The second-largest county in California, Orange County sprawls across nearly 1,000 square miles, but it's the 40 miles of coastline that really define the landscape. Between the hype, crowds and pros, the OC is home to the three biggest surf contests on the U.S. mainland, and it could be argued that this is the most influential county in surfing. A trip to the OC might not equate to a pilgrimage to Bali or Hawaii, but it's closer, cheaper and has just as many ways to score. Happy hunting. (Kenworthy, Servais/A-Frame)

Seal Beach
Straddling the Los Angeles/Orange County border, Seal Beach is often overlooked. With Long Beach and Los Angeles to the north and Huntington and Newport to the south, Seal Beach has evolved into a quintessential California surf town. "It's an interesting town with a lot of history," said Robert Howson, owner of Harbour Surfboards. Howson should know -- Harbour is the oldest operating surf shop in California. "Some of the first guys to surf Waimea were from Seal Beach." Both winter and summer offer great waves, either next to the municipal pier or at the mouth of the San Gabriel River. (Spooky Whisper)

U.S. Open of Surfing
Each summer, Huntington Beach is home to the world's biggest surf contest -- last year more than 500,000 people attended the final day of the U.S. Open. "The scene was incredible," said Bob Hurley, who grew up here and whose eponymous company is the current title sponsor of the event. "To see this many people come to watch surfing, it really speaks to the popularity of the sport." It's complete madness, with huge skateboard and BMX contests held right on the sand alongside the surf event. Still, now that Hurley's blessed the Open with the largest prize purse in surfing, it's returned to its roots as a title everyone -- from veterans like Rob Machado (right) to World Tour rookies like Brett Simpson (left) -- wants to take a shot at. Tune in this year from July 31 to Aug. 8. (Jason Kenworthy)

Jack's Surf Shop and Huntington Surf and Sport
If Orange County is the heart of the American surf industry, Huntington's Main Street, specifically Jack's and HSS, is its showroom. Within the two iconic mega-shops, surfing consumers can find anything they're looking for. Together the stores possess more floor space than all the other shops in town combined, and for a budding brand hoping to make it, nothing means more than getting some rack space in either of them. (Spooky Whisper)

Huntington Beach
Thanks to crowds like those that pack the Open, Huntington gets a bad rap as being a bit of a zoo and somewhat of a surf ghetto. But when the summertime crowds leave and Surf City is left to the locals, it can be magic: miles of wide-open beach break, consistent Santa Ana winds blowing offshore throughout the autumn and a combination of northwest and southwest swells peaking across the sandbars. For those that live there, this is the real Huntington. (Sardelis/A-Frame)

Newport Beach
Dubbed "the hottest 100 yards" by Surfer magazine in the early '80s, Newport Beach has always been the center of progression for Orange County surfing. In the mid-'80s -- known as the Echo Beach era -- a young Danny Kwock, Bob McKnight and Quiksilver crew made their neon-afflicted mark on the sport. Then came Richie Collins and a more radical, aerial-inspired crew in the early-'90s. Richard Woolcott and Troy Eckert got in the mix when they started Volcom there, and today it's companies like RVCA that are setting the trends. Obviously the waves have had a lot to do with it, as have quality eateries like the famed Big Belly Deli, located right on the corner of PCH and Cedar Street. (Whisper, Ruddy/A-Frame)
The Wedge
If it's a good pummeling you're looking for, head down to the Newport Harbor and the infamous Wedge. As massive south swells pound the harbor jetty, refraction energy creates the Wedge's wave, causing it to increase in size, sometimes pushing 25 to 30 feet. Primarily ridden by bodysurfers and bodyboarders, stand-up surfers are increasingly braving the drop. "When I shot this, it wasn't even an all-time day," photographer Tom Servais said. "Don't get me wrong -- it's big, and there were some frightening moments, but it'll blow your mind what the Wedge is capable of." (Servais/A-Frame)

Laguna Beach
Chances are, if you don't live in Laguna Beach, you'll never see how good it really gets. "It's fickle," local pro Jon Rose said. "You have to be on it. You have to understand the tides and swell angles and those intricate changes in conditions if you want to have a chance." And, as he points out, living here ain't cheap. A former artist colony that's become high-end real estate, the town is sprinkled with reefs and beaches that have the potential to light up when conditions are just right. Most of them like a south swell, but there are nooks and crannies that take west swells, too. Shops like Thalia Street ensure Laguna's down-to-earth vibe remains. (Winer/A-Frame, Whisper)

Salt Creek
"The Creek" is where the bros go. Originally made famous by former Surfing magazine photo editor Larry "Flame" Moore, Salt Creek continues to produce talent behind the lens and in front of it. Shooters like Jason Kenworthy and Pat Stacy as well as style masters like Donavon Frankenreiter and Pat O'Connell all got their start in these waters, just north of Dana Point. "I've shot everyone from Andy Irons to Cory Lopez down there," Kenworthy said. "When it's on, the light and water color are amazing. They make for great photos." With a forgiving left breaking off the point and a series of peaks up and down the beach, there's something for everyone. (Jason Kenworthy)

Doheny State Beach
The cradle of surf civilization in Orange County, what Doheny State Beach lacks in size and power, it more than makes up for in history and nostalgia. Sandwiched between Dana Point and San Clemente, it's where early board builders like Dale Velzy, Hobie Alter and Phil Edwards established themselves, essentially laying the foundation for the board-building industry as we know it. Today, Doheny is part of the California State Park system and home to a host of unique events, including Mickey Muñoz's Mongoose Cup and the renowned Doheny Blues Festival. (Jason Kenworthy)

San Clemente
"It might be the most successful surf town in California, in terms of churning out World Tour-level talent," San Clemente lifer Dino Andino said. Over the years, the southerly OC town has served as the spawning ground for professionals. In the '80s, it was Christian Fletcher and Matt Archbold who took to the skies and revolutionized high-performance surfing. By the '90s, Shane Beschen had emerged as Kelly Slater's biggest rival. Today the brothers Gudauskas are on the world tour, while a young Kolohe Andino is redefining what it means to be a grom in America. While all this success is well and good, it's also translated into an incredible talent level in the waters around town, as local kid Riley Metcalf demonstrates. (Jason Kenworthy)

Trestles
If Kelly Slater, Taj Burrow and Dane Reynolds all think this is the highest-performance wave in the world, who are we to argue? Technically located in San Diego County, Trestles is less than a click south of San Clemente and considered by South-OC surfers to be their backyard. From hot dog waves like Uppers and Lowers to mellow, cruisey spots like Middles and Church, there are nearly a dozen spots around Trestles, and Lowers is the site of two of the three biggest surf contests in the mainland U.S. -- the ASP PRIME Nike 6.0 Lowers Pro and the World Tour Hurley Pro. Part of the San Mateo and San Onofre State Parks, this is the closest thing California has to a surfing preserve, which was proven when the Surfrider Foundation and a huge contingency of California surfers lobbied against a prospective toll road that threatened the beach last year. (Jason Kenworthy)

an ESPN article