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South Side, United States

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

Also within 20 km of Bethany Beach

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

Atlantic Ocean Waves at Sunrise
South Side. Photo: Andrew Parlette from Elkridge,MD, US, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

About South Side

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

The spot faces E (87°), so it takes swell from the E. The wind blows offshore from the W (267°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 2–9 ft of swell. 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 intermediate surfers the best months are usually January, February, March and September, with about 1 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Bethany Beach, 7.7 km away (about 15 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 1 surf spot.

Water about 19°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 35 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 45 from the airport to South Side.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  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 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 Bethany Beach · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Bethany Beach · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

South Side on Google Maps · Directions

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One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Forecast

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

DayScoreSwellEnergyWindTemp
Sun 18Oct175 ft7 s220kJ14°C
Mon 19Oct45 ft9 s442kJ15°C
Tue 20Oct06 ft8 s449kJ18°C
Wed 21Oct07 ft8 s506kJ14°C
Thu 22Oct215 ft8 s235kJ17°C
Fri 23Oct273 ft7 s73kJ12°C
Sat 24Oct162 ft5 s19kJ13°C
Sun 25Oct433 ft5 s37kJ14°C
Mon 26Oct242 ft6 s28kJ17°C
Tue 27Oct272 ft7 s50kJ18°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 intermediate surfers. Change dates

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Direct flight MDW to PHL, then 2h 45 by road. About 6h 35 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Rest day

    Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Rest day

    Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Surf Bethany Hollywood St

    Best 17:00 to 20:00 local time: 5 ft at 7 s, wind 8 kn (14 km/h).

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Surf Bethany Hollywood St

    Best 14:00 to 17:00 local time: 3 ft at 7 s, wind 8 kn (16 km/h).

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Rest day

    Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 27 of 80.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Direct flight MDW to PHL, then 2h 45 by road. About 6h 35 door to door

The plan picks the best of 4 spots near Bethany Beach each day: Bethany Hollywood St, Cambell, Indian River Inlet, South Side.

The trip from Bethany Beach, with every spot near it

Rough cost

About £925–£1,650 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 PHL, estimated from distance and season, 1 airline on the route, with a hold bag£130–£270
To the UK airportparking or the train, there and back£35–£65
Hire car6 days, shared£115–£190
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£925–£1,650

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

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

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.