The Box, United States
Also within 20 km of Lawrence
- Jones Beach Surf spot · 3 km from Lawrence
- Boogie Beach 2 Surf spot · 4.1 km from Lawrence
- East Rockaway Inlet Jetty Surf spot · 4.2 km from Lawrence
- Connecticut Street Jetty Surf spot · 4.5 km from Lawrence
- Grand Blvd Surf spot · 5.1 km from Lawrence
- Laurelton Surf spot · 6.1 km from Lawrence
- National Blvd. Surf spot · 6.5 km from Lawrence
- Lincoln Surf spot · 7.5 km from Lawrence
Watch this spot We email you when The Box is worth the trip.

About The Box
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces S (158°), so it takes swell from the S. The wind blows offshore from the N (338°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 3–11 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 5°C in February, its coldest month (5/4 or 6/5, hood, boots and gloves), and 23°C in July, its warmest (2 mm shorty). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually January, February, March and April, with about 1 good days in 7; in July, about 0. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Lawrence, 8.1 km away (about 15 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 2 surf spots and 1 wind sports spot.
Water about 18°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 O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), direct.
See flights ORD → JFK · Skyscanner from about £135 returnAdGetting there. 25 min from the airport to The Box.
Accommodation.
Stay in LawrenceAd
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 Lawrence (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Lawrence 14 min by car · rooms from £100 a night · 3 places to stay · where The Box stays
Places to stay in Lawrence · Booking.com AdLong Beach 23 min by car · rooms from £100 a night · 10 places to stay
Places to stay in Long Beach · Booking.com AdLido Beach 28 min by car · rooms from £100 a night · 5 places to stay
Places to stay in Lido Beach · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Lawrence · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Lawrence · GetYourGuideAd
Where it is
The Box on Google Maps · Directions
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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 | 17, too small | 2 ft4 smushy | 9kJ | offshorewind from the north, 5 knots, offshore | 13°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 42, fair | 4 ft6 smushy | 98kJ | offshorewind from the north, 6 knots, offshore | 16°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 56, good | 4 ft7 smushy | 185kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-east, 6 knots, offshore | 18°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 46, fair | 5 ft7 smushy | 205kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-east, 11 knots, offshore | 15°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 60, good | 4 ft8 smushy | 186kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-west, 7 knots, offshore | 17°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 17, too small | 2 ft7 smushy | 24kJ | offshorewind from the north, 9 knots, offshore | 12°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 9, too small | 1 ft5 smushy | 6kJ | wind from the south-west, 2 knots | 12°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 6, too small | 1 ft4 smushy | 2kJ | wind from the west, 5 knots | 16°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 4, too small | 1 ft7 s | 3kJ | wind from the west, 6 knots | 16°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 16, too small | 2 ft8 smushy | 26kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-west, 3 knots, offshore | 17°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 JFK, then 25 min by road. About 4h 35 door to door
- Tue 20 OctSurf The Box
Best 17:00 to 20:00 local time: 4 ft at 7 s, offshore wind.
- Wed 21 OctSurf East Rockaway Inlet Jetty
Best 11:00 to 14:00 local time: 5 ft at 8 s, offshore wind.
- Thu 22 OctSurf The Box
Best 11:00 to 14:00 local time: 4 ft at 8 s, offshore wind.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Direct flight ORD to JFK, then 25 min by road. About 4h 35 door to door
The plan picks the best of 3 spots near Lawrence each day: 92nd Street, East Rockaway Inlet Jetty, The Box.
Rough cost
About £830–£1,495 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 JFK, estimated from distance and season, 4 airlines on the route, with a hold bag | £135–£280 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Taxi | airport and back, shared | £15–£25 |
| 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 | £830–£1,495 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Lawrence
- Prime BistroSteakhouse · 0.2 km from the centre
- Sushi TokyoSushi · 0.2 km from the centre
- The Coffee BarKosher · 0.2 km from the centre
- TraditionsKosher · 0.2 km from the centre
- Cho-Sen IslandChinese · 0.3 km from the centre
- Hibana Hibachi Steakhouse and BarSteakhouse · 0.3 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
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