Shark park, United States

No town nearby. No bookable town within 50 km: the nearest, Goleta, is 71 km away. Nearest airport: SBA (SBA), 70 km.

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About Shark park

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

The spot faces NW (320°), so it takes swell from the NW. The wind blows offshore from the SE (140°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 2–8 ft of swell. The sea is about 13°C in March, its coldest month (4/3 wetsuit and boots), and 17°C in September, its warmest (3/2 wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually January, February, March and May, with about 1 good days in 7; in April, about 0. From the weather of past years. No town nearby. No bookable town within 50 km: the nearest, Goleta, is 71 km away. Nearest airport: SBA (SBA), 70 km. Within 5 km we also list 1 dive site.

Water about 16°C: 3/2 wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

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From Chicago: about 7 h 55 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to SBA, direct.
See flights ORD → SBA · Skyscanner from about £220 returnAd
Getting there. 1 h 30 from the airport to Shark park.
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Accommodation.
No town nearby
No bookable town within 50 km: the nearest, Goleta, is 71 km away. Nearest airport: SBA (SBA), 70 km.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Shark park · GetYourGuideAd Board and wetsuit hire in Shark park · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Shark park on Google Maps · Directions

Surf spot

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Forecast

Shark 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

Forecast and score for intermediate surfers at Shark park, each day
Day	Scorefor Intermediate	Swell	Energy	Wind	Temp
Sun 18Oct	52, good	4 ft9 s	239kJ	wind from the west-north-west, 4 knots	21°C
Mon 19Oct	15, poor	5 ft10 s	415kJ	wind from the north-north-west, 19 knots	19°C
Tue 20Oct	21, poor	5 ft8 s	228kJ	wind from the north-west, 11 knots	18°C
Wed 21Oct	27, poor	6 ft9 s	506kJ	wind from the south, 12 knots, offshore	18°C
Thu 22Oct	26, poor	4 ft8 s	166kJ	wind from the north-west, 9 knots	20°C
Fri 23Oct	13, poor	4 ft7 s	156kJ	wind from the north-west, 23 knots	19°C
Sat 24Oct	45, fair	5 ft6 s	156kJ	wind from the north-north-west, 3 knots	21°C
Sun 25Oct	51, good	4 ft7 s	128kJ	wind from the north, 3 knots	21°C
Mon 26Oct	57, good	4 ft7 s	175kJ	wind from the south-south-west, 4 knots	21°C
Tue 27Oct	14, poor	6 ft8 s	331kJ	wind from the west-north-west, 12 knots	20°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

Mon 19 Oct
Travel out
Direct flight ORD to SBA, then 1h 30 by road. About 7h 55 door to door
Tue 20 Oct
Rest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 30 of 80.
Wed 21 Oct
Surf Shark park
Best 14:00 to 17:00 local time: 6 ft at 9 s, offshore wind.
Thu 22 Oct
Surf Shark park
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 4 ft at 8 s, wind 9 kn (17 km/h).
Fri 23 Oct
Rest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 16 of 80.
Sat 24 Oct
Surf Shark park
Best 11:00 to 14:00 local time: 5 ft at 6 s, wind 3 kn (6 km/h).
Sun 25 Oct
Travel home
Direct flight ORD to SBA, then 1h 30 by road. About 7h 55 door to door

Rough cost

About £745–£1,385 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 SBA, estimated from distance and season, 1 airline on the route, with a hold bag	£220–£460
To the UK airport	parking or the train, there and back	£35–£65
Hire car	6 days, shared	£115–£190
Food	7 days eating out	£260–£480
Board and wetsuit	5 days, or about £85 to fly your own	£115–£190
Total		£745–£1,385

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

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