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Plum Island, United States

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

Also within 20 km of Salisbury Beach

All 10 on Salisbury Beach's map

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

USA Cape Cod 3 MA
Massachusetts, the wider area. Photo: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 2.5, Wikimedia Commons

About Plum Island

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

The spot faces E (74°), so it takes swell from the E. The wind blows offshore from the W (254°). 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 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). 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 Salisbury Beach, 2.7 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 1 surf spot and 8 dive sites.

Water about 14°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 5 h 25 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to MHT, direct.

    See flights MDW → MHT · Skyscanner from about £145 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 1 h 15 from the airport to Plum Island.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in Salisbury 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 Salisbury Beach · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Salisbury Beach · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Plum Island 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

Plum Island does not suit beginners. This is the forecast for intermediates, so you can see what it does.

The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small

DayScoreInter­mediateSwellEnergyWindTemp
Sun 18Oct91 ft10 s10kJ11°C
Mon 19Oct173 ft6 s47kJ11°C
Tue 20Oct344 ft7 s176kJ14°C
Wed 21Oct174 ft6 s132kJ10°C
Thu 22Oct145 ft7 s213kJ15°C
Fri 23Oct243 ft7 s67kJ12°C
Sat 24Oct594 ft6 s98kJ11°C
Sun 25Oct172 ft4 s8kJ16°C
Mon 26Oct91 ft7 s6kJ16°C
Tue 27Oct81 ft4 s5kJ14°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

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Direct flight MDW to MHT, then 1h 15 by road. About 5h 25 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Surf Salisbury Beach

    Best 17:00 to 20:00 local time: 4 ft at 7 s, wind 7 kn (13 km/h).

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Rest day

    Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 22 of 80.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Rest day

    Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 29 of 80.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Rest day

    Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 32 of 80.

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Surf Plum Island

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 4 ft at 6 s, offshore wind.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Direct flight MDW to MHT, then 1h 15 by road. About 5h 25 door to door

The plan picks the best of 2 spots near Salisbury Beach each day: Plum Island, Salisbury Beach.

The trip from Salisbury Beach, with every spot near it

Rough cost

About £940–£1,675 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 MHT, estimated from distance and season, 1 airline on the route, with a hold bag£145–£295
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£940–£1,675

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

Places to eat near Salisbury 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.