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Sandy Hook The Cove, United States

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

Also within 20 km of Highlands

All 13 on Highlands's map

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Sandy Hook Beach at the Gateway National Recreation Area in Highlands, New Jersey
Near Sandy Hook The Cove. Photo: Didier Moïse, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

About Sandy Hook The Cove

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 3–11 ft of swell. 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. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Highlands, 1.9 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 1 surf spot.

Water about 18°C: 2 mm shorty. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

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Book the trip

From Chicago: about 4 h 50 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. 55 min from the airport to Sandy Hook The Cove.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in HighlandsAd

    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 Highlands · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Highlands · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Sandy Hook The Cove on Google Maps · Directions

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Live webcam

Near Sandy Hook The Cove, 2 km away

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Forecast

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

DayScoreSwellEnergyWindTemp
Sun 18Oct232 ft4 s18kJ13°C
Mon 19Oct384 ft7 s173kJ16°C
Tue 20Oct375 ft7 s238kJ17°C
Wed 21Oct424 ft8 s238kJ15°C
Thu 22Oct584 ft7 s157kJ18°C
Fri 23Oct162 ft7 s26kJ12°C
Sat 24Oct182 ft4 s7kJ11°C
Sun 25Oct111 ft4 s3kJ13°C
Mon 26Oct61 ft8 s3kJ16°C
Tue 27Oct101 ft8 s21kJ13°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 EWR, then 55 min by road. About 4h 50 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Surf Sandy Hook The Cove

    Best 14:00 to 17:00 local time: 5 ft at 7 s, wind 10 kn (19 km/h).

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Surf Sandy Hook The Cove

    Best 14:00 to 17:00 local time: 4 ft at 8 s, wind 10 kn (18 km/h).

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Surf Sandy Hook The Cove

    Best 17:00 to 20:00 local time: 4 ft at 7 s, offshore wind.

  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 MDW to EWR, then 55 min by road. About 4h 50 door to door

The trip from Highlands, with every spot near it

Rough cost

About £875–£1,565 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
Taxiairport and back, shared£60–£100
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£875–£1,565

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

Places to eat near Highlands

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.