Best place to ride near Santa Monica Ca
 

Tried to search myself and could not come up with much.

you're right, socal doesn't offer much for wake.

long beach marine stadium - 30 mins or so from santa monica, but salt water
lake elsinore - kind of far from santa monica
castaic lake - it's called "mistake lake" for a reason
pyramid lake - still a bit of a trek

Bako Paradise!!