North Shore
Surf spot · New Zealand
Is it worth the trip?
41Poor out of 100 for your dates
Every day scores the same, usually
Mon 2 · 41 out of 100
From the usual week for these dates, not the forecast.
Tue 3 · 41 out of 100
From the usual week for these dates, not the forecast.
Wed 4 · 41 out of 100
From the usual week for these dates, not the forecast.
Thu 5 · 41 out of 100
From the usual week for these dates, not the forecast.
Fri 6 · 41 out of 100
From the usual week for these dates, not the forecast.
Sat 7 · 41 out of 100
From the usual week for these dates, not the forecast.
Sun 8 · 41 out of 100
From the usual week for these dates, not the forecast.
No forecast for this spot on these dates. Usual weather for your dates
The spot in five facts
- Faces Etakes swell from the E
- Offshore: Wwind from the land
- Intermediate +who it suits
- Works 3–11 ftof swell
- Water 14 °C4/3 wetsuit and boots
Usual weather for your dates
not a forecast
| Day | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 2to 8usually | 3 ft7 s | 78kJ | NE | 16°C |
No forecast for this spot on these dates. These are the usual readings for that week.
Best time to go
No month stands out
Good days in a typical week, each month, for intermediate surfers, from 2016 on (history scored the same way).
- Jan1of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Jan
- Feb1of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Feb
- Mar2of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Mar
- Apr2of 7: a trip from Sat 3 Apr
- May2of 7: a trip from Sat 1 May
- Jun2of 7: a trip from Sat 5 Jun
- Jul2of 7: a trip from Sat 3 Jul
- Aug2of 7: a trip from Sat 7 Aug
- Sep1of 7: a trip from Sat 4 Sept
- Oct1of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Oct
- Nov0of 7: a trip from Mon 2 Nov
- Dec1of 7: a trip from Sat 5 Dec
Tap a month to see this spot for a trip then.
Typical, not a forecast.
Map
the spot, its town, photos
North Shore on Google Maps · Directions
Each place wears how it usually is on these dates, from past years' weather, a surf spot for intermediates: green good, amber fair, pale red poor, as the key says.
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Photos of North Shore
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More surf near here
5 places
- Trolley's 1 km away
- Waimari beach 1.6 km away
- Lone Pine - Brighton 2.1 km away
- New Brighton 2.5 km away
- Eddies - South Shore 7.4 km away
About
the place in full, sources, credits
About North Shore
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated.
The spot faces E (71°), so it takes swell from the E. The wind blows offshore from the W (251°). 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 gently: 10 m deep about 950 m out (1 in 93). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 10°C in July, its coldest month (4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves), and 18°C in February, its warmest (2 mm shorty). The town to stay in is Lyttelton. Within 5 km we also list 4 surf spots, 1 wind sports spot and 1 mountain bike area.
Water about 14°C: 4/3 wetsuit and boots. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
The score is the conditions only: the journey, the price and the partners never change it (how we score, how we earn).
Rough cost (estimate): about US$1,670–US$3,190 each
about US$1,670–US$3,190 each · 6 nights, 2 sharing: flights, taxi, stay, food, board and wetsuit.
Our estimate from typical public prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book (where they come from). Prices are about, in US Dollar (USD): our pound figures at the European Central Bank's rate of 30 October 2026.
How we worked it out
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return MDW to CHC, estimated from distance and season, changing at SFO, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | about US$858–US$1,780 |
| Taxi | airport and back, shared | about US$33–US$60 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | about US$342–US$563 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | about US$301–US$563 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about US$114 to fly your own | about US$134–US$221 |
| Total | about US$1,670–US$3,190 |
For 2 people sharing a room. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra. Prices from public sources, checked in 2026.
Where to stay: 2 towns
21 min by car · 3 places to stay
about US$127/nightcountry average
About Lyttelton its beds, food and every spot near it
- Beds in Kaiapoi on Booking.com
26 min by car · 5 places to stay
Nearest beds: Lyttelton, 12 km (about 25 min by car)
About US$127 a night is our estimate of the country's average 2-star double room that month: not each town's price, and not a quote. Drives are estimates. Prices are about, in US Dollar (USD): our pound figures at the European Central Bank's rate of 30 October 2026.
Getting there: about 26h 30m
About 26h 30m door to door from Chicago
Fly MDW → CHC, changing at San Francisco International Airport (SFO), then 35 min by road
Flights MDW → CHC on your dates · Skyscanner
An estimate, one way; the journey never changes the score.