Surfing Waves

Hi! I'm 25 and moving to Orlando in the next two months or so.
Coming from New Jersey so definitely leaving my hooded suit up here but wondering if I'll ever need my 4/3?

How's the distance from Orlando to the shore/which beach is less touristy? (if there's even an answer)

How's the etiquette? Coming from a place where it's not the greatest lol.

Any other info is super helpful, I don't know anyone who surfs there so if anyone here does, hi!!


Side note, but moving with a 77 vw westfalia with no roof rack rails and a pop top.. wondering if anyone has roof rack install suggestions!
Thanks y'all

I used to have a VW camper poptop and it came with a net across the top of the bed area which fit a surfboard or two pretty nicely though it was an earlier model than yours. No answers for you but welcome to the forum.

I was thinking of installing one like that if I wasn't able to figure out the roof rack (probably also way less expensive). Thanks so much!

I went to Orlando for a disney trip and I drove all the way to Cocoa beach. The day I got there was super good and clean. I'm the few that could actually surf so the other surfers were really nice. I went there in Thanksgiving and it wasn't crowded at all.

No idea if you need a 4/3. I think I went in without a wetsuit as I wasn't expecting to get any surf.

That's so good to hear, thank you so much for your reply! It definitely helps.

I used to surf around Melbourne Beach, Sebastian and Palm Beach a long time ago. Its probably a lot more crowded nowadays.. but back then we just had a 3/2 springsuit and the temps were fine. But some of the locals would have fullsuits and hood.. so you might want that option if you get acclimated to it for awhile.
Oh the other thing is that the warm water of the gulf stream curves out to see pretty abruptly.. somewhere between Palm Beach and Sebastian Inlet i think. Same for winter cold fronts.. most dont make it past central Florida. So there can be a big difference in temps depending on how far you travel.
Sounds like fun! Hope you have a great time there!

That's really helpful, thank you so much for your response! I'm very excited and appreciate all of the good energy

Gopher it!

You likely won't need your 4/3 wetsuit; a spring suit or boardshorts should suffice most of the year. Moving from NY to Florida, Orlando is about an hour from Cocoa Beach, known for good waves and a relaxed vibe. New Smyrna Beach is also a great, less touristy spot. Surf etiquette here is pretty friendly, just be respectful in the lineup.

For your VW Westfalia, look into custom roof racks or local surf shops for installation advice.

Malayah wrote:

You likely won't need your 4/3 wetsuit; a spring suit or boardshorts should suffice most of the year. Moving from NY to Florida, Orlando is about an hour from Cocoa Beach, known for good waves and a relaxed vibe. New Smyrna Beach is also a great, less touristy spot. Surf etiquette here is pretty friendly, just be respectful in the lineup.

For your VW Westfalia, look into custom roof racks or local surf shops for installation advice.

Did you realise the OP poster did his move 3 years ago