Tajuigas Ranch, United States
Also within 20 km of Goleta
- Goleta Rock Surf spot · 2.4 km from Goleta
- More Mesa Surf spot · 2.8 km from Goleta
- Shelves Surf spot · 3.4 km from Goleta
- Campus Point Surf spot · 3.6 km from Goleta
- Depressions Surf spot · 3.8 km from Goleta
- Devereux Surf spot · 5.2 km from Goleta
- Hope Ranch Surf spot · 5.4 km from Goleta
- Sands Surf spot · 5.7 km from Goleta
Watch this spot We email you when Tajuigas Ranch is worth the trip.
About Tajuigas Ranch
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces S (188°), so it takes swell from the S. The wind blows offshore from the N (8°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up, because of a steep sea floor. It works in 3–12 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves steeply: 10 m deep about 100 m out (1 in 12). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would break hollow. The sea is about 13°C in March, its coldest month (4/3 wetsuit and boots), and 18°C in September, its warmest (2 mm shorty). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually January, February, July and August, with about 1 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Goleta. Within 5 km we also list 1 surf spot.
Water about 17°C: 3/2 wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
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Book the trip
From Chicago: about 7 h 10 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to SBA, direct.
See flights ORD → SBA · Skyscanner from about £220 returnAdGetting there. 45 min from the airport to Tajuigas Ranch.
Accommodation.
Nearest beds: Goleta, 25 km (about 45 min by car)Ad
No town with beds to book is nearer Tajuigas Ranch: plan on the drive each day you surf.
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 Goleta, 25 km away (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Goleta 44 min by car · rooms from £100 a night · 15 places to stay · where Tajuigas Ranch stays
Places to stay in Goleta · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Goleta · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Goleta · GetYourGuideAd
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Where it is
Tajuigas Ranch on Google Maps · Directions
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Live webcam
In Goleta, the nearest town, 25 km away
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Forecast
The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Score for intermediates | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 43, fair | 3 ft9 shollow | 173kJ | wind from the west-south-west, 4 knots | 27°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 53, good | 4 ft9 shollow | 226kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 5 knots | 28°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 41, fair | 3 ft8 shollow | 134kJ | offshorewind from the north, 7 knots, offshore | 23°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 46, fair | 4 ft9 shollow | 208kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 5 knots | 16°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 31, too small | 3 ft8 shollow | 82kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-west, 5 knots, offshore | 21°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 38, fair | 4 ft6 shollow | 92kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-west, 8 knots, offshore | 23°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 41, fair | 3 ft7 shollow | 85kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-west, 2 knots, offshore | 24°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 27, too small | 2 ft7 shollow | 51kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-east, 2 knots, offshore | 25°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 32, too small | 3 ft7 shollow | 71kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 2 knots | 26°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 42, fair | 3 ft7 shollow | 88kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 1 knot | 25°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 ORD to SBA, then 45 min by road. About 7h 10 door to door
- Tue 20 OctSurf Tajuigas Ranch
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 3 ft at 8 s, offshore wind.
- Wed 21 OctSurf Tajuigas Ranch
Best 17:00 to 20:00 local time: 4 ft at 9 s, wind 5 kn (10 km/h).
- Thu 22 OctSurf Tajuigas Ranch
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 3 ft at 8 s, offshore wind.
- Fri 23 OctSurf Tajuigas Ranch
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 4 ft at 6 s, offshore wind.
- Sat 24 OctSurf Tajuigas Ranch
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 3 ft at 7 s, offshore wind.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Direct flight ORD to SBA, then 45 min by road. About 7h 10 door to door
Rough cost
About £940–£1,720 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 ORD to SBA, estimated from distance and season, 1 airline on the route, with a hold bag | £220–£460 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Taxi | airport and back, shared | £40–£70 |
| 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 | £940–£1,720 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Goleta
- Altamirano’s Mexican GrillMexican · in the centre
- La Hacienda Mexican RestaurantMexican · 0.1 km from the centre
- Natural Cafe GoletaVegetarian · 0.1 km from the centre
- Noodle City | Vietnamese RestaurantVietnamese · 0.1 km from the centre
- Pepe's Mexican FoodMexican · 0.1 km from the centre
- Ray's Village KitchenAmerican · 0.1 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
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Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.