feet Art Tour
Barrio Art Crawl
Every second Saturday, Barrio Logan turns into a choose-your-own-adventure with the Barrio Art Crawl, a free self-guided art tour through galleries, museums, and murals, with street food and music filling in the gaps. Barrio is one of the city’s most thriving arts neighborhoods, and it’s worth getting a bit lost in.
Leave it to The Old Globe to give the local theater scene some Hollywood glamour. Katie Holmes led the premiere of Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler this past spring, turning the classic Norwegian play into one of the most buzzed-about theater productions of the year.
August is San Diego at full volume. Summer crowds are still chasing sunshine, but the calendar belongs to locals who know this is when the city really shows off. One night you’re dancing under the stars, the next you’re watching thoroughbreds with a plate of oysters in hand, catching Broadway hits, wandering gallery exhibitions, or rallying on a downtown pickleball court. Whether you’re looking for live music, festivals, theater, food, or an excuse to spend as little time indoors as possible, these are the August events worth putting on your calendar.
On the heels of Cross Pollination II’s release, house musician Lane 8 will co-headline FNGRS CRSSD x Cross Pollination, a day of back-to-back grooves at Waterfront Park.
Cross coasts at the Civic Theatre for a jukebox musical rooted in family, coming of age, and blossoming talent in Alicia Keys’ Hell’s Kitchen, inspired by the 16-Grammy Award-winning singer’s NYC upbringing.
August 23
Jeff Goldblum is a classic man. In his show at The Rady Shell, Goldblum will accentuate his old-school charm with his Mildred Snitzer Orchestra and the San Diego Symphony Orchestra.
Photo Credit: Aaron Rumley
Theater & Art Exhibits in San Diego This Month
August 1–October 10
Explore gallery walls lined with artwork juried by acclaimed artist Paul Mpagi Sepuya and chosen by the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library for its esteemed 34th Annual Juried Exhibition.
August 7
As you already know, we adore San Diego. That’s why we’re assembling the city’s crème de la crème—including over 90 curated vendors—in Liberty Station for our annual Best of San Diego Party, presented by Pechanga Resort & Casino.
Helado Negro and Reyna Tropical each specialize in bilingual music, songs overflowing with proud markers of Latinx identity. Hear the ear-tingling transmissions from their collaborative LP at Epstein Family Amphitheater.
August 16
Country music superstars, proud Georgians, and close pals Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan are doubling down on their summertime stadium tour with a boot-stomping concert at Petco Park.
August 27–September 6
The one-woman play Eleanor—told via the eloquent perspective of Eleanor Roosevelt—will make a limited return to the North Coast Repertory Theatre.
More Fun Things to Do in San Diego This Month
Now Through September 3
For six straight Thursdays, downtown’s Fifth Avenue will shut down and become the city’s first-ever street-style pickleball event. Bring a paddle and enjoy DJs, a wellness market, and zero-proof drinks at Gaslamp Urban Pickleball.
August 8
Del Mar Thoroughbred Club’s newest foodie event, the buttery Turf & Surf Festival, offers a luxurious combo of land and sea, built for watching trackside with a loaded plate in hand.
August 22
For the first time since 2019, the free Chula Vista HarborFest will hit the shores of Bayside Park with a classic car expo, lucha libre showdowns, and the chance to meet a mermaid.
August 29
Celebrate the seven decades (and counting) spent upholding Point Loma’s coastal landmark during Cabrillo Under the Stars, a 21-plus fundraiser with bites, Beatles covers, and, best of all, twinkling lights.
Ryan Hardison is a freelance arts and entertainment writer and recent graduate of San Diego State. When he's not staring at his laptop, he's likely eating an adobada burrito or getting sunburnt at the beach.
Kelly H. Harfouche, founder of KQ Aesthetic Society, knows firsthand that cosmetic treatments like fillers, neurotoxins, and microneedling, can not only enhance a person’s appearance and restore confidence, they have the power to truly change a person’s life. An expert injector has the ability to tailor treatments to each individual patient’s anatomy and goals for personalized results. Harfouche, a board-certified nurse practitioner, has spent nearly a decade perfecting her craft as an aesthetic injector and integrating her multifaceted artistic skills with precision patient care. Her commitment to continual education and training, plus a passion for helping people look—and feel—their best, set KQ Aesthetic Society apart in a sea of local medspas.
For many people considering nonsurgical treatments, the intent is to look refreshed and refined. KQ Aesthetic Society’s philosophy eschews a cookie cutter approach that bases treatments around units, instead working to understand each person’s unique goals, then curating a treatment plan to fit that vision. Harfouche focuses on “inclusive luxury,” the belief that everyone deserves access to aesthetic treatments, respective of budget restrictions. She develops long-standing trusted relationships with her patients, and works with each one to achieve their aesthetic objectives and address the underlying causes of their concerns.
“For me, forming an honest and open relationship with every patient who walks through the door is essential. This means understanding them on a deeper level and meeting them where they are to define and achieve their individual goals,” she says.
Drawing on her artistic background, which inspired her transition into medical aesthetics, Harfouche sees each client as a “unique canvas.” Rather than relying on standardized procedures, the practitioner’s distinctive approach combines her profound understanding of the physiological and anatomical changes associated with aging with an unwavering commitment to ongoing education about the newest products and their mechanisms of action. Her goal is to make each patient feel beautiful in their own skin and to embrace their individuality.
She has also pioneered a way to combine her talent for aesthetic artistry with her philanthropic nature. Harfouche is one of only a handful of providers using dermal fillers to treat patients with lip asymmetry and scarring resulting from cleft lip surgery. Patients travel from around the country for this transformative treatment, noting increased confidence and a restored identity. She hopes to eventually launch a training program to help fill the void in this space.
“My passion has always been connecting with people and giving back in any capacity that I can,” she says. In the rapidly advancing landscape of aesthetic medicine, you can place your confidence in Harfouche and KQ Aesthetic Society to deliver exceptional care. To learn more or book a consultation, please visit kqaestheticsociety.com.
San Diego has always worshipped at the altar of good skin. Equal parts surf town, biotech hub, and wellness capital, it’s a city where lunch breaks become beach walks and sunscreen sits beside car keys by the front door. The products that get used here earn their place. With 266 sunny days a year and one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the country, we take skincare seriously. Dr. Bronner’s has been making soap in North County since the 1960s. Sun Bum was born in Encinitas and is now on shelves in over 70 countries. The tradition runs deep.
“Living in San Diego means your skin is exposed to sun almost every day of the year,” says Sue Zhang, M.D., a San Diego physician specializing in aesthetic medicine. “The products that tend to succeed here are the ones that can keep up with daily life, UV exposure, sweat, and movement, while still supporting long-term skin health.”
From a mineral powder that solves the sunscreen-over-makeup problem to an acorn oil serum rooted in Indigenous plant medicine, the local San Diego shelf is more diverse, and comprehensive, than most of us realize.
Courtesy of Kopari
Kopari
Sun Shield Body Glow SPF
A hydrating gel-oil hybrid that applies like a body treatment and leaves skin with a sheen that reads as healthy rather than oily. La Jolla–founded Kopari built its reputation on cold-pressed coconut oil sourced from family farms in the Philippines, and the Sun Shield Body Glow SPF is exactly that in summer form: coverage that doubles as skincare.
4-Skin
Morning Rub
The name is intentional. The founder got a basal cell carcinoma diagnosis that his dermatologist caught—she’s now his business partner. The question he couldn’t shake was why the skincare industry hadn’t yet figured out how to talk to men, and 4-Skin is the answer: a premium sunscreen and skincare line built around the kind of blunt, self-aware humor that gets guys to pay attention. Men’s skincare has needed this for a long time, and the formulas are serious enough to deliver.
Courtesy of Coola
Coola
Classic Face Sunscreen SPF 50
Carlsbad-based Coola was formulating organic SPF before “clean sunscreen” was a marketing category, and the Classic Face Sunscreen is the brand’s thesis: protection that disappears into skin and layers cleanly under makeup. Sheer and lightly hydrating, it makes sunscreen easy to reapply before an afternoon walk at Torrey Pines.
Saffron and Sage
Glow Finishing Oil
Squalane, argan, jojoba, and CoQ10: a short ingredient list that does a lot. The Glow Finishing Oil from Mission Hills wellness sanctuary Saffron and Sage is plant-based, scientifically grounded, and formulated to absorb rather than sit on the skin. The brand started as an integrative health practice where acupuncture, naturopathic care, and functional medicine share a roof, and the skincare line runs on the same philosophy.
Courtesy of Alastin
Alastin
Restorative Skin Complex with TriHex+
The Restorative Skin Complex is powered by TriHex+, a patented peptide blend developed by Carlsbad-based Alastin’s team of SkinMedica veterans. It promises to clear out damaged collagen and elastin while supporting new production, the kind of gradual improvement that makes a product hard to quit.
Beldi is a multi-functional cleansing tradition rooted in Moroccan hammam culture, dating back over 12 centuries. Alia Jouj is the brand’s flagship product, and San Diego–based founder Dr. Mia Chae Reddy built a brand around it. Alia Jouj uses 100 percent organic, cold-pressed argan oil and the same ancient saponification method to produce a honey-thick liquid cleanser that softens skin without stripping it.
Courtesy of N8iV Beauty
N8iV Beauty
Móyla Moon Polish
Acorn oil has been used by California’s Indigenous communities as plant medicine for generations. Ruth-Ann Thorn, an enrolled member of the Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians, built N8iV around it as the first Native American–owned skincare brand to reach the national mainstream. The Móyla Moon Polish, named for the Luiseño word for moon, is an exfoliant centered on acorn oil Thorn gathers herself each year from the La Jolla reservation. Find it at the Gaslamp Quarter store Thorn owns at the historic Yuma Building.
Courtesy of Colorescience
Colorescience
Sunforgettable Total Protection Brush-On Shield SPF 50
This product solved the reapplication problem. As a brush applicator, this mineral SPF goes over makeup without disturbing it, which is why it has been on derm-office retail shelves in Carlsbad and beyond for over two decades. The tinted version doubles as foundation.
Courtesy of Tubby Todd
Tubby Todd
All Over Ointment
This steroid-free, petroleum-free eczema treatment was built specifically for babies and toddlers (although grown-ups can use it, too). It’s centered on FDA-approved 1 percent colloidal oatmeal with a base of sunflower seed oil, beeswax, and jojoba. The “linoleic-acid-rich sunflower oil is helpful for atopic, eczema-prone skin that is often deficient in that fatty acid,” says Dr. Zhang. Gentle enough for newborns, safe for daily use, and tested by both pediatricians and dermatologists.
Korej
The Mandelic Night Serum
The Mandelic Night Serum pairs mandelic acid, an AHA derived from almonds and gentler than glycolic acid on sensitive skin, with lactic acid, niacinamide, and urea to brighten, smooth texture, and reduce breakouts overnight. Fragrance-free, vegan, cruelty-free. The brand name is the initials of the founder’s five daughters, pronounced like courage. Dr. Zhang also says she “really value[s] [the founder’s] mission to create pregnancy-safe skincare products that are both effective and wallet-friendly.”
Ingrid Yang, M.D., J.D. is a hospital-based physician in San Diego, CA, certified yoga therapist, and longevity specialist. She loves *double hearts* San Diego and spends her days helping people fully engage in long, healthy lives through evidence-based lifestyle medicine. Her books include Adaptive Yoga, Zen Mindfulness, and Hatha Yoga Asanas. When she’s not leading international wellness retreats, she is chasing sunsets, handstanding in nature, or geeking out over mitochondria.
How Scrojo Became One of Rock’s Most Prolific Poster Artists
The San Diego designer has created more than 3,000 concert posters over nearly 40 years for artists including the Rolling Stones and the Red Hot Chili Peppers
When he was in high school, he and his friends were trying to come up with the perfect name for their punk band that would encapsulate all their personas. Nicaragua. The Freds.
One of his friends said he was going to go by Jimmy Stacks and called it “the perfect rock and roll name.” Their names changed so much that Haskett erupted: “Fine, I’m f—ing Scrotum Joe, the true defender of the Open West.”
Their response: Wow, that’s a great name.
As a teenager, he drew chalkboards for Del Mar’s Pannikin coffee shop and would design T-shirts for surf/skate brand Life’s a Beach. He signed the shirts with his moniker, but even in punk rebellion, who wants a shirt with the words Scrotum Joe on it? “They just cut out the ‘t-u-m,’ and the next thing you know, a client referred to me as that, and it stuck,” he says.
Courtesy of Scrojo
Scrojo could have been part of a band as iconic as The Misfits—had he been able to learn the famously cumbersome bassline to The Kingsmen’s “Louie Louie.” Becoming one of the most renowned concert poster designers—someone who quite literally designed the cover of Art of Modern Rock: The Poster Explosion—is a pretty good Plan B.
“To my knowledge, he’s done more rock posters than anybody else alive,” says Dennis King, whose D. King Gallery in Berkeley, California, serves as one of the largest private rock poster collections in the world. “He’s the hardest-working guy in the poster business.”
King not only co-authored the sequel to music historian Paul Grushkin’s The Art of Rock, but he also handles distribution and sales for all of Scrojo’s work. That’s more than 3,000 different posters over nearly 40 years. (That’s over one poster each week. For four decades straight.)
For anything from boxing matches to rodeos, posters have long been used as promotional items. Toulouse-Lautrec’s famous lithographs advertised Moulin Rouge in the late 1800s. Around the same time, Hatch Show Print in Nashville was making handbills for the Grand Ole Opry.
“I propose this: Cave paintings are the first poster art,” Scrojo says.
Courtesy of Scrojo
Rock and roll posters took off in the 1960s, when the hippie counterculture era replaced conformity and suburbia. Artists like Jimi Hendrix and the Grateful Dead used their vibrant, psychedelic prints as a form of rebellion from the mainstream. Posters were promotional, commemorative, collectible, and especially expressive.
If the name Scrojo is any indication, he doesn’t shy away from imagery that toes the line of being too provocative. He focused more on what inspired him instead of trying to be offensive for the sake of getting attention.
“Didn’t want to show it to my grandmother, but my parents were fine with it,” Scrojo says with a laugh.
“We’ve had to ask him to put a Band-Aid over a nipple every now and then,” says Chris Goldsmith, president of Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach, where Scrojo started out and hundreds of his posters currently line the walls.
Scrojo spent six weeks at Otis College of Art and Design for a summer semester before drugs, alcohol, and a self-described lack of discipline prevented him from enrolling full time. Still, he taught himself concepts like text hierarchy and later found his niche at the Belly Up and in the surfing and skating world, working with brands like Quiksilver, Rip Curl, Scorpion Bay, and DGK.
His first concert poster was for North County band Borracho y Loco, of which Goldsmith was bass guitarist. Scrojo drew an abstract version of the Belly Up’s iconic shark with colorful calypso and tiki themes.
Early on, he would craft using a pencil, pen, non-reproduction blue pencil, X-Acto knife, rubber knife, and proportion scale to create each poster, and the finished product could take a week or even longer.
Courtesy of Scrojo
“I recommend every artist coming up to do that for like six weeks,” Scrojo says. “It forces you to think about every design decision as you’re going along.”
He has since mastered vector imagery through Adobe Illustrator to the point where, depending on the level of detail needed, he could finish two projects in a day. Still, he fills sketchbook after sketchbook to blueprint.
“I liked his line in particular, and he knows how to draw, which a lot of people don’t really know how to do these days,” King says.
Scrojo would research what each musician’s merchandise looks like to get a feel for each artist’s tone and voice. Once he has his central image in mind, he focuses on what and where to place the text.
He doesn’t have one specific style, ranging his talents from art deco to psychedelic and everything in between (and outside the lines). Want a pop surrealist comic book cartoon devil with splattered paint textures, halftone dot patterns, and pure chaos? Red Hot Chili Peppers, February 1986. Want a minimalist graphic portrait with bold strokes and graffiti text? P!nk, October 2023. Want a carnival sideshow style piece with a tasteful caricature of Jeff Bridges? The Big Lebowski, August 2011.
Scrojo calls himself a jack of all trades because he can create posters for all music genres. King calls him a chameleon for his ability to adapt his voice to new eras.
Courtesy of Scrojo
“The variety of his skillset makes it possible for us to put 50 of his posters on a wall next to each other and have it look compelling, not just a bunch of the same thing over and over,” Goldsmith says.
Some of Scrojo’s favorite posters are when he feels a personal connection to the artist or the album. He has a vivid memory as a child of being trapped in a closet filled with marijuana leaves while playing hide and seek and staring at Jimmy Cliff’s “The Harder They Come” LP. “For whatever reason, as a kid, that sparked a desire to do graphic design,” Scrojo says.
Fast forward to February 2012, Cliff is performing at Belly Up. Scrojo decided to modify Cliff’s original album cover from rainbow gradient fills to classic reggae psychedelia while preserving Cliff’s striped pants and bold hat. Cliff’s manager called him and said they wanted to use it for the rest of their tour.
“We always get artists requesting that he does their posters,” Goldsmith says. “A lot of artists don’t want venues to go all rogue because they want to control how they’re being presented. With him, they’re like, ‘Let him go nuts.’”
Matt Eisenberg is an award-winning writer and photographer based in San Diego. A former ESPN editor, his work has also been published by CNN, Bleacher Report and the New York Daily News.
AVRP Studios’ tradition for Design Excellence and Innovation began in 1976 with Doug Austin, FAIA, in Solana Beach, California. The firm has since grown to complete major projects throughout the United States and Canada. We think of ourselves as a family and we care deeply about people. We want to inspire, help make their lives richer and more complete through our efforts. We believe that architecture is one of the most important art forms because of the impact it can have on the lives of those it touches. We’re delighted to have been recognized with over 150 awards for design excellence.
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