Croatan, United States
Also within 20 km of Virginia Beach
- Atlantic Park Surf Surf spot · 0.3 km from Virginia Beach
- Virginia Beach Surf spot · 0.4 km from Virginia Beach
- Virginia Beach Kite spot · 0.4 km from Virginia Beach
- 1st Street Jetty Surf spot · 2.3 km from Virginia Beach
- 42nd St. VA Beach Surf spot · 2.4 km from Virginia Beach
- 81st Street Surf spot · 6.5 km from Virginia Beach
- The North End Surf spot · 7.3 km from Virginia Beach
- Damneck Naval Base Surf spot · 7.7 km from Virginia Beach
Watch this spot We email you when Croatan is worth the trip.
About Croatan
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces E (77°), so it takes swell from the E. The wind blows offshore from the W (257°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits beginners and up. It works in 1–5 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves very gently: 10 m deep about 3.2 km out (1 in 323). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 6°C in February, its coldest month (5/4 or 6/5, hood, boots and gloves), and 26°C in July, its warmest (no wetsuit). For beginners the best months are usually September and October, with about 2 good days in 7; in July, about 0. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Virginia Beach, 3.6 km away (about 10 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 4 surf spots and 1 wind sports spot.
Water about 21°C: 2 mm shorty. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
Saved: this link opens the same trip
The link holds the trip itself: nothing about you is kept. Check the forecast again before you book.
Book the trip
From Chicago: about 4 h 35 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to ORF, direct.
See flights MDW → ORF · Skyscanner from about £130 returnAdGetting there. 45 min from the airport to Croatan.
Accommodation.
Stay in Virginia 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 Virginia Beach (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Virginia Beach 6 min by car · rooms from £100 a night · 140 places to stay · where Croatan stays
Places to stay in Virginia Beach · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Virginia Beach · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Virginia Beach · GetYourGuideAd
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Where it is
Croatan on Google Maps · Directions
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Live webcam
Little Neck Creek at Pinewood Road at Virginia Beach, 5 km away
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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 | 12, poor | 4 ft9 smushy | 273kJ | wind from the north-north-east, 23 knots | 16°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 3, poor | 6 ft9 smushy | 429kJ | wind from the north-north-east, 23 knots | 17°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 12, poor | 6 ft8 ssoft | 438kJ | wind from the north, 16 knots | 18°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 8, poor | 6 ft9 smushy | 465kJ | wind from the north-north-east, 13 knots | 16°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 35, poor | 5 ft8 ssoft | 338kJ | wind from the north, 11 knots | 16°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 9, poor | 3 ft6 smushy | 59kJ | wind from the north-east, 13 knots | 14°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 6, poor | 2 ft6 smushy | 35kJ | wind from the east-north-east, 15 knots | 16°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 10, poor | 3 ft6 smushy | 73kJ | wind from the north-north-east, 14 knots | 15°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 23, poor | 3 ft6 smushy | 37kJ | wind from the north, 4 knots | 15°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 27, poor | 3 ft8 smushy | 119kJ | wind from the north, 9 knots | 18°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 MDW to ORF, then 45 min by road. About 4h 35 door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 30 of 80.
- Wed 21 OctSurf 42nd St. VA Beach
Best 17:00 to 20:00 local time: 6 ft at 9 s, wind 11 kn (20 km/h).
- Thu 22 OctSurf 42nd St. VA Beach
Best 17:00 to 20:00 local time: 4 ft at 8 s, wind 9 kn (17 km/h).
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 22 of 80.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 12 of 80.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Direct flight MDW to ORF, then 45 min by road. About 4h 35 door to door
The plan picks the best of 9 spots near Virginia Beach each day: 1st Street Jetty, 42nd St. VA Beach, 81st Street, Atlantic Park Surf, Croatan, Damneck Naval Base, Fort Story Jetty, The North End, Virginia Beach.
Rough cost
About £850–£1,530 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 MDW to ORF, estimated from distance and season, 1 airline on the route, with a hold bag | £130–£275 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Taxi | airport and back, shared | £40–£65 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £270–£455 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £260–£480 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £115–£190 |
| Total | £850–£1,530 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Virginia Beach
- 204 PizzaPizza · in the centre
- 22nd Street Raw Bar & GrillSeafood · in the centre
- Luca's PizzaPizza · in the centre
- Mosaic Cafe RestaurantTurkish · in the centre
- Repeal Bourbons and BurgersBurger · in the centre
- Sticky ThighsChicken · in 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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