The 9 Beaches with the Biggest Waves in America

Mavericks Beach, Half Moon Bay, California

At Mavericks beach in Half Moon Bay, Northern California, the waves can get really huge, up to 26 feet tall! This makes it a great spot for surfers who love riding big waves. During winter, the waves are even bigger.

Teahupoo, Tahiti

Teahupoo is a really beautiful and exciting place that attracts people from all over the world. It's famous for its huge waves, some as tall as 23 feet! That's like a two-story building!

Playa Tamarindo, Costa Rica

In Costa Rica, there are lots of cool animals and awesome beaches for surfing. Playa Tamarindo, also known as Tamarindo beach, is one of the best spots to catch some thrilling waves.

Punta De Lobos, Chile

If you go to Punta De Lobos, a faraway place, you'll see really big waves and pretty views. This beach in South America always has waves that go to the left and can be as tall as 19 feet (6 meters). They can stretch for a long way, too.

Waimea Bay, North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii

Hawaii has lots of water and strong winds. Surfing there is really fun, especially at Waimea Bay. It's famous for big waves, some as tall as 29 feet! These waves are tough to ride, even for expert surfers.

Cortes Bank, California

Cortes Bank, a place near San Diego, is famous for its huge waves. Some waves there can be taller than a six-story building! In 1990, people saw waves as high as a nine-story building!

Jaws, Maui

Jaws, also called Pe ahi, is a super popular place for surfing huge waves. Waves there can get taller than a 5-story building! Many top surfers love to go there, and there are cool surf competitions too.

Praia Do Norte, Nazaré, Portugal

Praia De Norte, also known as North beach, is famous in the surfing world. It's in Nazare, Portugal, and it's the top spot for big wave surfing. It holds the record for the biggest waves ever surfed, according to Guinness World Records.

Chicama, Peru

Head to a quiet little town called Chicama in Northern Peru, and you'll discover something amazing: the longest wave for surfing in the whole wide world! This wave isn't super tall, but it stretches really, really far.