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Taraval, United States

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

Also within 20 km of San Francisco

All 14 on San Francisco's map

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

About Taraval

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

The spot faces W (253°), so it takes swell from the W. The wind blows offshore from the E (73°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 2–9 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 700 m out (1 in 69). 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 intermediate surfers the best months are usually October, November and December, with about 3 good days in 7; in June and July, about 0. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is San Francisco. Within 5 km we also list 2 surf spots and 2 wind sports spots.

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 6 h 55 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. 40 min from the airport to Taraval.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Nearest beds: San Francisco, 10 km (about 20 min by car)Ad

    Taraval is 10 km from the beds: 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 San Francisco, 10 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 San Francisco · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in San Francisco · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Taraval on Google Maps · Directions

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Forecast

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

DayScoreSwellEnergyWindTemp
Sun 18Oct363 ft9 smushy162kJ17°C
Mon 19Oct404 ft9 smushy211kJ16°C
Tue 20Oct145 ft10 ssoft535kJ17°C
Wed 21Oct574 ft8 ssoft186kJ18°C
Thu 22Oct232 ft11 ssoft102kJ16°C
Fri 23Oct423 ft7 smushy97kJ17°C
Sat 24Oct326 ft6 smushy227kJ16°C
Sun 25Oct354 ft6 smushy138kJ15°C
Mon 26Oct624 ft8 smushy170kJ14°C
Tue 27Oct403 ft8 smushy91kJ14°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 40 min by road. About 6h 55 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Surf Fort Point

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 4 ft at 10 s, offshore wind.

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Surf Taraval

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

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: 2 ft at best.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Surf Deadman's

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 4 ft at 6 s, offshore wind.

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Surf Deadman's

    Best 11:00 to 14:00 local time: 5 ft at 6 s, wind 6 kn (11 km/h).

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Direct flight MDW to SFO, then 40 min by road. About 6h 55 door to door

The plan picks the best of 7 spots near San Francisco each day: Deadman's, Fort Point, Land's End Beach, Noriega, Ocean Beach San Francisco, Taraval, The Cogwheel.

The trip from San Francisco, with every spot near it

Rough cost

About £935–£1,715 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£30–£55
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£935–£1,715

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

Book the trip

Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

Where to stayAd

Nearest beds: San Francisco, 10 km (about 20 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.