Surf Ride Surf Shop
South Oceanside has always carried a certain grit softened by salt air. Long before the city polished its edges, this stretch of Coast Highway was home to working-class families, roadside diners, and a raw, unfiltered surf culture. Dawn patrol meant empty streets, headlights cutting through marine layer, and surfers heading toward the jetties, Buccaneer Beach, or Oceanside Pier before the town stirred awake. Here, surfing wasn’t a pastime—it was an identity, baked into the rhythm of life.
Surf Ride Since 1974
It was in this atmosphere that Surf Ride Surf Shop opened its doors in 1974. Founded by the Bernard family, Surf Ride quickly became more than a retailer—it was a hub for the community. Surfers came in not just to buy gear but to connect, to swap stories about yesterday’s session or argue over the best sandbar. Over the decades, Surf Ride earned its reputation as one of Southern California’s most respected surf shops, known for its massive board selection, authentic roots, and ability to evolve without losing sight of what matters: the surfer’s experience.
The South O location, with its iconic murals and glow under streetlights, has long been a landmark on the Highway 101 surf corridor. Its walls echo with decades of surf films, posters of legends, and generations of locals buying their first board. SurfRide has managed to stay both timeless and current, balancing soul with progression—a rare feat in a surf industry often swept up by hype.
Standing in front of Surf Ride at dawn, you can feel half a century of surf history stitched into the quiet streets. It is a waypoint, a cultural compass, and a reminder that the best surf shops are not simply about equipment—they are about community, story, and continuity. South Oceanside may have changed over the years, but SurfRide remains a beacon, outfitting generations for the sacred ritual of paddling out at first light.
In South O, dawn still belongs to the surfers. And SurfRide continues to hold the line—equal parts shop, gathering place, and keeper of the coast’s surfing soul.
Surf Ride Surf Shop
1909 S Coast Hwy, Oceanside, CA 92054
