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38th St. Beach, United States

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

Also within 20 km of Atlantic City

All 13 on Atlantic City's map

Watch this spot We email you when 38th St. Beach is worth the trip.

Atlantic City skyline from 47th floor of Revel
Atlantic City, the nearest town, 4 km away. Photo: Dough4872, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons

About 38th St. Beach

Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.

The spot faces SE (130°), so it takes swell from the SE. The wind blows offshore from the NW (310°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 2–9 ft of swell. The sea is about 5°C in February, its coldest month (5/4 or 6/5, hood, boots and gloves), and 24°C in July, its warmest (no wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually September and October, with about 2 good days in 7; in July, about 0. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Atlantic City, 4.1 km away (about 10 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 4 surf spots and 1 wind sports spot.

Water about 19°C: 2 mm shorty. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

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Book the trip

From Chicago: about 5 h 45 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to PHL, direct.

    See flights MDW → PHL · Skyscanner from about £130 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 1 h 55 from the airport to 38th St. Beach.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in Atlantic CityAd

    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.

    Surf lessons in Atlantic City · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Atlantic City · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

38th St. Beach on Google Maps · Directions

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Forecast

The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small

DayScoreSwellEnergyWindTemp
Sun 18Oct294 ft7 s156kJ13°C
Mon 19Oct56 ft7 s267kJ15°C
Tue 20Oct06 ft8 s452kJ17°C
Wed 21Oct06 ft8 s434kJ14°C
Thu 22Oct265 ft7 s220kJ17°C
Fri 23Oct303 ft7 s77kJ13°C
Sat 24Oct212 ft5 s20kJ11°C
Sun 25Oct343 ft5 s27kJ14°C
Mon 26Oct172 ft6 s20kJ16°C
Tue 27Oct112 ft8 s48kJ14°C

Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.

Your trip, day by day

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

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Direct flight MDW to PHL, then 1h 55 by road. About 5h 45 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Surf Margate-Iroquois, Huntingdon Ave.

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 5 ft at 8 s, offshore wind.

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Surf Margate-Iroquois, Huntingdon Ave.

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 5 ft at 7 s, offshore wind.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Surf Castles

    Best 17:00 to 20:00 local time: 4 ft at 7 s, offshore wind.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Surf The Jetty

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 3 ft at 7 s, offshore wind.

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: 2 ft at best.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Direct flight MDW to PHL, then 1h 55 by road. About 5h 45 door to door

The plan picks the best of 8 spots near Atlantic City each day: 38th St. Beach, Castles, Crystals, Margate-Iroquois, Huntingdon Ave., Margate Pier, Metros, The Jetty, Ventnor Pier.

The trip from Atlantic City, with every spot near it

Rough cost

About £925–£1,650 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.

WhatHow we worked it outEach
Flightsreturn MDW to PHL, estimated from distance and season, 1 airline on the route, with a hold bag£130–£270
To the UK airportparking or the train, there and back£35–£65
Hire car6 days, shared£115–£190
Stay6 nights, a mid-range double, shared£270–£455
Food7 days eating out£260–£480
Board and wetsuit5 days, or about £85 to fly your own£115–£190
Total£925–£1,650

Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.

Places to eat near Atlantic City

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

Surf lessons · GetYourGuide Board and wetsuit 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.