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Stinson Beach, United States

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

Also within 20 km of Stinson Beach

Watch this spot We email you when Stinson Beach is worth the trip.

About Stinson Beach

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

The spot faces SW (207°), so it takes swell from the SW. The wind blows offshore from the NE (27°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits beginners and up. It works in 2–10 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 500 m out (1 in 51). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 12°C in January, its coldest month (4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves), and 15°C in August, its warmest (4/3 wetsuit and boots). For beginners the best months are usually October and November, with about 1 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Stinson Beach, 0.9 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 1 surf spot.

Water about 14°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 7 h 20 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO), direct.

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

  2. Getting there. 1 h from the airport to Stinson Beach.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in Stinson 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 Stinson Beach · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Stinson Beach · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Stinson Beach on Google Maps · Directions

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Forecast

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

DayScoreSwellEnergyWindTemp
Sun 18Oct443 ft9 ssoft143kJ19°C
Mon 19Oct414 ft10 ssoft249kJ16°C
Tue 20Oct246 ft10 ssoft613kJ17°C
Wed 21Oct534 ft8 ssoft173kJ18°C
Thu 22Oct292 ft11 scrumbling109kJ16°C
Fri 23Oct423 ft7 smushy105kJ19°C
Sat 24Oct354 ft6 smushy144kJ16°C
Sun 25Oct304 ft7 smushy110kJ14°C
Mon 26Oct514 ft8 ssoft162kJ12°C
Tue 27Oct323 ft8 ssoft84kJ15°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 SFO, then 1h by road. About 7h 20 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Surf Stinson Beach

    Best 11:00 to 14:00 local time: 6 ft at 10 s, wind 1 kn (3 km/h).

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Surf Stinson Beach

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 4 ft at 8 s, wind 2 kn (3 km/h).

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: 2 ft at best.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Surf Stinson Beach

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 3 ft at 7 s, offshore wind.

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Surf Stinson Beach

    Best 14:00 to 17:00 local time: 4 ft at 6 s, wind 6 kn (11 km/h).

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Direct flight MDW to SFO, then 1h by road. About 7h 20 door to door

The plan picks the best of 2 spots near Stinson Beach each day: Bolinas, Stinson Beach.

The trip from Stinson Beach, with every spot near it

Rough cost

About £970–£1,770 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 SFO, estimated from distance and season, 1 airline on the route, with a hold bag£225–£470
To the UK airportparking or the train, there and back£35–£65
Taxiairport and back, shared£65–£110
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–£1,770

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

Places to eat near Stinson 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.