Bill's Bowls, United States
Also within 20 km of Jenner
- Goat Rock Surf spot · 1 km from Jenner
- Russian Rivermouth Surf spot · 1.4 km from Jenner
- Omar shereef Surf spot · 7.8 km from Jenner
- Salmon Creek Surf spot · 12 km from Jenner
- Sonoma Coast State Beach Surf spot · 12.8 km from Jenner
- Doran Beach Surf spot · 16.5 km from Jenner
- Seal rock Surf spot · 18.1 km from Jenner
Watch this spot We email you when Bill's Bowls is worth the trip.

About Bill's Bowls
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces SW (225°), so it takes swell from the SW. The wind blows offshore from the NE (45°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 2–9 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves moderately: 10 m deep about 200 m out (1 in 22). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would break hollow. The sea is about 11°C in March, its coldest month (4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves), and 13°C in August, its warmest (4/3 wetsuit and boots). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually January, March, August and September, with about 1 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Jenner. Within 5 km we also list 1 surf spot.
Water about 13°C: 4/3 wetsuit and boots. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
Save this trip A link to come back to, or to send to the group.
Book the trip
From Chicago: about 8 h 50 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK), direct.
See flights MDW → OAK · Skyscanner from about £225 returnAdGetting there. 2 h 30 from the airport to Bill's Bowls.
Accommodation.
Nearest beds: Jenner, 16 km (about 30 min by car)Ad
No town with beds to book is nearer Bill's Bowls: plan on the drive each day you surf.
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Jenner, 16 km away (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Jenner 28 min by car · rooms from £100 a night · 4 places to stay · where Bill's Bowls stays
Places to stay in Jenner · Booking.com AdBodega Bay 50 min by car · rooms from £100 a night · 15 places to stay
Places to stay in Bodega Bay · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Jenner · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Jenner · GetYourGuideAd
Where it is
Bill's Bowls 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
The score for experts, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Score for experts | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 24, too small | 5 ft10 scrumbling | 395kJ | wind from the north-north-west, 7 knots | 16°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 27, too small | 6 ft9 scrumbling | 520kJ | wind from the north-west, 9 knots | 14°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 55, good | 8 ft10 scrumbling | 1,049kJ | wind from the north-west, 6 knots | 15°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 26, too small | 4 ft9 scrumbling | 232kJ | offshorewind from the east, 1 knot, offshore | 17°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 10, too small | 3 ft7 smushy | 102kJ | wind from the north-west, 6 knots | 17°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 21, too small | 4 ft7 smushy | 160kJ | wind from the west, 2 knots | 18°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 21, too small | 5 ft8 smushy | 313kJ | wind from the north-north-west, 5 knots | 16°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 29, poor | 6 ft7 smushy | 347kJ | wind from the west-south-west, 7 knots | 14°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 41, fair | 6 ft8 smushy | 361kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 4 knots | 11°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 25, too small | 5 ft7 smushy | 191kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-east, 1 knot, offshore | 14°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. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. 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 expert surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Direct flight MDW to OAK, then 2h 30 by road. About 8h 50 door to door
- Tue 20 OctSurf Bill's Bowls
Best 17:00 to 20:00 local time: 8 ft at 10 s, wind 6 kn (11 km/h).
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Too small: 4 ft at best.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Too small: 3 ft at best.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Too small: 4 ft at best.
- Sat 24 OctSurf Bill's Bowls
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 5 ft at 8 s, wind 5 kn (10 km/h).
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Direct flight MDW to OAK, then 2h 30 by road. About 8h 50 door to door
Rough cost
About £1,020–£1,845 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return MDW to OAK, estimated from distance and season, 1 airline on the route, with a hold bag | £225–£465 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £115–£190 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £270–£455 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £260–£480 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £115–£190 |
| Total | £1,020–£1,845 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Jenner
- River's End Restaurant & Inn0.8 km from the centre
- Jilly’s Real Food Roadhouse1.7 km from the centre
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
Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.