Short Sand Beach, United States
Also within 20 km of Manzanita
- Neakahine point Surf spot · 1.9 km from Manzanita
- smugglers cove Surf spot · 5.4 km from Manzanita
- Arcadia Surf spot · 13.6 km from Manzanita
- Vista rights Surf spot · 15.2 km from Manzanita
- Cannon beach Surf spot · 18.3 km from Manzanita
- Needles Surf spot · 18.4 km from Manzanita
Watch this spot We email you when Short Sand Beach is worth the trip.
About Short Sand Beach
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces SW (228°), so it takes swell from the SW. The wind blows offshore from the NE (48°). 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 450 m out (1 in 47). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 9°C in February, its coldest month (4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves), and 15°C in July, its warmest (4/3 wetsuit and boots). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually July and September, with about 2 good days in 7; in January, February and December, about 0. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Manzanita, 5.5 km away (about 10 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 2 surf spots.
Water about 13°C: 4/3 wetsuit and boots. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
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The link holds the trip itself: nothing about you is kept. Check the forecast again before you book.
Book the trip
From Chicago: about 8 h 15 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to PDX, direct.
See flights MDW → PDX · Skyscanner from about £215 returnAdGetting there. 2 h 10 from the airport to Short Sand Beach.
Accommodation.
Stay in ManzanitaAd
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 Manzanita (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Manzanita 10 min by car · rooms from £100 a night · 18 places to stay · where Short Sand Beach stays
Places to stay in Manzanita · Booking.com AdCannon Beach 25 min by car · rooms from £100 a night · 56 places to stay
Places to stay in Cannon Beach · Booking.com AdSeaside 45 min by car · rooms from £100 a night · 89 places to stay
Places to stay in Seaside · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Manzanita · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Manzanita · GetYourGuideAd
Budget 
Mid-range 
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Where it is
Short Sand Beach on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
Short Sand Beach does not suit beginners. This is the forecast for intermediates, so you can see what it does.
The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Scorefor Intermediate | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 0, too big | 7 ft9 ssoft | 707kJ | wind from the north-north-east, 7 knots | 13°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 33, poor | 6 ft11 ssoft | 664kJ | wind from the north-north-west, 7 knots | 12°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 54, good | 5 ft9 ssoft | 313kJ | offshorewind from the north-east, 9 knots, offshore | 16°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 42, fair | 3 ft6 smushy | 68kJ | offshorewind from the east-north-east, 3 knots, offshore | 14°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 0, too big | 6 ft10 ssoft | 603kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 4 knots | 12°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 10, poor | 6 ft8 ssoft | 372kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 5 knots | 11°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 13, poor | 4 ft8 smushy | 211kJ | wind from the south, 25 knots | 10°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 25, poor | 4 ft7 smushy | 126kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 8 knots | 10°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 57, good | 4 ft7 smushy | 156kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 4 knots | 10°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 48, good | 3 ft7 smushy | 94kJ | offshorewind from the north-east, 6 knots, offshore | 12°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
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Direct flight MDW to PDX, then 2h 10 by road. About 8h 15 door to door
- Tue 20 OctSurf Neakahine point
Best 11:00 to 14:00 local time: 5 ft at 9 s, offshore wind.
- Wed 21 OctSurf Neakahine point
Best 17:00 to 20:00 local time: 3 ft at 7 s, wind 6 kn (11 km/h).
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.
- Fri 23 OctSurf Neakahine point
Best 17:00 to 20:00 local time: 6 ft at 8 s, wind 4 kn (6 km/h).
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 18 of 80.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Direct flight MDW to PDX, then 2h 10 by road. About 8h 15 door to door
The plan picks the best of 3 spots near Manzanita each day: Neakahine point, Short Sand Beach, smugglers cove.
Rough cost
About £1,010–£1,830 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 PDX, estimated from distance and season, 1 airline on the route, with a hold bag | £215–£450 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £115–£190 |
| 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 | £1,010–£1,830 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Manzanita
- Left Coast SiestaMexican · 0.1 km from the centre
- BlackbirdAmerican · 0.2 km from the centre
- Offshore Grill and Coffee HouseSeafood · 0.2 km from the centre
- El Trio Loco 2Mexican · 0.3 km from the centre
- Marzano's Pizza PiePizza · 0.3 km from the centre
- The Happy Elephant | ThaiThai · 0.5 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
Book the trip
Where to stayAd
Places to stay · Booking.com (ad)Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.