After hearing about the madhouse of surfers learning to surf at Waikiki, I decided to buy a Groupon* and take the long drive to the north shore for lessons with Matt at Blue Rush Surf School. Unfortunately, I had to call Matt over 5 times before he finally picked up. He was very friendly when he did pick up and promised to call me back in 2 minutes. Which turned into 45 minutes. At which point I was already sleeping, since I was 6 hours ahead of Hawaii. So that turned into another few days of trying to catch Matt at the right moment to schedule a lesson. Right before Matt hung up, he asked me to call him the day before the lesson to remind him. What?? So for obvious reasons, I was worried that Matt wouldn't show up on the day of the lesson. But 24 hours had already passed since I bought the Groupon, so I was committed. We arrived at the lesson on time, but Matt wasn't there. When we called Matt, he said that he had to take care of his mom at the last minute, but was sending his friend Stephanie, who arrived soon after. (We later found out that Matt wasn't even in Hawaii, so I'm not sure why Matt needed to wait until the last minute to reveal this tidbit of information.) Well, to my surprise, Stephanie's lesson was really good and we both stood up despite the tiny waves and crappy surfboards. (My husband's board's fin was torn in half.) After we'd been in the water for an hour (we paid for a 90 minute lesson), Stephanie tried to end the lesson. We pointed out that the lesson was shorter than advertised, and she extended the lesson. It did make for an awkward 30 minutes though since Stephanie obviously did not want to be there any longer. BOTTOM LINE: I think Matt and Stephanie are both good surfers and teachers. However, they don't seem to be great business people. *If you buy the Groupon, Matt will tell you to pay him an extra $5 in cash to cover "taxes." 15% tax seems a little suspicious, and I would bet that the IRS never saw a cent of that $5. read more

Blue Rush Surf School (Matt) made our surfing experience sooooo much fun. We went surfing on 02/11/14 on our family vacation to Hawaii. There were a total of 4 young adults and 3 children. Matt has a very effective way of teaching how to surf (simplistic, straight forward, and NOT info-overload)..... exactly how it should be taught because everyone of us got up one their first or second wave. He went out of his way to make sure we all understood what we were doing and that the kids were safe. He is alert and always aware of his surroundings (conditions and logistics). My cousins (the 3 kids in group) said it was their favorite activity while in Hawaii for 1-week. They even convinced us to go a SECOND time!!! If you want to quickly learn how to surf in a safe & FUN environment go to Blue Rush Surf School and learn from a NorthShore surfer! read more

Blue Rush Surf School - Surf Schools Near Me

Had a terrible experience with this business. Owner Matt scheduled time and date of lesson. We drove over an hour to assigned meeting point. I texted I was at the beach with 2 teenagers for their lesson-Matt had completely forgotten he agreed to a lesson. Matt told me to wait for "his instructor" Chad. We waited an hour and when Chad got out of water he said no way!!!!he was just doing Matt a favor, he doesn't work for him, and he was not teaching us. Matt and Chad arranged for the kids to go with a "waterman" from the beach who was NOT a surf instructor. This man took them out and shoved them into waves with no instruction. One kid was visiting from Kansas. This was DANGEROUS!! Only 18 minutes in water. Luckily no one DIED or was INJURED. Matt's response- " I was exhausted" "I can't be there all the time" DO NOT USE THIS BUSINESS !!!!!! read more

Mathew was awesome ! I've never surfed and he helped me get up on my first try. I have 2 kids and he was great with them. We had a great experience read more

Blue Rush Surf School - Surf Schools Near Me

Best surf instructor! It was our first time surfing. Matt was awesome and very patient with us. Just a chill, fun guy. He makes surfing so easy cant believe how well did. Great experience! read more

Blue Rush Surf School - Matts great! Awesome time. - Surf Schools Near Me

Amazing first experience !! Matt was super friendly and knows what he is doing !! We were a small group and he took time we all of us !! At the end I even rode a wave by my own !! It was just crazy !! Best moment of my vacation in Oahu !! read more

Blue Rush Surf School - Surf Schools Near Me

Matt was awesome! We had so much fun. We bought a coupon through living social, it was a great deal. It was for surf lessons for our family. None of us had ever surfed before. We had had the worst luck that day and had a family emergency which made us late to our lesson, then we hit horrible traffic on our way there. Matt was super cool about it and just completely took care of us and made our experience fantastic. Matt took our 8yr old daughter out with him on his board. She had a blast. She stood up at least three times. Matt is great with kids. He makes you feel comfortable as a parent in that safety is first, but also makes sure the kids have a good time. My 8yr old was thrilled. My husband and 12yr old daughter struggled getting up on their boards. I was able to stand up at least two or three times. I fell off and got kind of taken by a wave at some point and Matt was right there making sure I was alright. He took one adult and one child at a time with our family to make sure he could instruct and keep us safe. While on the beach, we watched the sea turtles near the shore. At one point, we even saw a turtle while surfing. We went through some training/practice on the boards on the sand before heading out to the waves as well. If you have one of those swimming shirts, wear it. You'll have to barrow one otherwise. We were out in the water for quite a while. Matt made sure we all got some good wave time. He was super accomodating as we were late. We hope to take another lesson in the future. I would highly recommend Matt, especially for beginners or anyone with children. read more

Came from Sacramento for the week of thanksgiving and found Matt on groupon. Ended up being just my two kids. Awesome morning for the two of them. Find him and go surfing read more

Blue Rush Surf School - Surf Schools Near Me

This company is not in operation. They claimed to have affiliates on the island supporting them. Do not give this company your credit card.

I cannot say enough good things about Matt. I bought a surf lesson for my four children on living social. Although I got a bargain it would have been well worth paying full price. Each one of my kids got the personalized attention they needed to learn and for their safety. My son had a hard time staying on his board and Matt helped and encouraged him all the way. Next time we come back to Oahu I get the lessons. read more

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My 12-year old son had a great time today with instructor Chris! It was very windy and Chris helped him paddle so that he could catch a lot of waves. I would definitely recommend them! read more

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I am 100 lbs of rib and mom bicep, not a strong swimmer, and inordinately terrified of large creatures living in the water. Not an inspiring surfing candidate combination, right? BUT, it was the BEST! Brock was kind and competent and I had so much confidence in his ability (to teach me quickly & rescue dive me if needed) that I was able to push past my ocean fears to the freedom of the fun! Surfing was the easy part. With Brock's help paddling and timing us onto a wave just right, we were surfing within minutes! Waves were low to none the afternoon we went, but he must have whispered in Poseidon's ear because we somehow had some to ride. What a fun afternoon on our anniversary trip. If we lose our minds in the quest of Family Memory Making and bring the kids with us on vacation next time, we will definitely sign them up with Blue Rush Surf School. Thanks for a great experience! read more

We came here for our anniversary and had a great time! The location was a little tricky to find but an awesome pretty private beach. Matt and Brock were great instructors. We were so exhausted after a couple waves that they ended up having to tow us out with just their toe. Both were very encouraging and you could tell they love their job. Highly highly recommend!!! read more

Matt is a super cool dude! My husband and I took surfing lessons with him and had two others in our group. We had a total of 4 people and it was perfect because by the time u ride ur wave and paddle back in, it's ur turn to catch another wave in. We had a great time, learned a lot, and felt comfortable with safety. There were other surf schools surrounding us. Lastly we met his dog rabbit in the end! I highly recommend going through blue rush surf school they provided a great experience at the best price. read more

We had so much fun with Matthew and Frankie today! Had a quick lesson on the beach then they got us all set to get in the water. All of us had a great time. Matthew was always so encouraging after every ride. We learned so much and now I am ready and feel more confident to surf at home! Thank you for everything! read more

Matt is an amazing teacher! My husband, 9yo son and I all got to learn from him on our Hawaii trip. It was their first time surfing and we all got up the first wave. He was very clear in his instructions and even had an intern out to help our 9yo. I would defiantly recommend going with Matt! read more

Not impressed. We purchased a Groupon for two surf lessons. We were text a vague address to the back end of a city park. We had to track down our instructor Connor who seemed surprised and unaware of our lesson. He did not have any boards or rash guards for us. He borrowed some boards and a water photographer unaffiliated with Blue Rush loaned us his personal rash guards. (We were told by Matt that they would be supplied). Our lesson started over a half hour late, we had 5 minutes of instruction, then turned loose. Connor just gave us a push and said ok go. The photographer gave us better instructions than the actual instructor. Sloppy instruction, very unorganized. read more

Great experience!! Matt did an excellent job! We called after business hours to try and book a last-minute session with Matt. I left a voicemail and he called back first thing in the morning and was able to fit me, my sister, and friend in last minute. Super friendly, professional, and talented instructor! All three of us were able to get up the 1st or 2nd wave which goes to show Matt's talent (however it isn't easy so don't be discouraged if it takes some time to get the hang of it). I've noticed that there were other instructors in the area but I wouldn't waste any time going through them when you'll have the best experience going through Matt. Highly recommend Blue Rush Surf School ESPECIALLY if it's your first time trying to surf. Also, there was a gentleman named Greg who took photos of us surfing for the first time. These pictures are available for purchase after your surf session. Greg did an awesome job capturing the moment and I'm really satisfied with the pictures! Overall, memorable experience and definitely worth it! :) read more

Matthew is a fantastic instructor. I've taken 3 lessons with him now over the past year and have gone from a 12 foot surfboard to a 10 foot surfboard. He starts the lesson with a beach lesson and telling you how to get up and what it will be like and what you need to know and remember. Once you get in the water it's a lot of fun and a lot of hard work and you should expect to get beat up and leave with some bruises cuts and scrapes if you really want to learn to surf, it's part of learning a new sport! Matthew goes above and beyond and will help bring you out into the water if you're having trouble paddling. I would highly recommend him and his business! read more

Amazing experience! Matthew and Stephanie were so great. I surfed with 3 teenage kids and we were all standing for several waves and it was the first time for all. We arrived and all the equipment was on the beach and ready. We spent less than 5 minutes leaning the ropes then straight in the water. Can't recommend highly enough!! read more

Had a great time surfing with Stephanie yesterday! She made us feel comfortable, showed us which waves to go for and pushed us off when it was time. I would totally recommend blue rush! read more

Mathew and Brock were amazing! My 9 and 7 year old had a wonderful time with their first surf lessons today! They were so patient and kind, they quickly put my nervous kids at ease! My daughter rode tandem with Brock and had an absolute blast! He made her feel comfortable being in the water and when she seemed confident he kept the lesson exciting by lifting her up on his shoulders while they were catching a wave! She was all smiles! My son rode by himself but was never really alone with Mathew always riding close by helping him paddle out and instructing him. The price cannot be beat!!! I would recommend them to all of my friends and family! Thank you so much Matthew and Brock for an amazing experience! read more

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Matt is a great instructor! And very affordable My sister,boyfriend and I went all for our first time surf lesson. He met us at the restaurant close by then guided us to the correct spot on the beach so we could park are car. He provided rash guards for all three of us which can cost extra at other shops. When we arrived to the beach he was great at explaining and simplifying the movements needed. We were out in the water in no time and we were all able to stand up and surf on our first tries. He was really encouraging and answered all the questions we had. We are going to be setting up more lessons in the future! read more

Matthew is incredible! He is an excellent teacher and had us surfing in no time! I never thought I would actually be able to surf waves on my own without falling but Matt had us surfing on our own in no time despite this being our first time! And that is amazing since I have very little balance. We had an excellent time and were incredibly happy with our lesson since we were able to surf the waves fully and get back on the board without falling off. I couldn't recommend him more! read more

My husband and I had so much fun learning to surf on our honeymoon. Matt got us out and riding waves within about 15 minutes! Paddling was way more tiring than I expected, but Matt was kind enough to tow the two of us around so we could save our energy to ride the waves. He is a great instructor and I highly recommend Blue Rush! read more

Took my kids for our daughters b-day. Matt and his crew so great! We had a blast. Super helpful and friendly! Taught my kids and they were up on their first try!!! Would definitely go back!!! And Greg rose was a great he got some amazing photos and video for us at a super reasonable price! read more

A friend and I bought the groupon and was able to schedule for the very next day. I took off one star because there were some communication problems. I'm guessing there's some cell service issues there because I experienced it when we made it to Chun's Reef. We didn't know our location until about 8 minutes before our scheduled surf time. I highly recommend gps the location either on google or on the Groupon- head there as if you're about to make it to your designated time because any place Matt picks will be around that general location. When we got there, Matt had some rash guards for the newbies who didn't have one (guilty!) . They had an awesome system, Matt and Stephanie, kind of funneling us from the wave and back to shoreline area. I felt like I was taken care of and had plenty of time to surf. I would totally book them again. There's a photographer during our session and it was 30 for all your photos and videos. read more

Had an amazing experience surfing with blue rush. Was able to stand up very quickly with some excellent guidance. Area they teach at have great waves for all levels. Beach lesson was to the point allowing lots of time on the waves. Instructor was very encouraging and knowledgeable. read more

Matt and his team are all stars! I never thought I would get up and surf on the North Shore! Our entire group of 4 got up and surfed. Paddling out was pretty difficult so Franklin towed me around, and thank goodness for that man! All and all it was a great experience and we bought the photo package which turned out great! Mahalo! read more

Matthew and his crew were fabulous. We did a family lesson and ALL had such a great time!! He had my 9 and 12 year old boys standing on their first wave. I have to say I was a little nervous as my 9yr old and I are not strong ocean swimmers but they did a great job and put me at ease quickly so I could enjoy. It was so much fun we booked another lesson!! At the next lesson the boys were catching their own waves! They are a great bunch of guys who love what they do. Brock was awesome too --having a great time with our boys. It was an experience we won't forget. If your in the area please don't hesitate to give Matthew a call. ALSO Willi Edwards took AMAZING photos of our family. Ask for him too! read more

Matthew and his crew are the real deal. Everyone in my family who attempted to surf did really well including my 7 year old daughter. They were super friendly and professional. As true locals they knew the other instructors and regulars. They have great tips and I was able to go surfing multiple times with the teaching they provided. Matt and Stephanie even went the extra mile and towed is when our arms were so tired from paddling. I totally recommend you book with them and you won't be disappointed. read more

Awesome experience with Matt, who did a great job with me, my wife, and two boys (12 and 8) -- all of us with basically no surf experience. Matt was easy to book with: I texted him the night before I wanted to go out and he was able to slot us in the next day. All four of us got up on at least 3 waves apiece with Matt's help, even though the poor guy stepped on a sea urchin partway through the lesson! His foot looked like a porcupine and he was fully prepared to power through it with us despite being in obvious and agonizing pain -- if that's not dedication I don't know what is. He only went in to take a break when I insisted because he was clearly in agony (and the time was basically up anyway), and even then he let us use the boards for some extra time to put our newfound skills to use and I caught my first solo wave. Got some great pictures out of it, too. Great, mellow guy and highly recommended. read more

No Aloha here. Was looking for surf lessons on the North Shore during our stay and came across a Groupon for a 90-minute lesson for 4. Did the research and read good reviews for Blue Rush so we pulled the trigger. Tried calling to set up the lesson but Matt's voicemail message suggested communicating by text is best so my wife sent him a text message at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday. She sent another message on Tuesday just before 2:00 p.m. confirming that it would be okay if our 10-year-old twins were in the group (with my 14-year-old son and me). Another text message on Wednesday morning at 8:30 a.m. as we hadn't heard back yet, inquiring about a Friday lesson. Matt responded at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday with a message that said, "Ok, sure. Blue Rush Surf School." My wife asked what time and we heard nothing more until Thursday morning at which point Matt suggested Friday afternoon. He also informed us that kids 10 and under are an additional $50 (for a second instructor). We arranged to meet him at 3:00 p.m. at the beach parking lot off Kahalewai Place in Haleiwa. We drove into town and arrived just before 3:00. When we didn't see anyone obviously there to teach lessons, my wife sent a text asking how to find him. Nothing. 3:15 rolls around and she tries to call him but it went straight to voicemail. At 3:20 we asked a couple guys who were there with another surf school and they knew Matt but said they hadn't seen him. They also said they regularly get asked the same question by people trying to connect with Matt for lessons. At 3:30 we encountered another couple guys bringing a group out of the water and asked them if they had seen Matt. They told us they hadn't and also mentioned that it's not unusual for him to flake out. They told us, "He's good--when he shows up." 9:00 p.m. on Friday night and still haven't heard anything from Matt.Very much a bummer as this was what my son was most looking forward to . . . Don't make the same mistake we did--steer clear of Blue Rush. read more

Matt made the lesson a piece of cake! We both were able to ride the first wave that came to us! If you are looking for a laid back, great time, with an awesome instructor blue rush is the place to be! read more

Matt has instructed us the last two times we have come to the island and my kids love his relaxed and easy instructions. Patient, positive, and really just loves what he does, and rabbit the dog is just as cool if not cooler. For sure we will continue to seek out Matt every time we are on the island. read more

I'm big on customer service..Matt was awesome! We got an amazing deal on living social for a 1 hour class. When we called we got a voicemail but right after hanging up, Matt called back. He scheduled us in and we were excited. We drove from Kailua to Haleiwa and of course we were held up in traffic and running late. Matt was totally understanding and didn't make us feel like an inconvenience. When we drove up, he met us with a smile. After a quick basic lesson, he had my sister and daughter out in the water making full use of the allotted time. I was skeptical of the fact that he was alone out there but he chose a great location and was very aware of where both the girls were at all times. When the lessons were done, my sister was up and riding waves and my daughter was at least standing and maintaining balance. I'd have to say that's great considering this was a one time for one hour thing. I recommend Blue Rush Surf School and if you get Matt, you're in good hands! read more

Blue Rush Surf School - My sister and daughter with Matt of BRSS! They had a good time! - Surf Schools Near Me

Matt was awesome! He contacted us a week before our arrival ( I can't believe he even remembered when we were going to arrive) and made sure we were all set for our lesson. Great communication with laid back Hawaii style. When we arrived, he was friendly and very informative. My husband and two boys (13 and 19) had their safety lesson, dry land practice, then hit the waves (2 feet). Matt's friend Willie (pro surf photographer). Offered to join in the water and take photos...VERY reasonable. Willie took about 150 photos, got some great shots. The boys are definitely wanting to hit the waves again....good thing Matt rents boards. We'll try and meet up today for more beach fun. If you want to try surfing I highly recommend Matt- early in your vacation so there's lots of practice time. ALOHA! read more

Matt did a great job explaining safety and the basics of surfing and once in the water demonstrated great teaching skills and even greater levels of patience and encouragement to keep rookies like me coming back out wave after wave. Excellent service and a great experience. Highly recommended! read more

Our friend surprised us with a surfing class with Blue Rush had a great time, Rocco our instructor was the best! He took special care of my 13 yo daughter and was able to ease her fears, best experience and friendly staff. read more

My fiance and I went surfing with Matt. We had a awesome and safe time on the North Shore! He is a very patient instructor who keeps a close eye on you while you are in the water. Great lessons! I was able to to get up on the board and ride the waves during my first lesson. I would strongly recommended his surf school. The price is fantastic compared to other surf schools and he is easy to schedule and work with. Not a big pushy company, just a cool guy who loves teaching others to surf! read more