Is it worth the trip?
60Good out of 100 for your dates
Best on Fri 6: 4 ft swell at 7 s
Tue 3 · 44 out of 100
- Swell
- 3 ft5 s
- Energy
- 48kJ
- Wind
- NE 8 kn
- Temp
- 22°C
Wed 4 · 50 out of 100
- Swell
- 3 ft6 s
- Energy
- 59kJ
- Wind
- ENE 8 kn
- Temp
- 22°C
Thu 5 · 57 out of 100
- Swell
- 4 ft7 s
- Energy
- 112kJ
- Wind
- SSE 6 kn
- Temp
- 22°C
Fri 6 · 77 out of 100
- Swell
- 4 ft7 s
- Energy
- 140kJ
- Wind
- SW 4 kn
- Temp
- 21°C
Sat 7 · 68 out of 100
- Swell
- 3 ft8 s
- Energy
- 136kJ
- Wind
- NNW 5 kn
- Temp
- 22°C
Sun 8 · 55 out of 100
- Swell
- 3 ft7 s
- Energy
- 88kJ
- Wind
- NNE 7 kn
- Temp
- 20°C
Mon 9 · 39 out of 100
- Swell
- 2 ft7 s
- Energy
- 48kJ
- Wind
- WNW 10 kn
- Temp
- 19°C
Tap a day for waves, wind and the temperature. Full forecast
Forecast: next 9 days
Full forecast- Mon 238, too small
- Tue 344, poor
- Wed 450, fair
- Thu 557, fair
- Fri 677, good
- Sat 768, good
- Sun 855, fair
- Mon 939, too small
- Tue 1044, too small
The spot in five facts
- Faces SEtakes swell from the SE
- Offshore: NWwind from the land
- Intermediate +who it suits
- Works 2–9 ftof swell
- Water 20 °C2 mm shorty
Full forecast
every day, every number
The score doesn't know rips, currents, rocks or your skill.
Topsail Surf Spot does not suit beginners. This is the forecast for intermediates, so you can see what it does.
| Day | Scorefor Intermediate | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 2Nov | 38, too small | 3 ft5 s | 44kJ | wind from the north-north-east, 9 knots | 21°C |
| Tue 3Nov | 44, poor | 3 ft5 s | 48kJ | wind from the north-east, 8 knots | 22°C |
| Wed 4Nov | 50, fair | 3 ft6 s | 59kJ | wind from the east-north-east, 8 knots | 22°C |
| Thu 5Nov | 57, fair | 4 ft7 s | 112kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 6 knots | 22°C |
| Fri 6Nov | 77, good | 4 ft7 s | 140kJ | wind from the south-west, 4 knots | 21°C |
| Sat 7Nov | 68, good | 3 ft8 s | 136kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-west, 5 knots, offshore | 22°C |
| Sun 8Nov | 55, fair | 3 ft7 s | 88kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-east, 7 knots, offshore | 20°C |
| Mon 9Nov | 39, too small | 2 ft7 s | 48kJ | offshorewind from the west-north-west, 10 knots, offshore | 19°C |
| Tue 10Nov | 44, too small | 2 ft6 s | 43kJ | offshorewind from the north-west, 10 knots, offshore | 16°C |
Energy is the swell's power, in kJ per metre of wave. Wind is in knots, the arrow where it blows to; green is offshore. More
Forecast updated . It refreshes every three hours. Forecast data: ECMWF, DWD, Météo-France and NOAA, served by Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0). Changed by us. Generated using E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information.
Map
the spot and its town
Topsail Surf Spot on Google Maps · Directions
Each place wears its best day on these dates, a surf spot for beginners: green good, amber fair, pale red poor, as the key says.
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About
the place in full, sources, credits
About Topsail Surf Spot
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated.
The spot faces SE (148°), so it takes swell from the SE. The wind blows offshore from the NW (328°). 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 13°C in February, its coldest month (4/3 wetsuit and boots), and 28°C in July, its warmest (no wetsuit). The town to stay in is North Topsail Beach, 1 km away (about 5 min by car).
Water about 20°C: 2 mm shorty. 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$1,110–US$1,970 each
about US$1,110–US$1,970 each · 6 nights, 2 sharing: flights, hire car, 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 ORD to ILM, estimated from distance and season, 2 airlines on the route, with a hold bag | about US$161–US$335 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | about US$154–US$255 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | about US$301–US$502 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | about US$342–US$636 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about US$114 to fly your own | about US$147–US$241 |
| Total | about US$1,110–US$1,970 |
For 2 people sharing a room. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra. Prices from public sources, checked in 2026.
Where to stay: North Topsail Beach
Ad Links marked Ad may pay us if you book. You pay the same, and they never change a score. How we earn
about 5 min by car · 3 places to stay
about US$114/nightcountry average
About North Topsail Beach its beds, food and every spot near it
About US$114 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 5h 25m
About 5h 25m door to door from Chicago
Fly ORD → ILM, direct, then 1h 10m by road
Flights ORD → ILM on your dates · AviasalesAd
An estimate, one way; the journey never changes the score.