Strandhill, Ireland
Also within 20 km of Strandhill
- Bay Break Surf spot · 1.3 km from Strandhill
Watch this spot We email you when Strandhill is worth the trip.

About Strandhill
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces NW (303°), so it takes swell from the NW. The wind blows offshore from the SE (123°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 3–10 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 850 m out (1 in 84). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 9°C in January, its coldest month (4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves), and 16°C in August, its warmest (3/2 wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually January, February, March and October, with about 2 good days in 7; in June and July, about 0. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Strandhill, 1 km away (about 5 min by car). 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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From Chicago: about 15 h door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Dublin Airport (DUB), direct. About 26 flights a week that month.
See flights ORD → DUB · Skyscanner from about £370 returnAdGetting there. 3 h 15 from the airport to Strandhill, 217 km.
By bus and train: Bus Átha Cliath – Dublin Bus, Iarnród Éireann / Irish Rail, Bus Éireann. Time from the published timetables, on a weekday.
Accommodation.
Stay in StrandhillAd
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 Strandhill (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Strandhill 2 min by car · rooms from £95 a night · 6 places to stay · where Strandhill stays
Places to stay in Strandhill · Booking.com AdMullaghmore 42 min by car · rooms from £95 a night · 3 places to stay
Places to stay in Mullaghmore · Booking.com AdBundoran 55 min by car · rooms from £95 a night · 39 places to stay
Places to stay in Bundoran · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Strandhill · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Strandhill · GetYourGuideAd
Where it is
Strandhill on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
The score for experts, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Score for experts | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 19, too small | 3 ft10 ssoft | 159kJ | offshorewind from the south-south-east, 7 knots, offshore | 12°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 52, good | 6 ft11 ssoft | 735kJ | offshorewind from the east-south-east, 5 knots, offshore | 12°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 38, fair | 5 ft10 ssoft | 404kJ | offshorewind from the south-south-east, 16 knots, offshore | 12°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 20, poor | 7 ft9 smushy | 818kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 13 knots | 11°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 44, fair | 5 ft9 ssoft | 348kJ | offshorewind from the south-south-east, 8 knots, offshore | 11°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 11, poor | 6 ft8 smushy | 423kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 25 knots | 10°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 63, good | 7 ft10 ssoft | 888kJ | offshorewind from the south-south-east, 10 knots, offshore | 11°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 10, too small | 4 ft13 smushy | 476kJ | wind from the west-south-west, 14 knots | 11°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 16, poor | 8 ft9 smushy | 892kJ | wind from the west-south-west, 20 knots | 13°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 13, too small | 4 ft8 smushy | 153kJ | wind from the south, 13 knots | 10°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 expert surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Direct flight ORD to DUB, then 3h 15 by road (or about 4h 20 by bus and train, two changes, 12 a day). About 15h door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Too small: 5 ft at best.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 27 of 80.
- Thu 22 OctSurf Strandhill
Best 13:00 to 16:00 local time: 5 ft at 9 s, offshore wind.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 13 of 80.
- Sat 24 OctSurf Strandhill
Best 10:00 to 13:00 local time: 7 ft at 10 s, offshore wind.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Direct flight ORD to DUB, then 3h 15 by road (or about 4h 20 by bus and train, two changes, 12 a day). About 15h door to door
The plan picks the best of 2 spots near Strandhill each day: Bay Break, Strandhill.
Rough cost
About £1,115–£2,055 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return ORD to DUB, estimated from distance and season, 3 airlines on the route, with a hold bag | £370–£770 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £110–£180 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £260–£430 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £245–£455 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £95–£155 |
| Total | £1,115–£2,055 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Strandhill
- The Venue Bar and RestaurantBar and grill · 0.4 km from the centre
- So SaucesChinese · 0.7 km from the centre
- BeachBunsFish and chips · 0.9 km from the centre
- Bombo Truck0.9 km from the centre
- Fire Dough StrandhillPizza · 0.9 km from the centre
- Honestly Farm Kitchen0.9 km from the centre
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
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Where to stayAd
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