Helgoland, Germany
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About Helgoland
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces SW (237°), so it takes swell from the SW. The wind blows offshore from the NE (57°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 2–10 ft of swell. The sea is about 5°C in February, its coldest month (5/4 or 6/5, hood, boots and gloves), and 19°C in August, its warmest (2 mm shorty). The town to stay in is Helgoland, 0.2 km away (about 5 min by car).
Water about 15°C: 4/3 wetsuit and boots. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
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Book the trip
From Chicago: about 19 h 25 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Hamburg Helmut Schmidt Airport (HAM), changing at Dublin Airport (DUB). About 14 flights a week that month.
See flights ORD → HAM · Skyscanner from about £420 returnAdGetting there. 2 h 55 from the airport to Helgoland.
Accommodation.
Stay in HelgolandAd
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 Helgoland (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Helgoland 1 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 111 places to stay · where Helgoland stays
Places to stay in Helgoland · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Helgoland · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Helgoland · GetYourGuideAd
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Where it is
Helgoland on Google Maps · Directions
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Live webcam
Live Webcam von Helgoland
Flugplatz Helgoland Webcam, 2 km away
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Forecast
The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Score for intermediates | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 22, too small | 3 ft6 s | 55kJ | offshorewind from the east-north-east, 25 knots, offshore | 13°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 5, too small | 1 ft7 s | 8kJ | offshorewind from the east, 18 knots, offshore | 13°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 4, too small | 1 ft12 s | 7kJ | offshorewind from the east-south-east, 20 knots, offshore | 12°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 1, too small | 1 ft4 s | 2kJ | wind from the south-east, 20 knots | 13°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 1, too small | 1 ft7 s | 9kJ | wind from the south-west, 21 knots | 13°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 14, poor | 3 ft6 s | 79kJ | wind from the south-east, 25 knots | 13°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 6, too small | 1 ft4 s | 4kJ | wind from the north-north-west, 9 knots | 12°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 8, poor | 4 ft6 s | 78kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 18 knots | 13°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 12, poor | 4 ft7 s | 173kJ | wind from the west-south-west, 23 knots | 11°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 4, too small | 2 ft6 s | 31kJ | wind from the south, 28 knots | 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. 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
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly ORD to HAM, changing at DUB, then 2h 55 by road. About 19h 25 door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 22 of 80.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly ORD to HAM, changing at DUB, then 2h 55 by road. About 19h 25 door to door
Rough cost
About £910–£1,725 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 ORD to HAM, estimated from distance and season, changing at DUB, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £420–£870 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £70–£115 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £165–£280 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £155–£290 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £65–£105 |
| Total | £910–£1,725 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Helgoland
- Hanse KoggeSeafood · in the centre
- Helgoländer FährhausGerman · 0.1 km from the centre
- Isola BellaItalian · 0.1 km from the centre
- Lungwai HelgolandThai · 0.1 km from the centre
- Pizza & PastaItalian · 0.1 km from the centre
- Bunte KuhSeafood · 0.4 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
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Where to stayAd
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