We decided to visit Charleston, SC in May of 2014 as a pre-summer vacation. We decided to try and pre-plan some fun water-based activities. I had surfed in the 80's and loved it, but after moving away from the coast, I was unable to continue. I wanted to share that experience with my wife and our two kids (5 and 7 years old). I came across the Folly Beach Surf Lessons website and contacted Ellison Thomas. Ellison was professional, punctual, and truly passionate about sharing the magical experience of surfing. Our vacation started and we met Ellison at the beach at 9 am right before high tide which is supposed to be the best time to surf. The winds were light, and the spot that Ellison picked was not crowded which was great. We learned the technique of 'popping up' and also water safety. My youngest son, Taylor, was the first to get up on a nice 2ft wave. He was having a blast and so was the rest of the family. It was an incredible experience! I even was able to pick it back up. We decided to schedule a few more lessons and Ellison was very accommodating. Taylor liked surfing so much, that we decided to purchase a board. Ellison was able to find the perfect board for Taylor and gave us a great deal! Folly Beach Surf Lessons will always be on our list of things to do when visiting Folly Beach. read more

The brothers did awesome with our girls! We came to Folly Beach during the summer of 2013. Our girls were 9 and 11. My youngest has been dying to learn to surf. Just happened that we happens upon Ellison in the parking lot at the beach. My husband noticed the surf boards on the truck and started asking questions. And yes if course they taught surf lessons. We met them back there the next morning for our girls to learn to surf! They were extremely patient with them, taught them the basics on the beach and then got in the water with each of them and stayed in the water with them the entire time. After some practice they were both able to get up and catch a few waves! Our girls had so much fun and want to have lessons again when we return to Charleston. The brothers thought that our youngest daughter resembled Coco Ho, a professional surfer, so her nickname became Coco and it has stuck with her since! Thank you again for doing an incredible job at teaching young kids! See you again soon! Karen and Clif, North Carolina read more

We booked Ellison at folly beach surf lessons last summer to in introduce our 3 kids (11,9 and 9) to surfing . By the end of our 1st session we had 3 surfers on our hands !! Lessons are presented in a fun and positive manner , giving top quality knowledge and instruction in an easily understood manner . Ellison and his assistant were prompt and came equipped with everything we needed . They are very respectful to the children and adults alike . It is obvious these guys are running a business and not just trying to make some extra money . And they do it well. We had so much fun , I had decided to book a second day before our 1st session was over !!! I highly reccommend these guys , they were also a big help with the local scene And didn't hesitate to answer any of our questions. I think so highly of the guys at folly beach surf lessons I call them if we go to another beach , for contacts and info. POP UP , AND RIDE ON !!!!! Kevin j. Lake Oconee , ga read more

I grew up visiting beaches on summer break as a kid, but never tried surfing. Looking back I can't imagine why, as my family was adventurous. So I convinced my teenage daughter to join me for a surf lesson with Ellison at Folly Beach Surf Lessons last summer. I found them online. We had a great time... They were really patient and encouraging with us. Of course my instructor drew the short end of the stick. I mànaged to get up, but tended to fall quickly each time. My daughter, on the other hand, got up on her first try and they ended up looking for more challenging waves for her! It was a thrill and we are looking forward to our next trip at the end of this month! Will definitely call Ellison again and highly recommend Folly Beach Surf Lesdons for all ages and abilities. read more

Do not get surf lessons anywhere but Folly Beach Surf Lessons! They are fabulous! Ellison and his brother are the best! They taught my teenage girls to surf in about 10 minutes and were great explaining all the ins and outs of surfing to them. We came back again the next year and Ellison gave another lesson to my girls and their friend. They were the same friendly group, and she really enjoyed it. They were nice, and you could tell they had a true passion for surfing and teaching others. It is just so nice as a mom to know that I got great service, a good value, good instruction, and my girls learned a new skill. We definitely refer them to others and call them in the future. read more

What we most appreciated about Ellison and his brother was their reliability and strong work ethic. They were right on time (early!) and did what they said they would do. Ellison also jumped back in the water an hour after the lesson was over to give my daughters a few more last-minute tips. The daughter who really wanted to learn was encouraged. Surfing is hard, but she'll be able to master it in time. Plus, if you squint and use your imagination, you can believe that Ellison and his brother, with their perfect teeth, blonde locks, and gentlemanly carriage, are ghosts of handsome and aristocratic Confederate officers. Good fun! read more

Ellison and Bryant were AMAZING teachers! They gave us a quick lesson on the beach, then we headed out into the ocean. They were both very PATIENT, and they were really good at explaining what we needed to do. As we progressed throughout our lesson, they continued to give us great advice on how we could improve. I would highly recommend them for people of any level! These guys were born to surf, and after spending all that time in the water, they have also turned into GREAT instructors. We will definitely take another lesson from them next time we are in town! read more

I can't recommend the Thomas Brothers highly enough for surf lessons. Within 15 minutes, they had my children (ages 7, 9 and 11) and I riding waves!! They were particularly patient with the kids, and may be the nicest people you'll ever spend an hour with. They're very modest, but when you ask around, you'll find that they are incredibly talented surfers, surf film producers and businesspeople. If you've ever wanted to try surfing, go to Folly Beach and book an hour with these guys. read more

My 12 year old son took surfing lessons in July with Folly Beach Surf after finding them online. We vacation in Folly every year and this was one of the best things we've ever done with our kids. His instructor met us at our rental house so that we didn't have to find him on the beach. He was great with my son (a beginner) and had him up surfing in no time. After just 2 lessons he enjoyed surfing the rest of the week on his own. We will definitely do this again next summer! read more

My boyfriend, a friend and I had our first surfing lesson ever with Ellison and Bryant. They were so helpful and encouraging, and we just had the best time learning to surf! My boyfriend and I immediately booked a second lesson. Ellison and Bryant helped us relax and enjoy ourselves, and they coached us every step of the way. We definitely plan on returning to Folly Beach in the future and we'll absolutely give these guys a call for another lesson! read more

My son(16) and I came to Folly Beach last spring and reached out to Ellison for a surf lesson. He was on time, great demeanor, and all around a great guy which made my son feel comfortable with his first surfing experience. In addition my son is deaf and Ellison was able to accommodate and work with him so that he could catch a wave. It was awesome. Highly recommend and will use him again for my daughters next time I come to Folly. Thanks read more

Ellison & Bryant are amazing instructors! I was in Folly Beach on a Girls' trip for my 35th birthday with 3 dear friends. Our surf lesson was such a high point in our trip. They were suuuuuuuper patient with us and gave us each the attention we needed for our particular skill level. I've surfed one other time in California and these two blew that experience out of the water. Thank you for making us fall in love with Folly Beach! read more

The Thomas brothers were amazing with our girls (ages 14 and 12). They had them up and surfing the first time out! My kids loved their laid back and friendly personalities! So much so we opted for another day and my girls were willing to get up at 7am to surf! I highly recommend Folly Beach Surf lessons and the Thomas brothers. What a gift they gave us teaching our kids the joy and fun of surfing! read more

These guys were great! We had 6 boys under 14 hit the beach and within 30 minutes they were all surfing the waves in. Folly Beach Surf Lessons really connected with the boys. When one boy in our crew struggled to get up on the board, they spent the time finding other ways to teach him - in another 10 minutes he was surfing in the waves as well! read more

Best surfers at Folly Beach!!! If you are a local or just on vacation, go take your surf lessons from the infamous Thomas brothers. They will have you riding a wave for sure! I have taken several lessons to improve my surfing and EVERY lesson made me improve! I was riding waves my first time! -Amy B., RN read more

What a great time and well worth the price! Taking surf lessons was my son's wish for his first time at the beach, and he couldn't have been happier! He passed on a helicopter ride so he could learn to surf. Brian was an awesome instructor and had my 10 year old surfing on his first try, it was amazing! read more

Had an epic day surfing Folly Beach with the Thomas brothers!!! My friend and I both took lessons and it was great to be in the water at the same time. They're both great teachers and they make it challenging enough but still super fun. read more

Had a great lesson with the Brothers! We spent less than 5 minutes on the beach and they gave easy tips on every wave. In my first hour I caught over a dozen waves with them. If you wanna surf at Folly Beach call these guys. read more

My two boys had a great time with Ellison. It was easy to schedule and he was willing to come and give the lessons right in front of our beach house. We will definitely use him again. read more