Las Peñas, Mexico
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About Las Peñas
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces S (193°), so it takes swell from the S. The wind blows offshore from the N (13°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 2–8 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves moderately: 10 m deep about 250 m out (1 in 23). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would crumble. The sea is about 27°C in March, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 30°C in June, its warmest (no wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually March, April, July and October, with about 6 good days in 7; in December, about 3. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Las Peñas, 0.1 km away (about 5 min by car).
Water about 30°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
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Book the trip
From Chicago: about 10 h 40 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to ZIH, direct.
See flights ORD → ZIH · Skyscanner from about £225 returnAdGetting there. 2 h 25 from the airport to Las Peñas.
Accommodation.
Stay in Las PeñasAd
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 Las Peñas (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Las Peñas 1 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 2 places to stay · where Las Peñas stays
Places to stay in Las Peñas · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Las Peñas · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Las Peñas · GetYourGuideAd
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Luxury Where it is
Las Peñas on Google Maps · Directions
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 19Oct | 50, good | 5 ft12 shollow | 647kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 2 knots | 31°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 55, good | 5 ft11 scrumbling | 539kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 3 knots | 30°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 63, good | 5 ft11 shollow | 505kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 1 knot | 30°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 57, good | 5 ft12 shollow | 573kJ | offshorewind from the north-east, 1 knot, offshore | 30°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 74, good | 4 ft12 shollow | 417kJ | wind from the east-north-east, 3 knots | 29°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 58, good | 4 ft10 shollow | 234kJ | wind from the south, 3 knots | 30°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 0, too big | 9 ft10 scrumbling | 1,266kJ | wind from the east, 5 knots | 27°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 0, too big | 9 ft9 scrumbling | 1,019kJ | wind from the east, 7 knots | 31°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 39, fair | 5 ft6 smushy | 177kJ | wind from the south-east, 1 knot | 30°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 Tue 20 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for intermediate surfers. Change dates
- Tue 20 OctTravel out
Direct flight ORD to ZIH, then 2h 25 by road. About 10h 40 door to door
- Wed 21 OctSurf Las Peñas
Best 09:00 to 12:00 local time: 5 ft at 11 s, wind 1 kn (3 km/h).
- Thu 22 OctSurf Las Peñas
Best 09:00 to 12:00 local time: 5 ft at 12 s, offshore wind.
- Fri 23 OctSurf Las Peñas
Best 09:00 to 12:00 local time: 4 ft at 12 s, wind 3 kn (5 km/h).
- Sat 24 OctSurf Las Peñas
Best 15:00 to 18:00 local time: 4 ft at 10 s, wind 3 kn (5 km/h).
- Sun 25 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.
- Mon 26 OctTravel home
Direct flight ORD to ZIH, then 2h 25 by road. About 10h 40 door to door
Rough cost
About £705–£1,300 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 ZIH, estimated from distance and season, 1 airline on the route, with a hold bag | £225–£470 |
| 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 | £160–£265 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £150–£280 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £65–£105 |
| Total | £705–£1,300 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Las Peñas
- Mariscos Barragán las peñasSeafood · 0.1 km from the centre
- Restaurante La HuertaLatin american · 0.4 km from the centre
- Mariscos Lupita, Playa la manzanillitaSeafood · 0.5 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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