Got my husband a class for our wedding anniversary gift. My…read morehusband enjoyed the class. It was perfect surfing weather that day. The instructor always responded to our emails and texts quickly. Also met us an hour early to accommodate our changed schedule.

Grant is a great instructor. He worked with my 10 year old son and helped build his confidence. I…read morerecommend Grant for surf lessons.

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!

Scotty is as good a surf coach as you'll find anywhere in the world, not just in SoCal. The best…read morepart is that he works exceptionally well with all skill levels, from first-time surfers to advanced surfers seeking larger waves and tow-in experience to maximize wave count. Personally, he coached my daughter for years, and she was riding head-high waves at just seven years old. Additionally, I've had the opportunity to fish with him on numerous occasions, and we almost always return with multiple yellowtail. Scotty is the true definition of a waterman and, more importantly, a genuine human being with a heart of gold. I highly recommend Scotty for your Encinitas and North County SD surf lessons at any level, as well as for an outstanding San Diego and Oceanside fishing experience.

​Scotty came highly recommended by my cousins who are Encinitas locals - their son took lessons…read morefrom him and knew he'd be the perfect fit for my 6-year-old son and me. And they were absolutely right! ​We had an absolute blast. It was our very first time surfing, and Scotty was incredibly thorough and attentive to my son, which I deeply appreciated as a parent. He kept the focus on safety while ensuring we learned a ton and shredded plenty of waves. We will definitely be back for more lessons with Scotty on our next trip up from Florida!

I booked this for my kiddos for two of their birthday experiences when visiting from AZ. We had a…read moresmall issue with booking what were able to get it all figured out. Carlos was awesome with my 3 kids! He gave them great cues and was super patient and supportive. My kids had an absolute blast and just "going to the beach" will probably never cut it again!

I had a lesson with Alex, and he was really great with the stage I was at. I need some help with…read morewave selection, reading, timing, etc., and a lot of instructors just revert to working on the first-time beginner stuff. Alex helped me with what I was trying to work on and let me keep some stuff in his car, because I was traveling without one for part of my trip, which I really appreciated!

Another epic week with Menehune! Kurrent, this year's instructor, didn't disappoint! He was such…read morea positive influence both in and out of the water by helping my daughter to grow in SUP, kayaking, most definitely surfing, and believe it or not, even snorkeling-he he he- inside joke. She had an amazing and informative week once again with your surfing adventure camp. As a parent, I had the pleasure to see Kurrent interact with the campers and his sincere concern for their safety and the love of the sport was palpable. I thought he was insightful and intuitive and can only hope he'll be back next year as the girls will be requesting a party wave from him! Mahalo Kurrent! A hui hou! ‍

I booked a two hour private lesson with Surf Menehune and this was such a blast. I had never…read moresurfed before, so was a little nervous at first. My instructor, Patrick, was great. We spent some time at first going over safety, then practiced popping up. Then we hit the water. This time was great, learning how to paddle out, controlling the board, picking out a wave, and paddling and catching the wave. It took several tries, but I got up - what a rush. I've never experienced anything like it, and I'm hooked. My recommendation: if you are comfortable in the ocean then give it a try. Rent the wetsuit - for the additional $5 its worth it.

San Elijo Beach is an excellent place to learn to surf, since the waves tend to be gentler than…read moreelsewhere. Eli Howard Surf School is a great school, especially if you're camping at San Elijo. The instructors were super supportive and helpful, and 2 hours was enough to tell me I want more surfing!

Great in-water instruction for beginners. Lots of reps on the inside reform for those who need to…read morefind their feel for the waves, then help with learning to catch and drop in on waves with a face

Went paddle boarding yesterday and this is my first review of a not food place…read more I bought a Groupon and cost me 22 dollars for day. I walked in, filled out the paperwork that took 3 minutes (bring your DL!). He saw me click redeem the coupon and then I was on my way! It include a paddle and the board. It was pretty light, made from foam. To get to the beach, walked across the street and an alley (about less than a quarter mile) and off we go! The boards returned with a bit of sand. We put them outside and let him know we did and we left. It was easy quick and simple!

I chose Surfari/mission surf based on positive reviews and a pre-lesson phone call in which I…read morespecifically asked about wide board availability. They confirmed they had one. On arrival, I was handed a standard board and told it was wide. It was not. The bigger issue was the instructor, Rich, who is also listed as an owner of Surfari. His behavior throughout the lesson was inappropriate and made the experience genuinely uncomfortable. He asked questions about my relationship and loyalty to my boyfriend, made repeated comments that were flirtatious in nature, touched the tattoo on my back without asking, and used physical contact that was unnecessary and unwelcome (such as hand on thigh to guide me through the water). He is an owner, which means there is no one to flag this to and no accountability mechanism once you are in the water which made it worse. The surf instruction itself was a secondary concern, but it was also poor. Very little time was spent focused on technique, and the session lacked any structure. I am writing this specifically so other women know what to expect. The positive reviews drew me in. The reality was the opposite. I would not return and cannot recommend this school.

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.

Justin and Ari from Fulcrum might just be the best coaches in all of SoCal (and I've had a few!)…read more In a short time, they helped elevate my skills to a whole new level, transitioning me from a Wavestorm, to a mid-length, and now to a performance shortboard. Both place a big emphasis on form, incorporating both land and water exercises to strengthen the key muscle groups essential for shortboarding. In the water, they keep attention to the smallest details which is helping to fine-tune my technique - and the video analysis has been a game changer for my progress. Fulcrum sincerely cares about my progress and surf journey and I can't thank them enough.