Surf spot

Painter's Hill

Forecast conditions and map view for Painter's Hill in USA, South East, North Florida. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: USA, South East, North Florida
Coordinates: 29.5318, -81.1514

Metric
Metric	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00
Wave height (m)	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.3	0.4	0.5	0.5	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.6	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.3	0.3
Wave direction	E	E	ESE	ESE	E	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	NNE	NNE	NE	NE	NE	NE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	NE
Wave period (s)	6.2	6.4	2.5	2.6	7	3.3	3	2.7	3.3	7.1	7	6.9	6.9	7	7.2	7.2	7.3	7.3	7.2	7	6.7	6.8	6.8	6.8	6.9	6.9	6.8	6.3	7.1	7.5	4.5	4.5	5.2	5.3	6	6.3	6.3	6.5	6.1	6	6	5.9	5.8	5.5	5.8	6	6	5.9	5.5	5.2	5	5	5	4.9	5.2	5.3
Wave energy (kJ)	2	3	1	1	2	1	1	1	1	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	2	3	3	1	3	9	16	18	25	27	23	25	31	38	36	34	28	25	22	18	16	14	11	10	9	7	6	5	4
Wind speed (km/h)	5.3	4.6	4.6	6	10.9	12.4	10.2	9.5	6.6	6.2	5.4	5.5	6.5	14.6	11.1	7.6	6.5	5.3	4	3.9	11.6	13.4	9.7	7	4.1	2.1	4.7	13.7	16.4	17	18.3	18.3	17.3	12.8	20.3	20.7	20.2	19.6	19.5	16.5	13.1	7.3	9.4	12.6	13	12.2	7.4	7.4	7.3	4.7	1.8	6.8	14.3	13.7	10	8
Wind direction	SSWCross-off	SSWGlassy	SSWGlassy	SSWCross-off	EOnshore	SECross-on	SECross	SSECross	SSWCross-off	SWOffshore	WOffshore	WCross-off	EOnshore	SECross-on	SSECross	WCross-off	SSWCross-off	WSWOffshore	WGlassy	NNEGlassy	ENEOnshore	ECross-on	SECross-on	SSWCross-off	SWGlassy	NNEGlassy	NNEGlassy	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	NEOnshore	ENEOnshore	NEOnshore	NEOnshore	NEOnshore	NEOnshore	NEOnshore	NEOnshore	NNEOnshore	NEOnshore	NEOnshore	ENEOnshore	NNEOnshore	ENEOnshore	EOnshore	EOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ESECross-on	SSECross	SGlassy	SWGlassy	ESECross-on	ECross-on	ESECross-on	ESECross-on	SSECross

Painter’s Hill in North Florida is a quiet, lesser-known surf break in the Southeast Atlantic zone, generally offering a more local, low-key experience than the better-known Florida beaches. Like much of North Florida, it tends to be a sandbar-driven beach break rather than a point or reef setup, so the shape and quality of the waves can change a lot with tides, swell direction, and recent storms.

What it’s like

Wave type: Beach break
Best for: Intermediate surfers, though it can be fun for beginners on smaller days
Typical feel: Clean, softer Florida-style waves when conditions line up; can get weak or choppy without enough swell
Crowd factor: Usually lighter than major surf towns, but local etiquette still matters

Conditions

North Florida surf spots often work best with: - Hurricane or tropical swell - Northeast or east swells - Offshore winds from the west or northwest - A tide level that matches the sandbars on that particular day

Because the coast is fairly exposed and the sand shifts often, Painter’s Hill can go from average to good quickly after strong swell events, then change again after a few days.

Beach and setting

Expect a natural coastal setting with dunes, sandy shoreline, and a more relaxed feel than heavily developed surf areas. Depending on the exact access point, it may be more of a local spot than a destination break with lots of amenities.

Things to know

Check currents and rips: North Florida can have strong rip currents, especially during bigger swells.
Watch for sandbars and shallow sections: Surf can be punchy and dumpy when the bars line up.
Bring awareness: Wildlife, storms, and changing weather can affect conditions fast.
Respect locals: Smaller, lesser-known breaks often rely on good etiquette.

Overall

Painter’s Hill is best described as a modest, dependable North Florida beach break with occasional quality during solid swell events. It’s the kind of spot that can be fun and uncrowded when the sandbars cooperate, but it’s not usually a consistent world-class wave.