Congratulations, you've stumbled upon the best surf school in LA. My girlfriend and I had four private sessions with Taylor, Jared, and Chuck and lemme tell ya these guys know how to teach. We left every session reflecting on at least one epiphany moment that provided us with tools we needed to grow and understand surfing a helluva lot better than we did before suiting up that morning. Affordable prices, excellent teachers, and good vibes. If you want to learn how to surf in LA, stop dilly-dallying and book a time with these friendly folks! read more

It was easy to sign up and I had a great experience during my first lesson. The meeting spot is at a white van inside the parking lot near Lot 4 South. I couldn't find street parking, so I paid $12.00 for the day and parked in the beach parking lot, which was extremely convenient. The lesson included teaching instructions on the sand and some adjustments while in the water, a borrowed wet suit and surf board. I signed up for a group lesson which worked for my learning style. It provided the chance for me to try and experiment on my own while the instructor was working with other students. The instructors were very welcoming and friendly. read more

This was the most fun I've had in a long time. Chuck was a great instructor! Signed up for next weekend!

Angie was an amazing instructor - she instilled confidence in me at age 57, to successfully leave feeling like I want to pursue this more!! Had the best time and can't wait to try again! Angie had a strong knowledge of not only how to teach, but to read the waves and quell my anxiety. She was able to gradually make me more independent throughout the whole nearly 2 hour lesson! read more

Learn To Surf LA - My surfing success thanks to Angie! - Surf Schools Near Me

My two girls have been going to camps and weekend lessons since they were 8! Angie and the surf coach team is amazing!!! my 14 year-old is a solid surfer now and my 10 year-old is almost there! All of their surfing-chops are because of SurfLa. We love love love them and would never go anywhere else! I feel comfortable leaving my children in their care and know they will come home happy and with new skills!!! if you're on the fence about getting your kids in the water- don't be- they are in good hands!!! ‍ read more

Quick, easy, and affordable to rent a board/wetsuit online. They meet right on the parking lot seconds away from the sand. I tried reserving a few days prior but they cancelled my reservation due to the conditions being too dangerous, which I appreciated a lot since I'm still a novice. read more

I showed up for my surf lesson, and the instructor was completely inappropriate and unprofessional. He was cursing, angry, complaining about his boss, complaining about his backache, complaining about his clients in Malibu. This was in the first five minutes. Constant F bombs. I do not need to listen to someone's toxicity and hostility during an activity that is for recreation and fun. read more

Amazing day - first time surfing and we learned so much. Mainly because of Arthur who was the most patient, inspiring and knowledgeable surf guide. Highly recommend!!! Wetsuits and surfboards provided - you will get up! Work on your push-ups and burpees to prepare read more

Prior to my lessons with Go Surf LA, I hadn't surfed before. After a few lessons with these guys, my skills really improved. They did a great job teaching the basics, built up my confidence, and made it a fun experience! All the folks were friendly and positive. It felt like they were very invested in my experience. I had lessons with Jared, Justin, Andres, and Elliot. All of them were fantastic. I recommend this company to anyone who wants to learn or practice surfing in LA! read more

*** Mini-me wants to share a review of this camp ... *** He is 7yo and always wanted to surf, but I have said "no". This year he has been swimming much better so I said "ok". So we searched for surf camps when school let out for summer. We decided he'd do two weeks here, and man, does he love it? No equipment is needed ... just your kid , lunch and some trunks. LSLA supplied him with a wetsuit and had him standing up on a board Day 1. Kid is straight sprung on surfing now! Very cool. *** Kids 7-17yo: $75/day 10am-3pm or $90/day 9am-4pm. *** read more

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Brian was a fantastic instructor. The whole experience was fun, easy and worth every penny! Would definitely recommend Learn to Surf

We checked off a bucket list trying to surf for first time, instructor Gunther was passionate and in no time we were gliding on the board. Private instruction of 2 hours was reasonable to pick up basics and instructor was always with you to guide and provide safety. The location of Newport Beach is scenic and safe for beginner to surf. Challenges are getting parking at New port beach but you can park at Huntington state beach for a fee or take a early class in hope of getting parking. read more

My friend and I had a private surf lesson with Bren and we had SO much fun! The lesson started on time and it was thankfully easy to find the parking lot where we met up at. Bren gave us a few tips on land before we headed out into the ocean. Don't forget about the stingray shuffle, y'all! Being on the water was a dream and Bren was super nice, patient and shared some great stories. I popped up pretty quickly on the board and by the end of the lesson I had rode a wave all on my own - no push needed from our instructor 10/10 would recommend (and ask for Bren!) read more

Learn To Surf LA - Surf Schools Near Me

Peter was great working me in to the schedule, everyone was super nice. Steven was my instructor and he was the coolest ever. Great teacher, super patient, and a ton of fun! Highly recommend using this place to learn to surf and especially recommend Steven (I haven't had lessons with anyone else but if they're as good as Steven is then it's a solid run business). I'll definitely go back to these guys!! read more

Absolutely love love love the Learn To Surf LA school. All the instructors are super knowledgeable, friendly and energetic. So far I have taken four classes with this school and looking forward to taking more. I highly recommend this school to all new surfers out there who wants to fully learn the foundation of surfing and become expert in a very short period of time. Special thanks to Andy, Mike, Steven, and Peter. You guys are a+w+e+s+o+me. read more

UPDATE: I'm sitting at the beach on our last day of summer and I am so grateful that we signed up for camp again with Learn to Surf LA. We were so pleased that Casey is still directing the Dockweiler location and that instructors like Jared (the cool dude) and Coach Ray have returned. My son is enthralled with these men who are excellent examples of patience, kindness and safety both in the water and on the beach. read more

Bought my husband 3 private surfing lessons. Scheduling and meeting was super easy and LTSLA was very flexible with when we used our package. We LOVED our first lesson with Andy. He was mellow and kind and lovely. Highly recommend. My husband was a skateboarder for many years but is brand new to surfing. Andy worked so well with him. We cannot wait to go back for our second lesson. SUPER COOL. Peter is nice too. I could TOTALLY see booking a ton more lessons and even going to surf camps through LTSLA! Yay! read more

Great experience - purchased a private lesson and felt like the instructor was both attentive and helpful. It was a great workout and he made sure I caught the right waves! I also appreciate that you can keep you personal items with the company's van so I wasn't too worried about leaving my phone and keys unprotected. All the instructors are great - those that were in the water were more than willing to help. I'll be back for more! read more

I love Learn to Surf LA! I was so nervous for my first lesson but everyone is really friendly and easy going. Kris is an incredible teacher! He is patient and fun and makes me feel safe and prepared. After my second lesson I already feel comfortable on the board. I can't wait each week to get out in the water. I highly, highly recommend Learn to Surf LA and Kris! read more

Chris was the best instructor anyone can ask for, especially if surfing on the regular is your end goal. Chris was tremendously informative and knows what he's doing. Critique can sometimes feel discouraging but not with Chris, he puts in a way that encourages and motivates you to get back up on that board and show the waves who's boss. Me and my three buds got the 8 private lesson package. I highly recommend that for anyone who's looking to surf proficiently. I was able to ride 70-80% of the waves I went after at the end of the lessons. Which is a pretty great ratio if you ask me. All positive vibes, chill environment. Only room for improvement is new gear. Boards were beaten up a bit, and the wetsuits had quite a bit of wear and tear. Only led me to buy my own board and suit which you'll probably do anyway haha. Thank you Learn to Surf LA!!! read more

Learn To Surf LA - Surf Schools Near Me

My experience with Learn To Surf LA summer camp was great. I did online registration. There was about 10 kids. The boards and wetsuits provided were in great condition. My daughter was able to stand up on her first day! Dad surfs and was allowed to join them since the instructors didn't mind. Kids saw a school of dolphins surfing the waves and loved it! My step son was scared to surf, so he body boarded, had a great time too! Kids, 8 and 12, said the instructors were fun and nice to them. $15 reg. fee, $85 full day/$65 half day, 10% sibling discount. Two kids was $840wk for M-F 830am-3pm. Receipt worked for Dependent Care FSA. Can't wait to use them next summer, recommend to all. Even a one day class at a california beach @$85 it's a steal, and completely worth it! read more

Learn To Surf LA - Practicing on the sand first - Surf Schools Near Me

The best. Peter runs a phenomenally professional outfit. He had our young sons up and riding waves within an hour. Best day of their life! He focused on safety and technique, with a lot of fun mixed in. Learn to Surf LA totally over delivered. Highly, highly, highly recommend. read more

We booked a surfing class for the three of us a few weeks ago. We were glad to be able to get a booking despite very short notice (only booked the night before). Took us a while to find our instructor but everything went well after that. He informed us that there were some sharks that day because it was high tide and the waves were small, so the sharks were comfortable to be near the shore. He only started teaching after informing us that. We thought he was quite thorough for our first surfing class. Surfing was tough but we had fun. Thanks Learn To Surf LA! read more

My daughter had her first lesson with Chris and it was awesome. He was encouraging and positive and she was up on a wave within the first 30 mins. The online process was so easy to set up the lesson and Chris was there ready to work right on time. Worth every dime! Already looking for a time when we can come back and do it again. Thanks Chris and Learn to Surf LA! read more

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We took a private lesson with Glen in Santa Monica on spring break. We had a great time -- I would highly recommend this company. I will be looking them up next time I am in LA. Michael from Chicago read more

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This was my second or third time surfing and first time for my friends. I didn't expect much as I've been trying to surf before on my own for couple times and I hated it - I couldn't stand up really and all together my experience was awful. Now, after our learning session with Cody, all I can say is if you want to learn how to surf, you absolutely need to go out with an instructor! We had so much fun and Cody was really patient with us, although couple of us had language difficulties and fear from water. Everything turned out better than expected and all of us managed to stand up and ride our boards for at least couple seconds. That's an awesome feeling that is easy to get if you have some pro's behind your back! read more

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We were visiting LA from Boston and signed up for private lessons with Learn to Surf LA.... I have to say, I am truly pleased with this find! My son and daughter (10 & 8 yrs) took 3 first time surf lessons.... Their instructors Kou and Drake were awesome! My daughter initially was hesitant to go into big waves but really wanted to surf! Kou made it so much fun for her and really helped her build confidence and successfully surf!! Drake too made it a lot of fun for my son! Thank you guys!! You're awesome! read more

I typically do not write yelp reviews, however, I wanted to warn parents with small children about this surf camp. Our son (6 year old), took a week long spring surf camp and on the last day, I came to pick him up from the camp and he was crying hysterically and when I asked the surf camp instructor what happened, his response was "he must be cold." Well, it turns out that my son was crying for close to an hour because he BROKE his arm. I had to rush him to urgent care and then to a surgeon because he was in so much pain. Our son had to be in a cast for several weeks and his bones will not be the same until much later. I spoke to the owner of the camp and he felt bad about what happened but I am not confident that these instructors know what they are doing or have been properly trained on emergency responses. Few times, our sitter also observed that small children were in the water without anyone watching them. I am considering all options, including legal actions. read more

Okay, this is awesome!! I just had a lesson and my instructor (Oscar) was super nice and taught me everything I needed to know. I had two lessons in 2013, and today was my first lesson in 4 years. Oscar was very nice and supportive as I was just learning, and he took time off of his day to come teach me. This is just on Santa Monica Beach and at Lifeguard station 18, and the tide is usually good. In all, the lesson was amazing and I feel so good about my experience here. Definite 5 star company!! read more

I definitely had better surf lessons else where. I took a couple of friends from out of town to take private lessons from this outfit at Dockweiler Beach. The waves were really choppy... and that wasn't our instructor's fault. But I don't think any of us could hear him talk over the crashing waves and we were just spending most of our time getting crushed. Also, he spent most of the time with just one of us instead of all of us. Finally, the beach patrol yanked all of us out of the water because it was getting too dangerous. It would've been a better learning experience if the instructor took us to another place or gave us a raincheck instead of roughing it the way we did. I was able to get up a few times... but I can't say that my amigos had the same success. I definitely felt like we should've gotten more out of it. read more

Super safe, super professional, super fun, laid back. Very good people also! Happy to have found them. This is for the MB location. read more

Riding the waves.... Figured I should learn to surf if I am going to visit LA so often. :) So I signed up for a private lesson. I got Bob, who was a pretty cool guy. I am a big guy, 6'6", and although I found it awkward to balance the board at first, Bob was able to help a lot. I had a blast, and will be definitely going again next year! Thanks guys! The only reason it was 4 instead of 5 star was the instructors didn't show up til around 10:30 or so for a 10:00 lesson, for me or the group that was waiting... I understand there was a staff illness, but still it gets docked a point. read more

This place is worth it if you get a good instructor. Mike, Dan, and Bobby are all tried and true--you can't go wrong with them. This is important b/c (private) lessons are frickin' expensive. I didn't try any random group lessons, so those might be less and it's worth a look. Learn to Surf was great when I went with a group of friends from out of town. The above-named instructors were incredibly clear about explaining the newbie mechanics and they were good about helping every single person in the 7-person group feel like they were getting an individualized lesson experience. Another cool thing: After you take a lesson, Learn to Surf LA allows you to rent boards and wetsuits from them for a reasonable rate. Then when you're out there on your own, the instructors who are around are not hesitant about throwing free advice your way. Great place. After 2 lessons, surfing is now an obsession. read more

I moved to LA about a year ago, have snowboarded and wakeboarded for all of my life, and really wanted to learn to surf (never having done so before). Found these guys on Yelp, and they seemed to have a great location just south of the Santa Monica pier, and offered all equipment. For barely more money, I opted for a private lesson with Kenny. Well worth the extra $20-30 for a whole hour with you and an instructor. I was riding waves within 30 minutes. It was absolutely amazing. I plan to take more private lessons, and would highly recommend such. *i'm sure group lessons are fine, especially if you're with people you know, but honestly I had already practiced popping up on the beach, and then had paddled out ready for some in water training before the group even finished their paperwork. If you want to actually learn, just do the private. read more

I was a little worried when I woke up this morning and it was cloudy and COLD and myself and 5 friends had a lesson lined up with Learn to Surf. But never one to punk out from a new athletic challenge, to the beach I went. Steve and Peter were our instructors and were funny and informative. I felt totally comfortable making an ass out of myself in the water and they were able correct my form accurately, which made it possible for me to stand up a few times. They kept a good eye on us and taught us to read the wave and learn to pick up the right place within the wave, which is pretty key in surfing. Overall a great experience and I would definitely recommend Learn to Surf to anyone who's looking to try surfing for the first time! read more

Very professional and friendly place. I took a group lesson and I had a great first surfing experience. However, the instruction was pretty weak. Perhaps the group was too big, I think it was full, but it seemed like they could have been a lot more thorough. After 15 min of introduction on the beach we went into the water. Then we took turns with the instructors who told us two things: when to paddle and when to stand up. After this the instructor moved on to the next person leaving no comment on how to improve or help. I really like surfing but I feel none the wiser about how to practice on my own now, a little disappointing. Also - there was very little information on safety or etiquette. At the end of the day I felt as if I had paid 75 bucks for not much more than 1,5 hours of renting the gear. With this in mind, it might be worth signing up for a private lesson instead. read more

Mike gave my girlfriend and I a lesson this afternoon. He explained many things to us: 1.water safety (the ocean is more tricky than it looks) 2.surf etiquette (believe it or not there are rules to surfing) 3.excellent technique (we practiced multiple times before entering) He was even nice enough to keep us longer (since we arrived late) Learn to surf had a professional staff, and I will be recommending Mike to my friends for lessons. Thanks for the great experience!!! read more

Our daughter went to Learn to Surf LA's summer surf camp and loved it. She had a great time and is now obsessed with surfing thanks to Peter and Angie. I can't recommend it enough. read more

Decided to give surfing another shot this weekend (Jun 2014) and was so impressed by the instructor (Edy) that I am going to sign up for another lesson. Highly recommend #learntosurfLA whether you are visiting town or a local. read more

Amending my original review, was able to reschedule after some communication difficulties around rescheduling based on the sewage spill. We had a GREAT time. Jared was so awesome, he really made our experience. Each of us was able to get up on the board which we weren't expecting for our first time out. He gave us the fundamentals and then really went out of his way in the water to try to set each of us on a wave. 10/10 would go again. read more