My kids took a lesson with Rich and had a great time. They said he was a good, nice teacher. He was easy to find in the parking lot with the classic Volkswagen bus. He provided the boards and wetsuits in their sizes. Doheny beach is perfect for beginners. Small, mellow waves. The water isn't deep, the scene is relaxed, and the parking is only $1 an hour. With Rich's help, my kids caught waves, stood up, and felt happy with their accomplishments. read more

Rich was a great instructor. He had all the boards and wetsuits our family of 5 needed. The boards and suits were correctly sized! After a short lesson on the sand we were in the waves at Doheny State Beach. Would recommend bringing swim shoes as the rocks under the water can be sharp! Everyone had a good time and Rich did a great job focusing the experience on each surfer based on their age and experience. Would highly recommend!! read more

Rich was great! My wife and I booked a lesson for her birthday and we had a great time. Neither of us had surfed before but with good coaching we both got up a few times. read more

This past weekend we had friends visiting us in Dana Point. They traveled with their two kids from OH and were so excited for their visit. The only thing on the bucket list for their family was to take a surf lesson. Since we live in Orange County, we had heard great things about Richard and his company Blue Bus Surf so we recommend our friends sign up for a lesson. The original lesson was scheduled for Friday at 2pm, however it was cancelled since the surf was too rough and too dangerous for beginners (totally understandable). Richard rescheduled for Sunday at 11am. Our friends showed up and could not find the Blue Bus Surf, so they contacted Richard at 11:01 and he responded " I'm sorry you guys my car is not starting!! I'll try calling my second instructor." After then it was crickets. Richard did not respond to their text with an update, follow up on the "second instructor", or have the decency to apologize. My friend, and her 2 children waited 30 minutes and were beyond disappointed and unable to take a surf lesson. Sharing this for anyone local or traveling to Dana Point ....I am sure Richard Zach is a wonderful surfer, but really in disbelief on how he runs his business. I understand things happen, but to me what he did was totally unacceptable. read more

This was an amazing experience!! Rick is amazing and so patient, kind! I took my niece for a first time experience and she is still smiling from ear to ear!! We'll be back soon!! read more

Awesome time. I got a session in with Jake and he was patient, knowledgeable and insanely cool. Thanks for the assistance, y'all !

Rich and Alexxa are awesome. They are generous with their knowledge, expertise, time and equipment. Rich was so accommodating with his schedule. He changed the lesson time so we could join. They are both patient teachers and very encouraging. We had fun!! read more

Blue Bus Surf Lessons - The famous blue van - Surf Schools Near Me - Dana Point, California

Richard is the best! Super helpful, calm instructor. He was so kind and made me feel comfortable surfing for the first time - he had all the right gear and was super chill. I wanted a smaller 1:1 instruction versus a big company or store for my surf lesson and it was awesome! If I'm in town again I'll definitely take another class! read more

Blue Bus Surf Lessons - Surf Schools Near Me - Dana Point, California

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My sons (10 & 12) had surf lessons with Blue Bus today and it was awesome. Richard is excellent with the kids. He's very friendly, patient and a natural teacher and the boys had a blast. Both of our kids as newbies to surfing stood up during their first lesson. I would recommend Richard without reservation and if we get the chance to come back to the west coast soon we'll do another lesson with him. Richard thanks so much for introducing the boys to surfing. Haven't seen them with an ear to ear grin this wide in a while. Cheers. read more

Blue Bus Surf Lessons - Surf Schools Near Me - Dana Point, California

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Our session with Rich was great. Everything went well, he even had the sunshine and nice waves lined up for us. Recommend highly. Thanks Rich! read more

I went for a surf lesson this morning with Blue Bus Surf, and I would probably check it as one of my all time favorite experiences of all time. I have been wanting to do this for SO long and I'm so glad that I did. I was full of nerves when I first arrived, but you could feel Richard's playful and considerate vibe right away. I instantly felt welcomed and way more at ease. We went through a tutorial on the beach and Richard clearly explained the proper form, etiquette, benefits, etc. Getting in the water.... WAS.... Amazing. Everything about it was so exciting. Rich was so kind and motivating. There was a moment where I was starting to get discouraged and he not only acknowledged that, but patiently and contagiously walked me step by step through it with so much patience. Riding the first wave was everything that I didn't know it would be! I honestly don't feel like the experience would have been the same anywhere else and with anyone else. Blue bus provided everything that you need, such as the wetsuit, the board, and an incredible lesson. Highly, Highly recommend! read more

My cousin and I (both 51 years old) took a 2hr lesson with Richard earlier this week. It exceeded our expectations. Richard was super cool and the epitome of a California surf instructor which made us feel cool too. He was extremely patient and knowledgeable about surfing and set our expectations of what success was throughout the lesson. Two Thumbs up all the way read more

Blue Bus Surf Lessons - Surf Schools Near Me - Dana Point, California

My 12 year old took a 2hr lesson from Richard this morning and he had a blast. He said Richard was very kind and helpful and he definitely wanted to take another lesson with him. Communication with Richard was great via text, and it was very easy to set up the lesson. Highly recommend for both locals and tourists looking for some guidance/lessons in the Dana Point/Laguna area. read more

What an amazing experience! I've always wanted to learn to surf and Richard delivered. Everything from the board, wetsuit to the instructions was perfect. Took me a couple waves but I ended up popping up! Thanks Rich for getting me in the water and taking a picture next to the Blue Bus! read more

Rich is a fantastic teacher. Rich goes over the basics/fundamentals of everything surf. In my view, he's got that "it" factor when it comes to instructing - he's patient, encouraging, and gives you immediate feedback on what, if anything, you can improve. Highly, highly recommend Blue Bus surf lessons with Rich! read more

My daughter and I had a wonderful time. great experience and success on standing and catching waves the first day. Took a second lesson and it was awesome- lots of standing success!!! Rick and Alexa are great teachers - Calm, positive and fun . Highly recommend. read more

Wow! This was the highlight of our trip! If you are in the pacific this is the place to be! Perfect waves to learn on. Great in instructors! Couldn't ask for better lessons! Can't wait to visit again and show off some skills we have practiced! read more

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I took a surf lesson with Richard; what a fun and awesome experience it was! I appreciated how Richard took the time to provide the basics of surfing but also teaching on the waves in general and how to be safe with other surfers. I highly recommend Richard and his team! read more

Had some surf experience before, but needed some helpful techniques to improve my surfing skills. Richard quickly replied to my email and made it really easy to set up a lesson around my work schedule. If you're new to surfing or looking to improve definitely hit up Blue Bus Surf Lessons for a great day in the water! read more

My 6 year old had a blast. Richard is great with the kids. Will definitely be calling him again.

Richard is a great teacher and has excellent patience with new students especially. Highly recommend him for any level of experience as a surfing instructor. read more

I chose this company because I wanted a more personal experience rather than using a surf school where my tween is just one of the many. I am so glad I did. Richard was beyond knowledgeable and was right there the whole time making sure everything he taught was understood, executed, and most importantly, that it was fun. My tween stood up many times and came back with a huge grin on his face. My tween loved it so much, he asked to do another lesson and he never does that. I 100% recommend Blue Bus Surf Lessons. read more

Richard is an amazing surf instructor. We are beginners but he was so patient and made us feel at ease in the water. We both were able to get a few rides in just one lesson. The VW bus is also a great backdrop for a photo memory. read more

Richard was so cool! He was so patient and taught me so much on my first lesson! He was so flexible with my schedule. I've already scheduled multiple lessons with him. I would definitely recommend. read more

I've been wanting to learn how to surf for a while now and I stumbled upon their page on Airbnb and thought the vintage blue bus was a cute idea. Glad I took the lesson! Rich made it easy and helped me feel comfortable. He provided all the necessary gear. Highly recommend to anyone looking for an introduction to surfing! read more

I took my first surf lesson with Rich and he was amazing from the start! He is super friendly and accommodating. He provided wetsuits and boards upon request, which made it very easy and less stressful. I would recommend bringing towels and sunscreen. I was very nervous trying it for the first time and he was extremely patient. He made me feel comfortable throughout the whole experience. I was able to stand on the board and it was a major accomplishment for me considering I've never surfed before. My overall experience was excellent and I would recommend anyone I know to sign up with Rich for surf lessons at Blue Bus Surf! ‍ read more

Richard was such a chill, nice guy. Really patient and encouraging and did a great job teaching my cousin and I how to surf. We are both over 50 and thought it might be too late to try but it was not! I have much more confidence now to keep at it. I highly recommend this company. They have all the gear, including wetsuits and booties too for you. read more

Richard was fantastic! Two flat-land kids from KS got up in the first few tries. Communication was great, he was a good teacher and had great energy. read more

An AMAZING experience for my 11-year-old daughter! The instructors were knowledgeable, safe, fun, & encouraging. The 2-hour lesson was the perfect amount of time to get the basics and still have plenty of time in the water. My daughter was even able to stand up on her first try! read more

Richard was a great surfing instructor. My sister and I took a 2 hour lesson with him. He was kind, patient, and very approachable. He started with an on sand introduction and then we went into the water for the rest of the lesson. Both of us were able to catch a few rides in. I will book with Richard again next time I want to take lessons. Thanks, Richard! read more

Richard was perfect! Excellent teacher, excellent communication beforehand, and all around great guy. Best choice for surf lessons in the area ! read more

Been to a couple of lessons with Rich and noticed that I have been progressing with surfing as a beginner. He gives a lot of tips and pointers that is helpful during the lessons and provides high quality equipment. Would highly recommend for anyone who wants to start surfing or to have fun with surfing. read more

Richard is the best! So fun and informative. Would definitely take another lesson from him.

Just had a stellar time out with Rich - it was our first time surfing and I had the Time of my Life. Learned the basics and got right out on the water - Got up on several waves, and had a blast! Highly recommend! read more

Great surfing instructor, great vibes, great time over all. Very flexible on time and will do anything to accommodate your needs and wants

Richard is the BEST surfing instructor you'll find in the area. He is prompt, responds quickly to reservation requests, super patient, and just generally an enjoyable guy to be around! I have surfed with him two times now and all of my guests have raved about the experience. Almost everyone that came with me was able to get up at least a few times on their first time surfing. Richard also is great about using a beach that is good for beginners and creating an environment conducive to learning. Would 100% recommend him to anyone looking to learn or just looking to have a fun time out in the water! read more

I Highly recommend Richard and his Co-teacher, Alexa. My sister and I went out to surf for the first time and, with their help, got to a point where we were getting up on our boards! They were both super friendly and engaging, so it didn't feel like they were rushing to get the lesson over with. Thanks, guys! read more

Took out of town guests the first time and had such a great experience that we booked another lesson when family was in town. Richard is a fantastic instructor, patient, and will work hard to get you up on the board. Also, his rates are reasonable relative to other instructors around the area. Would definitely recommend! read more