The History of Surfing in Florida
When you hear the word “surfing,” you probably picture the beaches of places like Southern California. Chances are Florida is one of the last places you think about when dreaming of a surfer’s paradise, but Florida is no novice to surfing. Every year, thousands of Floridians ride the waves of the Atlantic ocean, some even near South Florida Vacation Rentals!
Surfing wasn’t popular in the United States until the 1950s, when lightweight surfboards were commercially produced. After that, surfing catapulted into mainstream pop culture with the depiction of a cool, laid-back, and carefree surfer lifestyle. In the 1970s, surfing became recognized as a competitive sport.
With sport came sponsorships, leading to endorsements and commercialization of surfing in the Sunshine State. Some notable surfers to come from Florida are Kelly Slater of Cocoa Beach, Frieda Zamba of Flagler Beach, Lisa Anderson of Ormond Beach, and Corey and Shea Lopez of Indian Rock Beach, all of whom won international surfing championships.
With the rise of so many champions, surf shops began to pop up all over Florida, along with the famous Ron Jon Surf Shop. Even small beach towns began to invest in surf shops.
The Atlantic Ocean is ideal for consistent surf and longer swells than those found in Gulf waters, making Miami Beach vacation rentals a good place to scope out the waves. Most Florida beaches are good for surfing because of their geographic features. The waves typically present in Florida produce swells from local weather systems, along with the cold fronts and wind-producing weather, which make Florida a great place overall to surf!