Back to results

South Carlsbad State Beach, United States

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

Also within 20 km of Carlsbad

All 40 on Carlsbad's map

Watch this spot We email you when South Carlsbad State Beach is worth the trip.

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

About South Carlsbad State Beach

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

The spot faces SW (247°), so it takes swell from the SW. The wind blows offshore from the NE (67°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 2–8 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves moderately: 10 m deep about 400 m out (1 in 40). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would crumble. The sea is about 15°C in January, its coldest month (4/3 wetsuit and boots), and 22°C in August, its warmest (2 mm shorty). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually January, March, May and June, with about 3 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Carlsbad, 6.7 km away (about 15 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 10 surf spots.

Water about 20°C: 2 mm shorty. 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 7 h 05 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to San Diego International Airport (SAN), direct.

    See flights MDW → SAN · Skyscanner from about £215 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 1 h 05 from the airport to South Carlsbad State Beach.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in CarlsbadAd

    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 Carlsbad · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Carlsbad · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

South Carlsbad State Beach on Google Maps · Directions

The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.

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

Forecast

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

DayScoreSwellEnergyWindTemp
Sun 18Oct633 ft13 scrumbling367kJ25°C
Mon 19Oct664 ft13 scrumbling414kJ23°C
Tue 20Oct614 ft12 scrumbling345kJ22°C
Wed 21Oct523 ft12 scrumbling275kJ22°C
Thu 22Oct443 ft10 scrumbling143kJ19°C
Fri 23Oct433 ft10 scrumbling132kJ20°C
Sat 24Oct382 ft12 scrumbling144kJ22°C
Sun 25Oct302 ft12 scrumbling96kJ22°C
Mon 26Oct182 ft11 scrumbling64kJ20°C
Tue 27Oct363 ft4 smushy29kJ19°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 SAN, then 1h 05 by road. About 7h 05 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Surf Uncle Cliffy's

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 4 ft at 12 s, offshore wind.

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Surf Uncle Cliffy's

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 3 ft at 12 s, offshore wind.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Surf Cassidy

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 3 ft at 11 s, offshore wind.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Surf Bamboo Trees

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 3 ft at 6 s, offshore wind.

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: 2 ft at best.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Direct flight MDW to SAN, then 1h 05 by road. About 7h 05 door to door

The plan picks the best of 10 spots near Carlsbad each day: Bamboo Trees, Cassidy, Dutches A-Frame, Ponto, South Carlsbad State Beach, South Side, Tamarack st., Terra Mar Cove + Point, Uncle Cliffy's, Warm Water Jetties.

The trip from Carlsbad, with every spot near it

Rough cost

About £970–£1,760 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 SAN, estimated from distance and season, 1 airline on the route, with a hold bag£215–£445
To the UK airportparking or the train, there and back£35–£65
Taxiairport and back, shared£75–£125
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£970–£1,760

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

Places to eat near Carlsbad

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.