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Pismo Beach, United States

Stay in Pismo Beach: see the trip Its beds, the way there and every spot near it.

Also within 20 km of Pismo Beach

All 10 on Pismo Beach's map

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About Pismo Beach

Known for kitesurfing and windsurfing, by the OpenStreetMap map of the area. The shore faces SW, so wind from the NE blows out to sea (our estimate from the coastline). Facts: verified.

Water about 15°C: 4/3 wetsuit and boots. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

A spot for kitesurfing and windsurfing, as OpenStreetMap maps it, on a shore facing SW. Wind from the SW blows onshore, wind from the NE blows out to sea, and wind from the NW or SE runs along the shore. It is sheltered to the open sea. The sea floor shelves moderately: 10 m deep about 400 m out (1 in 39). The sea is about 12°C in April, its coldest month (4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves), and 16°C in September, its warmest (3/2 wetsuit). For kitesurfing at expert level the best months are usually February, March and April, with about 1 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Pismo Beach. Within 5 km we also list 3 surf spots.

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Book the trip

From Chicago: about 8 h 35 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to SBA, direct.

    See flights ORD → SBA · Skyscanner from about £220 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 2 h 10 from the airport to Pismo Beach.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in Pismo BeachAd

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.

    Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).

    See all places to stay on Booking.com →

    Closest towns to stay in

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.

  4. Hire and lessons.

    Kitesurfing lessons in Pismo Beach · GetYourGuideAdKite and board hire in Pismo Beach · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Pismo Beach on Google Maps · Directions

The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.

One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Forecast

Best on Fri 23: 10 kn gusting 23, side-shore. Water: waves 0.8 m.

The score for kite, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoor

DayScoreWindGustsShoreWater
Sun 18Oct06knoffnot safechop
Mon 19Oct04kncross-off1.0 mwaves
Tue 20Oct08knoffnot safechop
Wed 21Oct015knoffnot safe0.9 mwaves
Thu 22Oct1722knsidechop
Fri 23Oct1823knside0.8 mwaves
Sat 24Oct09knoffnot safechop
Sun 25Oct05knsidechop
Mon 26Oct07knside-onchop
Tue 27Oct09knoffnot safe0.8 mwaves

Day scores are the conditions out of 80. Wind is the day's best reading: the mean and the gusts in knots (10 kn is about 19 km/h); the arrow points where it blows to. Shore: "side" is side-shore, blowing along the beach, the safe way; "side-on" and "on" blow in towards it; "cross-off" and "off" blow out to sea, and offshore scores nothing for kite and windsurf. Water is the open sea's waves near the spot: flat under 0.3 m, chop to 0.8 m.

The season

Good kite days in a typical week, each month, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).

  1. Jan0of 7
  2. Feb1of 7
  3. Mar1of 7
  4. Apr1of 7
  5. May0of 7
  6. Jun0of 7
  7. Jul0of 7
  8. Aug0of 7
  9. Sep0of 7
  10. Oct0of 7
  11. Nov0of 7
  12. Dec0of 7

Typical, not a forecast. Reanalysis wind misses some local thermal winds, so a spot known for an afternoon breeze may do better than this.

Your trip, day by day

6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for kite. Change dates

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Direct flight ORD to SBA, then 2h 10 by road. About 8h 35 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 4 kn gusting 8, offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: chop.

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 6 kn gusting 15, offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: waves 0.9 m.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 10 kn gusting 22, side-shore. Water: chop.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 10 kn gusting 23, side-shore. Water: waves 0.8 m.

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 2 kn gusting 9, offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: chop.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Direct flight ORD to SBA, then 2h 10 by road. About 8h 35 door to door

Rough cost

About £900–£1,650 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing. A guide from typical prices, not a quote. Kit hire is not in it yet: we have no sourced price for it.

  • Flights £220–£460
  • To the UK airport £35–£65
  • Hire car £115–£190
  • Stay £270–£455
  • Food £260–£480

Places to eat near Pismo Beach

Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits

Book the trip

Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

Where to stayAd

Places to stay · Booking.com

In the waterAd

Kitesurfing lessons · GetYourGuide Kite and board hire · GetYourGuide

Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.