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Boxcars, United States

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

Also within 20 km of Huntington Beach

All 26 on Huntington Beach's map

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

Venus and Boeing Transit 2012 - Huntington Beach
Near Boxcars, 2 km away. Photo: jimnista, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

About Boxcars

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

The spot faces SW (208°), so it takes swell from the SW. The wind blows offshore from the NE (28°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits beginners and up. It works in 2–7 ft of swell. The sea is about 15°C in January, its coldest month (4/3 wetsuit and boots), and 21°C in August, its warmest (2 mm shorty). For beginners the best months are usually August, October and November, with about 5 good days in 7; in March, April and May, about 3. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Huntington Beach, 3.9 km away (about 10 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 4 surf spots and 1 wind sports spot.

Water about 20°C: 2 mm shorty. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

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Book the trip

From Chicago: about 6 h 45 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to Long Beach International Airport (LGB), direct.

    See flights MDW → LGB · Skyscanner from about £215 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 40 min from the airport to Boxcars.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

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

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Boxcars on Google Maps · Directions

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Forecast

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

DayScoreSwellEnergyWindTemp
Sun 18Oct593 ft14 s240kJ23°C
Mon 19Oct583 ft13 s282kJ21°C
Tue 20Oct493 ft12 s239kJ22°C
Wed 21Oct613 ft11 s153kJ20°C
Thu 22Oct612 ft11 s131kJ19°C
Fri 23Oct413 ft5 s56kJ21°C
Sat 24Oct532 ft6 s30kJ22°C
Sun 25Oct522 ft12 s57kJ21°C
Mon 26Oct291 ft11 s45kJ20°C
Tue 27Oct542 ft4 s20kJ18°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 beginner surfers. Change dates

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Direct flight MDW to LGB, then 40 min by road. About 6h 45 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Surf Sunset Beach usa north OC

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 3 ft at 12 s, wind 4 kn (7 km/h).

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Surf 17th Street

    Best 17:00 to 20:00 local time: 3 ft at 11 s, offshore wind.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Surf Sunset Beach usa north OC

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 2 ft at 11 s, offshore wind.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Surf Bolsa Chica

    Best 14:00 to 17:00 local time: 3 ft at 6 s, wind 4 kn (8 km/h).

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Surf Huntington Beach

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 2 ft at 12 s, offshore wind.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Direct flight MDW to LGB, then 40 min by road. About 6h 45 door to door

The plan picks the best of 6 spots near Huntington Beach each day: 17th Street, Bolsa Chica, Boxcars, Huntington Beach, Magnolia Street, Sunset Beach usa north OC.

The trip from Huntington Beach, with every spot near it

Rough cost

About £930–£1,695 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 LGB, estimated from distance and season, 1 airline on the route, with a hold bag£215–£450
To the UK airportparking or the train, there and back£35–£65
Taxiairport and back, shared£35–£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£930–£1,695

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

Places to eat near Huntington 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.