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Sonoma Coast State Beach, United States

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

Also within 20 km of Jenner

Watch this spot We email you when Sonoma Coast State Beach is worth the trip.

Jenner California 4000
Jenner, the nearest town, 13 km away. Photo: Stepheng3, CC0, Wikimedia Commons

About Sonoma Coast State Beach

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

The spot faces SW (213°), so it takes swell from the SW. The wind blows offshore from the NE (33°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up, because of a steep sea floor. It works in 3–12 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves steeply: 10 m deep about 100 m out (1 in 11). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would break hollow. The sea is about 11°C in March, 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 January, March, August and September, with about 1 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Jenner. Within 5 km we also list 1 surf spot.

Water about 13°C: 4/3 wetsuit and boots. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

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Book the trip

From Chicago: about 8 h 45 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 30 from the airport to Sonoma Coast State Beach.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Nearest beds: Jenner, 13 km (about 25 min by car)Ad

    No town with beds to book is nearer Sonoma Coast State Beach: plan on the drive each day you surf.

    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 Jenner, 13 km away 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 Jenner · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Jenner · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Sonoma Coast State Beach on Google Maps · Directions

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One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Forecast

Sonoma Coast State Beach 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

DayScoreInter­mediateSwellEnergyWindTemp
Sun 18Oct375 ft10 shollow366kJ15°C
Mon 19Oct216 ft9 shollow465kJ14°C
Tue 20Oct08 ft11 shollow1,175kJ15°C
Wed 21Oct584 ft8 shollow175kJ16°C
Thu 22Oct263 ft8 shollow85kJ16°C
Fri 23Oct434 ft7 shollow106kJ16°C
Sat 24Oct414 ft7 shollow144kJ15°C
Sun 25Oct225 ft6 shollow159kJ16°C
Mon 26Oct436 ft7 shollow315kJ18°C
Tue 27Oct454 ft7 shollow161kJ19°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

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Direct flight MDW to OAK, then 2h 30 by road. About 8h 45 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 Sonoma Coast State Beach

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

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Surf Sonoma Coast State Beach

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

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Surf Sonoma Coast State Beach

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 4 ft at 7 s, wind 8 kn (15 km/h).

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Surf Sonoma Coast State Beach

    Best 11:00 to 14:00 local time: 4 ft at 7 s, wind 7 kn (14 km/h).

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Direct flight MDW to OAK, then 2h 30 by road. About 8h 45 door to door

The trip from Jenner, 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 Jenner

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

Nearest beds: Jenner, 13 km (about 25 min by car) · 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.