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Polihale State Park, United States

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

Also within 20 km of Waimea

Watch this spot We email you when Polihale State Park is worth the trip.

Waimea and Waimea Coast, Waimea - panoramio
Waimea, the nearest town, 17 km away. Photo: Bob Linsdell, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

About Polihale State Park

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

The spot faces NW (313°), so it takes swell from the NW. The wind blows offshore from the SE (133°). 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 moderately: 10 m deep about 350 m out (1 in 33). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would crumble. The sea is about 24°C in February, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 27°C in July, its warmest (no wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually May, June and September, with about 4 good days in 7; in January and December, about 1. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Waimea.

Water about 27°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

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Book the trip

From Chicago: about 15 h 25 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), direct.

    See flights ORD → HNL · Skyscanner from about £420 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 3 h 55 from the airport to Polihale State Park.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Nearest beds: Waimea, 17 km (about 30 min by car)Ad

    No town with beds to book is nearer Polihale State Park: plan on the drive each day you surf.

    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 Waimea, 17 km away 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 Waimea · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Waimea · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Polihale State Park on Google Maps · Directions

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Forecast

Polihale State Park 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 18Oct494 ft7 smushy119kJ26°C
Mon 19Oct514 ft6 smushy98kJ26°C
Tue 20Oct424 ft5 smushy65kJ26°C
Wed 21Oct423 ft6 smushy69kJ26°C
Thu 22Oct333 ft6 smushy47kJ24°C
Fri 23Oct282 ft9 scrumbling56kJ25°C
Sat 24Oct312 ft9 scrumbling63kJ25°C
Sun 25Oct664 ft8 scrumbling165kJ25°C
Mon 26Oct473 ft7 smushy104kJ25°C
Tue 27Oct724 ft11 scrumbling334kJ25°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 ORD to HNL, then 3h 55 by road. About 15h 25 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Surf Polihale State Park

    Best 17:00 to 20:00 local time: 4 ft at 5 s, wind 5 kn (9 km/h).

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Surf Polihale State Park

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 3 ft at 6 s, wind 2 kn (4 km/h).

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Surf Polihale State Park

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 3 ft at 6 s, wind 3 kn (5 km/h).

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: 2 ft at best.

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: 2 ft at best.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Direct flight ORD to HNL, then 3h 55 by road. About 15h 25 door to door

The trip from Waimea, with every spot near it

Rough cost

About £1,215–£2,250 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 HNL, estimated from distance and season, 2 airlines on the route, with a hold bag£420–£870
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£1,215–£2,250

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

Places to eat near Waimea

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

Nearest beds: Waimea, 17 km (about 30 min by car) · 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.