A drive for a couple of hours each way, is pretty typical.
And some drive even longer - but not so often then.
It is just the opposite - we drive to GET AWAY FROM THE FLAT WATER
And into waves - even small waves are better than flat water for most of us.
But the other reason why many drive, is because there can be no wind in the summerperiod right here around the big cities - so many drives to the westcoast where it is almost always windy.
And here you can find buttersmooth flat water or good and big waves and swell, depending on what you want.
But a couple of hours drive, sometimes also after work on working days (as it gets dark pretty late in the summer)
Not every time we go out though - as we have wind pretty often locally too - but sometimes we dont want these smaller waves and go west, even if windy
And as said - occasionally in the summertime, many drives longer to get wind.
Peter