Waitups, Australia
Also within 20 km of Victor Harbor
- The Pines Surf spot · 0.3 km from Victor Harbor
- Royal Victor Harbor Yacht Club Kite spot · 0.8 km from Victor Harbor
- Dump Surf spot · 3 km from Victor Harbor
- Chiton Rocks Surf spot · 3.9 km from Victor Harbor
- Booma Surf spot · 4.4 km from Victor Harbor
- Bullies Surf spot · 4.6 km from Victor Harbor
- Knights Surf spot · 5.3 km from Victor Harbor
- Horseshoe Bay Surf spot · 6.2 km from Victor Harbor
Watch this spot We email you when Waitups is worth the trip.
About Waitups
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces S (171°), so it takes swell from the S. The wind blows offshore from the N (351°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up, because of a steep sea floor. It works in 2–9 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves very steeply: 10 m deep about 100 m out (1 in 10). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would break hollow. The sea is about 14°C in July, its coldest month (4/3 wetsuit and boots), and 20°C in January, its warmest (2 mm shorty). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually May, July and August, with about 3 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Victor Harbor. Within 5 km we also list 2 surf spots.
Water about 15°C: 4/3 wetsuit and boots. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
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Book the trip
From Chicago: about 30 h door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to Adelaide International Airport (ADL), changing at San Francisco International Airport (SFO).
See flights MDW → ADL · Skyscanner from about £875 returnAdGetting there. 1 h 40 from the airport to Waitups.
Accommodation.
Nearest beds: Victor Harbor, 22 km (about 40 min by car)Ad
No town with beds to book is nearer Waitups: 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 Victor Harbor, 22 km away (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Victor Harbor 38 min by car · rooms from £90 a night · 34 places to stay · where Waitups stays
Places to stay in Victor Harbor · Booking.com AdMiddleton 55 min by car · rooms from £90 a night · 17 places to stay
Places to stay in Middleton · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Victor Harbor · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Victor Harbor · GetYourGuideAd
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Where it is
Waitups on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
Waitups 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 | 16, too small | 1 ft10 shollow | 32kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 4 knots | 21°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 43, fair | 3 ft10 shollow | 129kJ | offshorewind from the north, 10 knots, offshore | 22°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 27, too small | 3 ft10 shollow | 130kJ | wind from the west-south-west, 9 knots | 16°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 43, fair | 3 ft9 shollow | 116kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 4 knots | 15°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 68, good | 4 ft12 shollow | 325kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-west, 9 knots, offshore | 22°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 48, good | 3 ft11 shollow | 286kJ | wind from the west-south-west, 4 knots | 22°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 22, poor | 4 ft10 smushy | 253kJ | wind from the south-west, 12 knots | 16°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 31, poor | 3 ft9 shollow | 146kJ | wind from the north-west, 15 knots | 15°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 17, poor | 4 ft9 smushy | 273kJ | wind from the south-west, 15 knots | 12°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 9, poor | 4 ft7 smushy | 119kJ | wind from the south, 17 knots | 13°C |
| Wed 28Oct | 0, poor | – | – | – | – |
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
Fly MDW to ADL, changing at SFO, then 1h 40 by road. About 30h door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 30 of 80.
- Wed 21 OctSurf Waitups
Best 14:00 to 17:00 local time: 3 ft at 9 s, wind 4 kn (8 km/h).
- Thu 22 OctSurf Waitups
Best 14:00 to 17:00 local time: 4 ft at 12 s, offshore wind.
- Fri 23 OctSurf Waitups
Best 17:00 to 20:00 local time: 3 ft at 11 s, wind 4 kn (7 km/h).
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 33 of 80.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly MDW to ADL, changing at SFO, then 1h 40 by road. About 30h door to door
Rough cost
About £1,610–£3,090 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 ADL, estimated from distance and season, changing at SFO, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £875–£1,820 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £110–£180 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £240–£395 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £245–£455 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £105–£175 |
| Total | £1,610–£3,090 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Victor Harbor
- Delicia Acai + Protein Bar Victor HarborAcai bowls · 0.1 km from the centre
- Loco MexicanMexican · 0.1 km from the centre
- Nino'sItalian · 0.1 km from the centre
- The Original Fish ShopFish and chips · 0.1 km from the centre
- Victa's Pizza ExpressPizza · 0.1 km from the centre
- Red OrchidThai · 0.2 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.