Ripps Reef, United States

No town nearby. No stay checked for this site yet: Kaneohe, 5 km away, is the nearest town we list. Nearest airport: Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), 20 km.

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About Ripps Reef

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

The spot faces N (18°), so it takes swell from the N. The wind blows offshore from the S (198°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 3–11 ft of swell. The sea is about 24°C in February, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 27°C in August, its warmest (no wetsuit). 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. No town nearby. No stay checked for this site yet: Kaneohe, 5 km away, is the nearest town we list. Nearest airport: Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), 20 km. Within 5 km we also list 3 surf spots, 1 wind sports spot and 1 dive site.

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

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From Chicago: about 12 h 15 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), direct.
See flights ORD → HNL · Skyscanner from about £420 returnAd
Getting there. 40 min from the airport to Ripps Reef.
Car hire · Discover CarsAd
Accommodation.
No town nearby
No stay checked for this site yet: Kaneohe, 5 km away, is the nearest town we list. Nearest airport: Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), 20 km.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Ripps Reef · GetYourGuideAd Board and wetsuit hire in Ripps Reef · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Ripps Reef on Google Maps · Directions

Surf spot

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Forecast

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

Forecast and score for expert surfers at Ripps Reef, each day
Day	Score for experts	Swell	Energy	Wind	Temp
Sun 18Oct	8, too small	5 ft6 s	165kJ	wind from the east-north-east, 13 knots	26°C
Mon 19Oct	9, too small	5 ft7 s	219kJ	wind from the east, 15 knots	26°C
Tue 20Oct	7, too small	5 ft7 s	175kJ	wind from the east-north-east, 15 knots	26°C
Wed 21Oct	11, too small	5 ft6 s	182kJ	wind from the east, 13 knots	25°C
Thu 22Oct	12, too small	3 ft7 s	95kJ	wind from the east-north-east, 8 knots	26°C
Fri 23Oct	13, too small	3 ft6 s	66kJ	wind from the east-north-east, 8 knots	26°C
Sat 24Oct	9, too small	2 ft7 s	49kJ	wind from the north-east, 3 knots	25°C
Sun 25Oct	9, too small	2 ft8 s	66kJ	wind from the north-north-east, 8 knots	25°C
Mon 26Oct	9, too small	2 ft7 s	53kJ	wind from the north-east, 6 knots	25°C
Tue 27Oct	11, too small	2 ft6 s	36kJ	wind from the west-south-west, 1 knot	26°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 expert surfers. Change dates

Mon 19 Oct
Travel out
Direct flight ORD to HNL, then 40 min by road. About 12h 15 door to door
Tue 20 Oct
Rest day
Too small: 5 ft at best.
Wed 21 Oct
Rest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 15 of 80.
Thu 22 Oct
Rest day
Too small: 3 ft at best.
Fri 23 Oct
Rest day
Too small: 3 ft at best.
Sat 24 Oct
Rest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
Sun 25 Oct
Travel home
Direct flight ORD to HNL, then 40 min by road. About 12h 15 door to door

Rough cost

About £865–£1,665 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book. No town nearby, so no stay is in it.

Rough cost per person for this trip
What	How we worked it out	Each
Flights	return ORD to HNL, estimated from distance and season, 2 airlines on the route, with a hold bag	£420–£870
To the UK airport	parking or the train, there and back	£35–£65
Taxi	airport and back, shared	£35–£60
Food	7 days eating out	£260–£480
Board and wetsuit	5 days, or about £85 to fly your own	£115–£190
Total		£865–£1,665

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

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Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

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Surf lessons · GetYourGuide Board and wetsuit hire · GetYourGuide

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