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South End, United States

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

Also within 20 km of Wrightsville Beach

Watch this spot We email you when South End is worth the trip.

Johnny Mercer Pier-27527
Wrightsville Beach, the nearest town, 3 km away. Photo: Ken Thomas, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons

About South End

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

The spot faces E (112°), so it takes swell from the E. The wind blows offshore from the W (292°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 3–10 ft of swell. The sea is about 12°C in February, its coldest month (4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves), and 28°C in July, its warmest (no wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually January, February, March and April, with about 1 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Wrightsville Beach, 3.1 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 4 surf spots.

Water about 24°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

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Book the trip

From Chicago: about 4 h 45 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to ILM, direct.

    See flights ORD → ILM · Skyscanner from about £135 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 35 min from the airport to South End.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in Wrightsville BeachAd

    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 Wrightsville Beach · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Wrightsville Beach · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

South End on Google Maps · Directions

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Forecast

South End 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 18Oct304 ft8 s214kJ19°C
Mon 19Oct375 ft8 s301kJ19°C
Tue 20Oct363 ft8 s124kJ21°C
Wed 21Oct363 ft5 s39kJ20°C
Thu 22Oct282 ft9 s56kJ19°C
Fri 23Oct162 ft4 s17kJ20°C
Sat 24Oct133 ft6 s48kJ20°C
Sun 25Oct213 ft7 s91kJ21°C
Mon 26Oct524 ft7 s138kJ22°C
Tue 27Oct07 ft9 s680kJ23°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 ORD to ILM, then 35 min by road. About 4h 45 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Surf Mercer Pier

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 3 ft at 8 s, offshore wind.

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Surf Masonborough Island

    Best 14:00 to 17:00 local time: 3 ft at 5 s, wind 7 kn (14 km/h).

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: 2 ft at best.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: 2 ft at best.

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Rest day

    Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 28 of 80.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Direct flight ORD to ILM, then 35 min by road. About 4h 45 door to door

The plan picks the best of 7 spots near Wrightsville Beach each day: Columbia St., Crystal Pier, Figure 8, Masonborough Island, Mercer Pier, Shell Island, South End.

The trip from Wrightsville Beach, with every spot near it

Rough cost

About £840–£1,515 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 ORD to ILM, estimated from distance and season, 2 airlines on the route, with a hold bag£135–£285
To the UK airportparking or the train, there and back£35–£65
Taxiairport and back, shared£25–£40
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£840–£1,515

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

Places to eat near Wrightsville Beach

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.