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Seal rock, United States

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

Also within 20 km of Bodega Bay

Watch this spot We email you when Seal rock is worth the trip.

GoldenGateBridge BakerBeach MC
California, the wider area. Photo: Christian Mehlführer, User:Chmehl, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

About Seal rock

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

The spot faces SW (227°), so it takes swell from the SW. The wind blows offshore from the NE (47°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 3–10 ft of swell. The sea is about 11°C in April, its coldest month (4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves), and 13°C in August, its warmest (4/3 wetsuit and boots). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually October and November, with about 2 good days in 7; in May and June, about 0. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Bodega Bay, 4.2 km away (about 10 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 1 surf spot and 1 wind sports spot.

Water about 13°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 8 h 15 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK), direct.

    See flights MDW → OAK · Skyscanner from about £225 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 2 h from the airport to Seal rock.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in Bodega BayAd

    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 Bodega Bay · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Bodega Bay · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Seal rock on Google Maps · Directions

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Forecast

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

DayScoreSwellEnergyWindTemp
Sun 18Oct164 ft10 s342kJ15°C
Mon 19Oct126 ft9 s479kJ14°C
Tue 20Oct08 ft11 s1,166kJ15°C
Wed 21Oct544 ft8 s170kJ16°C
Thu 22Oct123 ft7 s92kJ15°C
Fri 23Oct314 ft9 s177kJ16°C
Sat 24Oct116 ft7 s275kJ15°C
Sun 25Oct313 ft8 s107kJ16°C
Mon 26Oct436 ft7 s318kJ17°C
Tue 27Oct484 ft7 s153kJ19°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 OAK, then 2h by road. About 8h 15 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Rest day

    Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Surf Salmon Creek

    Best 11:00 to 14:00 local time: 4 ft at 8 s, wind 2 kn (3 km/h).

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Surf Salmon Creek

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 3 ft at 7 s, wind 8 kn (14 km/h).

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Surf Salmon Creek

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 3 ft at 9 s, wind 2 kn (5 km/h).

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Surf Salmon Creek

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 6 ft at 8 s, wind 0 kn (0 km/h).

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Direct flight MDW to OAK, then 2h by road. About 8h 15 door to door

The plan picks the best of 4 spots near Bodega Bay each day: Doran Beach, Omar shereef, Salmon Creek, Seal rock.

The trip from Bodega Bay, with every spot near it

Rough cost

About £1,020–£1,845 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 OAK, estimated from distance and season, 1 airline on the route, with a hold bag£225–£465
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£1,020–£1,845

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

Places to eat near Bodega Bay

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.