Back to results

Pipes, United States

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

Also within 20 km of Spring Lake

All 31 on Spring Lake's map

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

About Pipes

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

The spot faces E (101°), so it takes swell from the E. The wind blows offshore from the W (281°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 2–10 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 500 m out (1 in 51). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 5°C in February, its coldest month (5/4 or 6/5, hood, boots and gloves), and 24°C in August, 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 Spring Lake, 1.8 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 10 surf spots.

Water about 19°C: 2 mm shorty. 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 5 h 20 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), direct.

    See flights MDW → EWR · Skyscanner from about £135 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 1 h 25 from the airport to Pipes.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in Spring LakeAd

    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 Spring Lake · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Spring Lake · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Pipes 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 intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small

DayScoreSwellEnergyWindTemp
Sun 18Oct223 ft5 smushy37kJ13°C
Mon 19Oct205 ft6 smushy170kJ15°C
Tue 20Oct105 ft8 smushy279kJ18°C
Wed 21Oct06 ft8 smushy407kJ15°C
Thu 22Oct255 ft7 smushy238kJ18°C
Fri 23Oct212 ft7 smushy36kJ12°C
Sat 24Oct253 ft5 smushy27kJ10°C
Sun 25Oct172 ft4 smushy6kJ13°C
Mon 26Oct121 ft7 smushy10kJ16°C
Tue 27Oct71 ft6 smushy13kJ14°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 intermediate surfers. Change dates

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Direct flight MDW to EWR, then 1h 25 by road. About 5h 20 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Surf Spring Lake

    Best 17:00 to 20:00 local time: 5 ft at 8 s, wind 10 kn (19 km/h).

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Rest day

    Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Surf Pipes

    Best 17:00 to 20:00 local time: 5 ft at 7 s, offshore wind.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: 2 ft at best.

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Rest day

    Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 33 of 80.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Direct flight MDW to EWR, then 1h 25 by road. About 5h 20 door to door

The plan picks the best of 3 spots near Spring Lake each day: Pipes, Seagrit Private Beach, Spring Lake.

The trip from Spring Lake, with every spot near it

Rough cost

About £930–£1,655 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 EWR, estimated from distance and season, 1 airline on the route, with a hold bag£135–£275
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£930–£1,655

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

Places to eat near Spring Lake

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.