In 1968, Venice, Florida isn't cool. The vibe in Venice, California is. Jack Walsh has just graduated from high school. A surfer in Venice, Florida, Jack’s dream is to hitchhike across the United States to Venice, California, in search of the perfect wave. Along the way, the naive teenage surfer-wannabe encounters mysterious, beautiful, and terrible strangers, highlighting the social norms and cultural realities of America of the late 60s, transforming the young man into the adult he desires to be.