Rest Bay, UK
Also within 20 km of Porthcawl
- The Esp Surf spot · 0.1 km from Porthcawl
- Coney Beach Surf spot · 0.7 km from Porthcawl
- Golf Surf spot · 0.8 km from Porthcawl
- The Point Surf spot · 1 km from Porthcawl
- Sker Surf spot · 4.7 km from Porthcawl
- Southerndown Surf spot · 7.1 km from Porthcawl
- LLantwit Surf spot · 16.4 km from Porthcawl
- Llantwit Major Surf spot · 16.9 km from Porthcawl
Watch this spot We email you when Rest Bay is worth the trip.
About Rest Bay
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces SW (234°), so it takes swell from the SW. The wind blows offshore from the NE (54°). 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 very gently: 10 m deep about 1.5 km out (1 in 152). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 8°C in February, its coldest month (5/4 or 6/5, hood, boots and gloves), and 18°C in August, its warmest (2 mm shorty). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually January, February, March and November, with about 1 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Porthcawl, 1.9 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 5 surf spots.
Water about 15°C: 4/3 wetsuit and boots. 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 15 h 50 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to LHR, direct.
See flights ORD → LHR · Skyscanner from about £395 returnAdGetting there. 3 h 25 from the airport to Rest Bay, 260 km.
Accommodation.
Stay in PorthcawlAd
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 Porthcawl (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Porthcawl 3 min by car · rooms from £95 a night · 51 places to stay · where Rest Bay stays
Places to stay in Porthcawl · Booking.com AdLlantwit Major 33 min by car · rooms from £95 a night · 10 places to stay
Places to stay in Llantwit Major · Booking.com AdSwansea 37 min by car · rooms from £95 a night · 72 places to stay
Places to stay in Swansea · Booking.com AdBarry 58 min by car · rooms from £95 a night · 20 places to stay
Places to stay in Barry · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Porthcawl · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Porthcawl · GetYourGuideAd
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Where it is
Rest Bay on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
Rest Bay 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
| Day | Scorefor Intermediate | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 21, too small | 2 ft8 smushy | 28kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-east, 10 knots, offshore | 13°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 10, too small | 1 ft7 smushy | 7kJ | offshorewind from the east, 17 knots, offshore | 13°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 35, too small | 2 ft9 ssoft | 78kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 4 knots | 12°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 10, poor | 3 ft9 smushy | 148kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 28 knots | 12°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 9, poor | 6 ft7 smushy | 315kJ | wind from the south-east, 15 knots | 14°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 5, poor | 5 ft11 smushy | 440kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 31 knots | 11°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 16, poor | 6 ft8 smushy | 327kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 12 knots | 14°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 5, too small | 2 ft10 smushy | 62kJ | wind from the west, 18 knots | 14°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 12, poor | 4 ft10 smushy | 284kJ | wind from the west-south-west, 18 knots | 15°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 4, too small | 2 ft12 smushy | 61kJ | wind from the west-south-west, 30 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. 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
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Direct flight ORD to LHR, then 3h 25 by road. About 15h 50 door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 14 of 80.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 35 of 80.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 19 of 80.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 24 of 80.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Direct flight ORD to LHR, then 3h 25 by road. About 15h 50 door to door
The plan picks the best of 7 spots near Porthcawl each day: Coney Beach, Golf, Rest Bay, Sker, Southerndown, The Esp, The Point.
Rough cost
About £1,125–£2,095 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 LHR, estimated from distance and season, 3 airlines on the route, with a hold bag | £395–£820 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £105–£175 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £250–£420 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £240–£445 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £100–£170 |
| Total | £1,125–£2,095 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Porthcawl
- Domino's PizzaPizza · 0.1 km from the centreFood hygiene 5 of 5, Apr 2025
- Finnegan's TakeawayFish and chips · 0.2 km from the centre
- Ristorante RavaItalian · 0.2 km from the centre
- Rogers TakeawayChinese · 0.2 km from the centreFood hygiene 3 of 5, Jun 2026
- Weird Doh Pizza CoPizza · 0.2 km from the centreFood hygiene 5 of 5, Feb 2026
- Woodyz Pizza PorthcawlItalian · 0.2 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; food hygiene ratings from the Food Standards Agency (Open Government Licence). Credits
Book the trip
Where to stayAd
Places to stay · Booking.com (ad)Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.