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Figure 8, United States

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

Also within 20 km of Wrightsville Beach

Watch this spot We email you when Figure 8 is worth the trip.

Johnny Mercer Pier-27527
Wrightsville Beach, the nearest town, 9 km away. Photo: Ken Thomas, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons

About Figure 8

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

The spot faces SE (128°), so it takes swell from the SE. The wind blows offshore from the NW (308°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 2–10 ft of swell. The sea is about 12°C in February, its coldest month (4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves), and 28°C in July, its warmest (no wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually January, February, March and April, with about 1 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Wrightsville Beach, 8.7 km away (about 15 min by car).

Water about 24°C: no wetsuit. 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 4 h 50 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

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

    See flights ORD → ILM · Skyscanner from about £135 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 35 min from the airport to Figure 8.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in Wrightsville 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.

    Surf lessons in Wrightsville Beach · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Wrightsville Beach · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Figure 8 on Google Maps · Directions

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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

DayScoreSwellEnergyWindTemp
Sun 18Oct73 ft9 s151kJ19°C
Mon 19Oct225 ft8 s309kJ19°C
Tue 20Oct183 ft8 s121kJ21°C
Wed 21Oct123 ft5 s39kJ20°C
Thu 22Oct112 ft5 s25kJ19°C
Fri 23Oct72 ft4 s17kJ19°C
Sat 24Oct53 ft6 s51kJ19°C
Sun 25Oct94 ft6 s98kJ20°C
Mon 26Oct275 ft8 s258kJ20°C
Tue 27Oct587 ft9 s766kJ21°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 expert surfers. Change dates

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Direct flight ORD to ILM, then 35 min by road. About 4h 50 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: 3 ft at best.

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: 3 ft at best.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: 2 ft at best.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: 2 ft at best.

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: 3 ft at best.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Direct flight ORD to ILM, then 35 min by road. About 4h 50 door to door

The plan picks the best of 7 spots near Wrightsville Beach each day: Columbia St., Crystal Pier, Figure 8, Masonborough Island, Mercer Pier, Shell Island, South End.

The trip from Wrightsville Beach, with every spot near it

Rough cost

About £840–£1,520 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 ORD to ILM, estimated from distance and season, 2 airlines on the route, with a hold bag£135–£285
To the UK airportparking or the train, there and back£35–£65
Taxiairport and back, shared£25–£45
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£840–£1,520

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

Places to eat near Wrightsville 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

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.