We had our very first surfing experience this weekend, and Tommy was amazing! ‍ The three of us (mom, dad, and our 10-year-old daughter) were all at different levels, but Tommy knew exactly how to help each of us improve. We all managed to stand up on our very first try! Thank you so much again, Tommy! We would definitely recommend you to anyone looking for a great surf lesson. Your explanations, tips, and patience were amazing! read more

I booked surf lessons and clearly communicated three times that I am an intermediate surfer, which means the instructor needed to bring an appropriate surfboard. Instead, he arrived with one that had a broken leash and spent 90% of the time going back to shore, leaving me without instruction. This was beyond frustrating and completely unprofessional. To make matters worse, the merchant promised to take pictures during the session for two hours. She showed up late, despite the sky being clear and bright 30 minutes before the lesson was set to start. In the end, she only took photos for half an hour and never sent them to me despite my constant reminders. This experience was a total disappointment and an absolute waste of time and money. I would never recommend this service to anyone. The merchant was also being racist, and accusatory. I have the recording if anyone is interested. Overall, just stay away to keep your insanity. Many other surf schools in Huntington and I trust there are many other non racist people. read more

I originally left a good review for your business on Google because my experience was nice. While in the water I heard an instructor call my friend a BBW and I was a bit confused by the exchange. After talking to my friend and reading the response left by the business owner I am voicing that I DID hear Dave call her that. He yelled it twice to her. Jay - you were not there there how can you vouch for Dave? It's pretty low of you to try and clap back at someone who left an honest review. Take a step back and reevaluate how you want to go about this. Constructive criticism can help your business grow. read more

First time surfing! Dave was great at teaching us the fundamentals and helping us to get on the waves! We were able to stand on the board and ride the waves The location is great for beginners to learn. Overall a great experience Parking is street parking so give yourself enough time to find a spot. read more

Learn To Surf - Surf Schools Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Kids really enjoyed it .. below is my kids feedback,, Nico(the instructor) helped us every step of the way. He thought us how to ride a wave it was really exciting the two hours felt like minutes the service was excellent everything was excellent. It was my first experience and definitely not the last and the first time I ride I was scared and Nico helped me go all the way there and who goes there is 100% going to have fun and very safe read more

We stumbled across Learn To Surf while visiting Newport Beach. My 7 year old had taken a couple of East Coast lessons and wanted to get in the California waves so dad joined along. Dave was an excellent instructor and made the experience a lot of fun! 7 year old is much more confident and we only wish we had more time to get in the water during our trip! read more

Can't say enough, how great my experience was w Learn to Surf!! They take their time w beginners & meet you at your level, all while having the best time. Jason was super easy to work with & I'll def be coming back again. Do yourself a favor & book w them, if you've ever wanted to learn or just need a refresher to get back out there! read more

Jay kept looking at my butt and made me uncomfortable. He told me he likes tan men that ride 5'6 boards but I'm neither. Then he was disrespectful to my friends group who were trying to surf. That's lame. BRO I DONT WANNA GO TO UR VILLA 1/5 read more

I'm giving a one star because this school didn't supply the proper equipment for the entire group to surf the whole time. When I called ask for voucher or find some way to use surfboards wetsuits at another time Dave, the surf instructor said no, there's nothing we can do. And it was very embarrassing to have all my friends come and ask me one at time for rest of the the day if I was ok when Dave called me a bbw. Everyone pays the same price. idk if they asked for height and weight beforehand but they need too. Or bring extra boards so this issue doesn't happen to another group. Bigger the board the easier it is to surf. I'm not a good surfer hence paying for lessons. I was also one of the tallest people of my friends who wanted to take lessons and definitely the biggest. In a group of 6, I was 50-100lbs heavier than 4 others in our group. I was doing well having a great time when we got in the water. Dave sees this acknowledges it and asks for my board. When I asked about the smaller board size he hesitates because it's not really that much shorter (1ft less) but much narrower. He knew I was done for the day. It was a joke to have me attempt it, I tried it was not going to happen. If I didn't give up surfing for the rest of the time there'd be two bad reviews, when the other person who needed the big board they were originally assigned would have been forced to share. Or 6 bad reviews if we had to play musical chairs with all the boards. Again I called and asked for a voucher or some other way to make up for it. Dave said no there's absolutely nothing we can do. read more

Awesome instructor who was understanding and helpful. My daughter and niece can't wait to surf again!!!

Dave is a handsome & great coach and always did amazing job! He is patient and dedicated to helping kid knowledge of surfing ‍ read more

Learn To Surf - Dave always did great job - Surf Schools Near Me - Newport Beach, California

We had a great experience with Jason the owner and instructor Dane. The phone was answered promptly and when we had a little trouble meeting up on time/at the right spot they were extremely accommodating and cool about it. Dane even offered to extend his time after giving us our full two hour lesson for no charge! Highly recommend this business - just a heads up that they don't have a store front, you will meet them at the beach. read more

Learn To Surf - Surf Schools Near Me - Newport Beach, California

We have attended multiple surf schools in the area over the years. Our experience was average. While everyone was genuinely kind, we didn't learn anything new or helpful. Our reason to take lessons was not to simply to do what we've been doing on repeat but to actually receive feedback, tips and other helpful pointers. Unfortunately, this wasn't our experience. Also, do not recommend the picture package for $50. Photos were simply sub-par. read more

Got a beginner surfing lesson reserved on a Saturday 8am, with instructor Chad (if I remember his name correctly). Although the tide was low and waves weren't the best, it was still a lot of fun, and a highly recommend this experience for anyone looking to learn! Chad was super helpful with his instructions and tips. Equipment was in good condition (wetsuit and board). read more

We had the best experience with Learn to Surf Newport Beach! My 3 kids took 5 lessons - 3 with Hunter, and one each with Gavin and Dane. They were all really great! My kids (14, 13 and 10) grew especially fond of Hunter, and I always appreciate those special teachers who have a kindness and passion for what they do that inspires and makes us want to try just a little harder than we otherwise might have. It was fun to see the other instructors out with their own students as they all know each other and have great things to say about one another. There was a lot of fun, some occasional teasing and even helping and cheering on each other's students- the company as a whole seems to have a great attitude and rapport. We met the instructors by their van very near the beach. Surfers seemed to always be coming and going after relatively short sessions, so there was always plenty of parking in the small pay lot (~$8 for 3hrs) if free street parking wasn't available. Mondays are street sweeping days, however, and we had to circle the area a second before several spots were all suddenly open. No big deal. Don't stress - spots seemed to open up all the time. Just plan a little extra time to park, sunscreen up, maybe use the nearby public restrooms, and make your way to the van always parked in the same spot near the end of the street. The instructors were on the lookout for us and welcomed us before we were wondering if we had the right white van. I think they're good at spotting slightly lost-looking students. They helped the kids find their wetsuit and board sizes. The wetsuits are high quality and the boards are large foam boards that float well and are easy to catch waves and stand up on. Perfect for starting out. As a mom of three, it was refreshing that we didn't need to bring any gear with us, and they thoughtfully offered to lock up flip flops/t-shirt/ keys, etc. in the van while we were out on the beach. It is a little bit of a hike across the beach to the water, but not bad at all. The beach seems well known to surfers and very local residents out walking a dog or two, but other than that, it was a very empty beach each time we went. That was so nice! The instructors spent some time on the beach teaching the basics: checking conditions and noting where other surfers are in the water, basic safety, parts of the board, proper positioning, the best way to pop up, etc., and then led the group in stretching before heading out. Once in the water, they rotated between the kids helping them to catch waves, stand up, teaching them more about the water, and how to improve their technique. I wondered how one instructor with three kids would work, but found they were just fine on their own in between attempting to catch waves on their own, and just getting a feel for things out there. The current was strong at times and three siblings can have very different ideas of where they want to be, but even with the group spread out at times the instructors did a wonderful job wrangling everyone and I felt they were in good hands out there. At the end of each session, they had another short hike back to the van to peel off wetsuits, turn in boards and thank their wonderful instructors for another great day! On our last day, they wore their own wetsuits and brought their own brand new boards. They all appreciated the chance to get a little help acclimating to their new gear, and learning small changes to their technique that will make a difference on the boards they chose. I can't recommend Learn to Surf enough. My kids had a wonderful time, met some great role models who have given them an enthusiastic welcome to surfing, and they can't wait to get out there again soon with their own gear. We couldn't ask for more! read more

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Total beginner went out with Dave today in Huntington Beach today; Dave was great in his teaching, picked great waves and an appropriate board for a beginning; as someone who was never able able to stand before i was up on my 3rd try today. Highly recommend. read more

Had a awesome experience with Hunter. So cool vibes, nice dude and he was able to teach me to catch a few waves by myself. Awesome experience. Would love to come back! read more

Very great experience. Rod was an awesome instructor, very knowledgeable,patient and really cool guy. Will definitely go back here. If you're interested in learning to surf, this is best kind of course you would want to take. read more

Sent my 19 year old daughter there by herself while she tagged along with me during a work trip. She's never surfed and was our first time to California. She loved the lesson and raved about her instructor, Dave, she said he made her feel totally comfortable and made the lesson really fun. Couldn't have been happier to hear her excitement about something she was pretty nervous for. Would highly recommend! read more

Learn To Surf - Dave and my daughter - Surf Schools Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Instructor Dave is the WAY TO GO!! I never thought I would feel confident with ease, but he knows what he is doing and he is patient, positive and good at teaching. Thanks so much for a fantastic lesson. read more

My 11 year old loves his first surf lesson with Dylan. The owner of the surf school was super responsive and able to connect us with an instructor on the same day we called. They meet at end of Newport Beach near Huntington border where there are fewer people to compete with on the waves (near the pier is a zoo and full of people trying to learn, can be frustrating and dangerous). Surf was good sized and my son caught and stood up on many waves in the course of a two hour lesson. Highly recommend this company for private lessons. No regrets. So simple and easy to coordinate. They had a huge supply of wetsuits and boards. They were there when we arrived. Super positive attitude. Fantastic! read more

We are vacationing in Newport Beach for the week and decided a few days ago to sign our 2 boys (12 and 8) up for surf lessons. We saw some kids getting lessons on the beach and asked for a business card. So glad we did! Learn 2 Surf has an easy web site to navigate and schedule lessons online. Our boys have never surfed before. Gordon was great with our boys. He is so good with kids, super patient, and provided a ton of positive reinforcement, so they never got too frustrated or discouraged. Our boys left their 2 hour lesson with excitement and confidence toward their first experience with surfing. Our 8 year old said, "today was the best day of our vacation" after his lesson. Nailed it! Thank you so much, Jason and Gordon! read more

Learn To Surf - Surf Schools Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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For being a company with such high reviews, I was very disappointed. First of all, I was told to arrive 15 minutes before my 9 AM lesson. I ended up showing up an hour before because I was worried about finding a place to park but luckily, that wasn't a problem. My instructor didn't show up until a few minutes after nine and that was only after I had called to find out where he was since it was passed the time he was supposed to meet me. We suited up, took the board out and realized that the surf and current were way too big and strong for a beginner lesson. My instructor even informed me that the day before, the clients and instructors didn't follow through with the lessons because of the exact same reason. My instructor and I decided it was way too harsh for a beginner lesson and so we decided not to go through with it. I called the owner, informed him of what happened, and asked if I could reschedule. I was told that there were no refunds, which I understood from the website. What angers me is the fact that they knew the conditions were less than ideal for a beginner lesson and, instead of informing me and offering me to reschedule, they still had me meet them for a lesson knowing that, more than likely, I would not be able to learn in those conditions. Clearly, they were aware of the less-than-preferable conditions for a beginner. If they really cared about spreading the joy of surfing and their clients safety, then they would have offered to reschedule beforehand. However, it seems that making money was more important. read more

My 11 year old daughter just had her first 2 hour lesson with Chris. She loved it. Chris started on the sand with basic fundamentals. As they got in the water, he went over safety, surfing etiquette and also how to pick the right waves. She got up right away and had a huge grin the entire time. Chris was just as excited for her as us parents! Lots of positive feedback. Lots of help tweaking mechanics. And lots of waves. Besides learning to surf, this was an amazing confidence booster for her. We'll be coming back for another lesson. read more

Learn To Surf - Rode it all the way in - Surf Schools Near Me - Newport Beach, California

My son and his friends (8-10) had a great time! The instructors were fun and patient and everybody got up on their boards a bunch with no prior experience. I appreciated that their wetsuits and boards were in really good condition (not smelly and beaten up). Would highly recommend. read more

David was an amazing instructor! I booked my sister and I lessons as a gift for her birthday and we had a great time. He was a great teacher and made the whole experience fun on top of it. Our expectations were exceeded and the two hours of private instruction for the price was better than anything else we found and their website was easy to use. An all around great experience that we would recommend to anyone. read more

My girlfriend and I booked a 2 hour private lesson and had so much fun! Our instructor was super nice and really knew what he was talking about. He did an amazing job explaining everything, which was super helpful because booth, my girlfriend and I, never stood on a surfboard before. He was very patient with us and seemed to had as much fun as we had! Next time we are in Newport Beach, we'll book another lesson for sure! :-) read more

Learn To Surf is suspect and dodgy. My teenage son bought a gift certificate from Jason the owner a few years back. Was a gift. I haven't used for medical reasons but called them late last year and spoke to Dave. Said I had certificate and wanted to use it and texted it to him. Certificate has no expiration date. Dave said he would speak to owner and get back to me. Dave never did. I've never heard from the owner. I sent multiple texts asking for some response. I phoned their business and no one answered. Went to vm. I have sent Jason a letter to the seashore address. No response. I doubt I can ever collect from these bums. May take them to small claims and see if sheriff can get monies after I get a judgment. Pat sheriff $30 bucks and they will go right out to the sand and collect whatever cash/property they may have. Businesses shouldn't issue gift certificates and then not honor them. It's wrong and basically illegal under California civil code. They don't care. Probably hurting for business and don't want to deal with it. At end of day maybe it's a blessing not doing a lesson with Learn To Surf as I would hate to be out on the water with this company. Don't seem to really care about paying customers. Never turn your back on the ocean. Never buy a gift certificate from Learn To Surf. read more

Easy to book and great experience for a first-timer! I'd recommend these guys to anyone, especially beginners

Amazing experience! Our 13 year old daughter took a surf lesson and they did a great job all around. Lots of fun and very organized and professional. They went above and beyond to help me secure some beach chairs and an umbrella for a few days! Great group! read more

My kids had an amazing lesson with Instructor Will. He's super nice and interacts with the kids immediately making them feel comfortable. Professional, engaging and knowledgeable(since I have no surf experience).. Kids were up surfing in no time, and he'd help get them started on the wave and offer tips as needed. Great experience, great instructor and my kids are exhausted as I sit here enjoying an adult beverage while they shower and rest up. Great day!! Thank you Will, Maddie and Will had a great experience!! read more

Learn To Surf - Instructor Will starting the lesson on the sand, teaching technique. - Surf Schools Near Me - Newport Beach, California

I had a lesson with Dane and he was a great instruction. He was super knowledgeable, experienced, very beginner friendly, and taught me many of the important techniques. He not only helped me pop up on my board, he also taught me a lot to so that I could keep learning to surf on my own. I would definitely recommend him! Dave and Jason were also very helpful and accommodating when I was trying to schedule for my private lesson. read more

My son and my nephew's had the BEST time with Hunter and Tyler today. All 3 boys (10,8,5) were standing up by the end of the 2 hour lesson! Hunter and Tyler were amazing instructors! They both were SO positive, encouraging and just excited. They were both so patient and it was just such a wonderful experience for the boys and all the spectators! We will definitely be using them during our future trips to California. Thanks for making their first surfing experience so memorable! You guys are the best! read more

My daughter Livy asked for surfing lessons for her birthday. She loves the beach but has always been a bit fearful of the ocean..Chad was her instructor. He was so amazing with her . Livy said Chad's patience and encouragement helped her get over her fears. Despite the crazy current conditions today she had the best experience. I think this is just the beginning. Looking forward to booking her next lesson with Chad. read more

Had a great introduction to the world of surfing with Learn to Surf and the great teacher, Alec. From registration through the lesson, the service and communication as well as instruction were outstanding. Appreciate the time Alec took to explain and demo techniques as well as information on safety and etiquette in the water. I have always respected surfers and their skills but now I have new respect for what is done in the water. Instruction was two hours and for this old man that was plenty. If you have been wanting to try surfing then make sure you contact Learn to Surf. Thanks Alec read more

I booked this lesson for myself and 5 of my friends and feel awful about the experience my friend had. It seemed like I got preferential treatment because it was my birthday, which was great for me but completely unfair to my friends (who all paid the same amount as I did.) In the beginning of the lesson we were assigned boards based on our size. As we were in the water, I was having a hard time getting up on my board, so my instructors told me to wait and ran to swap my smaller board with my friends larger board-- I'm completely new to surfing and didn't realize why they exchanged our boards and assumed they knew best, but I now realize they were trying to help me while being inconsiderate to her. Unbeknownst to me, she asked them how she was supposed to continue surfing with the smaller board, and they "made a joke" about her being a BBW. She was not able to surf during the lesson after they swapped our boards and when she called the next day to ask for them for a partial refund or voucher for future use, they disregarded her and stated that they provided a board for her to use (which they swapped with mine) so there's nothing they can do. It was disappointing to learn of the business owners unprofessional response, so fair warning to those wanting to book. read more

So, In 2018 I tried a different surfing class in Santa Cruz and tbh the coach didn't teach anything. But this class and coach were amazing! We had Dave as our instructor and he was extremely professional, a ton of fun and had a great energy about him. If took me a while to get over the fear of the ocean, Jaws and 30 foot waves but I stood up (thanks to Dave!) Woo hoo! If you're going to learn surfing, I highly recommend you to learn it here. read more

Did a beginner group lesson with my son. Our instructor was Kyle - a former beach lifeguard and pro surfer. Kyle was super friendly, a great teacher, and got us catching waves really quick. My son stood up on one of his first waves. We had a ton of fun and are both excited to get back out on the waves and practice. Learn to Surf provides everything you need (boards, wetsuits, etc). Super happy with our experience and would definitely recommend Learn to Surf and Kirk as an instructor! read more

I just finished 4 days of lessons with Dave - my first time ever surfing. Dave gets an A+for knowledge, positivity, humor, and PATIENCE. I was not an easy case! I was in good hands with Dave. I always felt encouraged and completely safe. The company is professional and very reliable. I had to call several times due to a logistical problem with my vacation plans. Jason or Dave pick up the phone immediately, or shortly thereafter if they are out giving a lesson. Most of all, I had FUN and want to go back for more. I could not recommend Learn to Surf more highly. read more

Started on time My kid is 10 and his first lesson Instructor taught him the basics of stretching and safety Out on the waves. My kid had a blast. Was impressed with his instruction. Went out and bought him a wetsuit and a inexpensive board to practice on. We will take another lesson too read more