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Bethany Beach, United States

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Also within 20 km of Bethany Beach

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About Bethany Beach

Known for kitesurfing and windsurfing, by the OpenStreetMap map of the area. The shore faces E, so wind from the W blows out to sea (our estimate from the coastline). Facts: verified.

Water about 19°C: 2 mm shorty. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

A spot for kitesurfing and windsurfing, as OpenStreetMap maps it, on a shore facing E. Wind from the E blows onshore, wind from the W blows out to sea, and wind from the S or N runs along the shore. It is exposed to the open sea. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 700 m out (1 in 70). The sea is about 5°C in February, its coldest month (5/4 or 6/5, hood, boots and gloves), and 24°C in July, its warmest (no wetsuit). For windsurfing at intermediate level the best months are usually April, May, September and October, with about 2 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Bethany Beach. Within 5 km we also list 2 surf spots.

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Book the trip

From Chicago: about 6 h 40 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to PHL, direct.

    See flights MDW → PHL · Skyscanner from about £130 returnAd
  2. Getting there. 2 h 55 from the airport to Bethany Beach.

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in Bethany 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 in Bethany Beach (ad) 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.

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

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

Best on Fri 23: 13 kn gusting 25, side-shore. Water: waves 1.6 m.

The score for windsurf, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoor

Wind forecast and score for each day at Bethany Beach
DayScoreWindGustsShoreWater
Sun 18Oct49, goodwind from the north-north-east, 16 knots33knside2.0 mwaves
Mon 19Oct59, goodwind from the north-north-east, 14 knots26knside2.3 mwaves
Tue 20Oct60, goodwind from the north, 14 knots26knside2.3 mwaves
Wed 21Oct58, goodwind from the north, 15 knots28knside2.5 mwaves
Thu 22Oct0, poorwind from the north-north-west, 8 knots15kncross-off2.0 mwaves
Fri 23Oct63, goodwind from the north-north-east, 13 knots25knside1.6 mwaves
Sat 24Oct43, fairwind from the north-north-east, 11 knots19knside-on1.3 mwaves
Sun 25Oct0, poorwind from the north-west, 4 knots9kncross-off1.1 mwaves
Mon 26Oct0, poorwind from the west, 3 knots6knoffnot safechop
Tue 27Oct0, poorwind from the north-west, 8 knots14kncross-off1.0 mwaves

Day scores are the conditions out of 80. Wind is the day's best reading: the mean and the gusts in knots (10 kn is about 19 km/h); the arrow points where it blows to. Shore: "side" is side-shore, blowing along the beach, the safe way; "side-on" and "on" blow in towards it; "cross-off" and "off" blow out to sea, and offshore scores nothing for kite and windsurf. Water is the open sea's waves near the spot: flat under 0.3 m, chop to 0.8 m.

The season

Good windsurf days in a typical week, each month, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).

  1. Jan1of 7
  2. Feb1of 7
  3. Mar1of 7
  4. Apr2of 7
  5. May2of 7
  6. Jun1of 7
  7. Jul1of 7
  8. Aug1of 7
  9. Sep2of 7
  10. Oct2of 7
  11. Nov1of 7
  12. Dec1of 7

Typical, not a forecast. Reanalysis wind misses some local thermal winds, so a spot known for an afternoon breeze may do better than this.

Your trip, day by day

6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for windsurf. Change dates

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Direct flight MDW to PHL, then 2h 55 by road. About 6h 40 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Windsurf Bethany Beach

    14 kn gusting 26, side-shore. Water: waves 2.3 m.

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Windsurf Bethany Beach

    15 kn gusting 28, side-shore. Water: waves 2.5 m.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 8 kn gusting 15, cross-offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: waves 2 m.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Windsurf Bethany Beach

    13 kn gusting 25, side-shore. Water: waves 1.6 m.

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Windsurf Bethany Beach

    11 kn gusting 19, side-onshore. Water: waves 1.3 m.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Direct flight MDW to PHL, then 2h 55 by road. About 6h 40 door to door

Rough cost

About £810–£1,460 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing. A guide from typical prices, not a quote. Kit hire is not in it yet: we have no sourced price for it.

  • Flights £130–£270
  • To the UK airport £35–£65
  • Hire car £115–£190
  • Stay £270–£455
  • Food £260–£480

Places to eat near Bethany 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

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