My daughter and I decided to try surfing for the first time, and we had an amazing experience with…read moreSoCal Surf Lessons! We had zero ocean experience, but our instructors, Rusty and Justin, were fantastic. They made us feel comfortable right away and did a great job teaching beginners. We were a little worried about getting cold, but Rusty set us up with extra thick wetsuits, which made a huge difference. After a quick practice on the beach, we headed straight into the water! It was an exhilarating experience! I even managed to get up a few times. We had an absolute blast and would definitely recommend this to anyone wanting to try surfing!

Our family reunion was held in Carlsbad, where we booked SoCal Surf lessons for our group of 18…read more After about 30 minutes of beach instructions from Rusty, the big group broke up into a series of smaller ones, then paddled out with their own instructor. Lots of waves were caught, lots of wipeouts experienced, and a great time was had by all. , Rusty was easy to work with, timely with communication, and his instructors knowledgable and patient. This was a great introduction to the sport for our family members. Thanks, Rusty!

There's a reason Offshore Surf Shop has been around since the 70s and continues to exist. This…read moreplace has the nicest most knowledgeable surf shop employees ever. Not the typical "cool guy" attitudes common in larger surf shops. Josh and Scott own the place and both have a lifetime of surfing experience at locations around the world. The other employees are super nice and knowledgeable as well. Whether you're an experienced surfer looking for gear or a visitor on vacation, these guys will make you feel at home.

Good locals place to get stuff you need. The store has a wide selection, affordable prices and good…read moreservice. Staff was very helpful and accommodating.

Had a great experience with Daniel teaching my friend and I how to surf for our very first time…read more Prior to us meeting him for our lesson, he asked us our height and weight so that he could provide the correct sized wetsuits. They ended up fitting perfectly, but I appreciate that he had other sizes just in case. It was great that we also got to take pictures before starting the lesson and he allowed us to store our stuff in his truck so that we didn't have to worry about bringing it down to the beach. He brought three different sized boards for us to learn on and ran us through safety lessons and how to stand up on the board several times before actually getting into the water. We were able to get a lot of rides in before the hour and a half was done. Had a great time, learned a lot, would definitely do it again!

Daniel is one of one and will make your first or 20th time surfing a great one! He's very patient…read moreand makes things relatable and will keep adjusting his feedback until it clicks. He also really helped me with my turns and how to start reading the waves/timing... He will also spend a lot of time making sure you are on your game as far as your pop-up goes. 6/5

Stephen Moore is the best! My wife got me lessons while we were visiting over the Memorial Day…read moreweekend. He was very patient, and tried his hardest to get me up...so close! After 45 minutes of exhaustion...I called it, and went in. He let my wife finish the last 15 minutes, and was able to get her surfing on the 2nd try. Thank you for an awesome time...we will be back!

WARNING!!!! Took My Money, Canceled the Trip, Zero Accountability!!…read more Booking with Fulcrum Surf has been one of the worst customer experiences I've ever had. I paid several thousand dollars up front for a Kelly Slater Wave Ranch trip -- something special I had planned more than a year in advance as a Christmas gift for my fiancé. After the initial deposit, my card was hit with additional charges I did not authorize or approve beforehand. I assumed it was part of the package and kept going because I trusted the company and believed the trip was secured. Then they went silent. For months. When they finally resurfaced -- over a year after taking and holding my money -- it was to tell me the trip wasn't happening. No apology, no explanation, no alternative solution, and certainly no urgency. The trip that I had paid for in full simply did not exist anymore. Instead of refunding me, they offered store credit, as if I should be excited to keep gambling with a company that couldn't deliver the trip they already took my money for. I declined and asked for a refund back to my original form of payment, which is standard for any legitimate business. Since then? Radio silence. No refund. No acknowledgment. No accountability. Just a company sitting on my money, hoping I'll get tired and go away. In my opinion, this behavior is deeply unprofessional and completely unacceptable. A company that can quickly charge your card but disappears the moment they owe you money tells me everything I need to know. If you're considering booking with them, here's my honest advice: don't. There are plenty of surf travel companies out there that understand customer service, deliver what they sell, and don't leave customers chasing their own money for months. After everything I've experienced, I would never book with Fulcrum Surf again and would strongly warn others to think twice before handing over a single dollar.

Wow! I can't say enough kind things about my whole experience. Cory and his team were absolutely…read moreamazing. Ray led the lesson and made everyone feel included. He even took his time to remember everyone's name, which says a lot. He was very encouraging and helpful. My group ended up connecting after to hangout the rest of the day in Oceanside and we all even ended up buying surf boards back at the shop (also highly recommend). Give Cory your money and go surf! Trust me!

sporadically did a surf lesson with Whitlock surf experience and we are SO glad we did! the owner…read morewas incredibly kind and took us to the perfect spot to learn the basics of surfing. our instructor Rich was both hilarious and super helpful. I was able to consistently get up on the board and we were out for the full 2 hours catching waves and having fun. he also gave us incredible reccs for coffee and lunch around town. next time we are in Oceanside we will have to stop back again! :)

In early April 2026, we took a surf lesson with Steve and had SO much fun. He met us (ages 44, 44,…read moreand 15) at the top of the steps at Stonesteps Beach and helped us suit up in comfy wetsuits. We were all first-timers from a landlocked state. Steve's instructions out on the water were easy to follow and he helped steady the boards to ensure we all got up! The ocean temp was perfect for a 75 degree sunny day- we were super comfortable. The ocean floor is very flat with no rocks or seaweed. Honestly wouldn't change a darn thing, and huge shoutout to Steve who is very good at this! Would absolutely do this again.

Surfing has always been something that I was too afraid or intimidated to try. I've lived in SoCal…read moremy whole life and was kinda embarrassed that I never REALLY tried to surf. I decided to face my fears and sign up for a lesson. I'm so happy I did. I had an amazing private lesson with Steve who was very patient and encouraging. They provided the board and wetsuit so all I needed to do was show up. It was a perfect day and the waves weren't too scary. They picked a spot that wasn't crowded and we just kept trying to catch waves. Steve provided helpful tips each wave and I eventually was able to ride multiple waves which surprised me! I wasn't expecting to be able to be able to stay up on the board, but through minor adjustments from Steve I exceeded my expectations. Thank you Lynn for setting everything up and making it easy. Highly recommend!

Did a surf coaching session with John and couldn't recommend more! John is extremely helpful and…read moreknowledgeable. I've been surfing for 15-20 years, but it was extremely beneficial to have him take video and break down technique, body mechanics, positioning, etc. Really think this will help take my surfing to the next level. Great guy and great program! Can't wait to do more.

John was such a great instructor! I left feeling a much more confident surfer and I'm excited to go…read moreback. He was focused on giving me the lesson I wanted, not just a cookie cutter lesson. Actually this was the best surf lesson I've ever had from anyone, by far. His wife Jenny was also very helpful helping us schedule a last minute instruction session. They were also flexible and accommodating with our board and wetsuit rentals. And helped us determine a spot to surf and worked with us with our schedule changes. And their prices were the best. We don't need to keep searching next time, we will definitely call them when we return.

My adult son and I did the 1.5 hour semi-private learn to surf. It included the wetsuit, long foam…read moreboard and instruction. The instructor (Babsy?) was attentive and provided the right cues when we needed them. We tried with a YouTube video and some loaner boards on our own the day before -- but this experience was night and day different. One of us was up unassisted and the other with some assist by the end of the lesson. Nice!

Great instructors very patient. Process was straightforward no fluff. Got onto the water fastread more

What isn't there to say about Camp Village View?…read more It was such a perfect fit for our family and my two energetic boys. My youngest tends to need a little more guidance and it was a NON-issue from day one. I was able to relax and let my boys HAVE FUN! For many years we have attended the traditional Carlsbad city camps, which have been super fun and great additions to our summers, but nothing has compared to the experience my children gained this summer. Yoga, origami, kite-making, finger weaving, theatre, training with a chess master, crafting, knot-tying, anatomy and physiology, baking, pellet prowling, hula lessons, composting ... and the list goes on and on. One week enrollment turned into two and I could not have been more pleased. Camp Village View is exactly what Carlsbad has been longing for. A quaint location with ocean views, salt-of-the earth directors Rob and Roon Brown, along with the collaboration of their amazing "village" of friends (and family) definitely have us drinking the koolaide. Thank you for giving our family memories that will last a lifetime. Can't wait to see you next summer!!