Both of my kids attended Ocean Experience Surf and Skate Camp last week, and it was hands down the best camp experience they've ever had -- and that's saying something, because they've done a lot over the years, from junior lifeguards to other water and land-based camps. The staff at Ocean Experience were attentive, caring, professional, and clearly very experienced. Every day, my kids came home full of stories and beaming with pride about what they learned -- whether it was catching a wave, dropping in for the first time, or exploring marine life. They looked forward to going every morning, and it was amazing to watch how much fun they had while also progressing in their skills. Huge thanks to the whole crew for creating such a positive and memorable week. We'll definitely be back! read more

The BEST we did 2 weeks of camp everyone was Amazing from excited check in process making him feel so comfortable and excited ! Yes I as a mom stocked him on his first few days and was amazing with how great they were getting all the kids excited to get in the water and comfortable. Hannah was my littles FAV he loved surfing with her SO MUCH ! She was sooo sweet and so much energy running with the kids giving each a nick name couldn't have asked for a better teacher ! He's not excited to do "normal school " he want to just surf with his Hannah every day read more

Ocean Experience Surf School - Summer Camps Near Me - San Diego, California

Introduced to Ocean Experience by a friend who worked their years ago. It's a bit nerve racking to drop off your six year old for first time at surf camp. But the instructors were super welcoming and kind. Our son had the best time. We signed up for the following week. Thanks again! read more

These guys were over the top with effort and making my trip unreal! Cannot recommend enough

My 8-year-old daughter just completed a week of half-day skate camp. Coaches Dante, James, and Jello were awesome. They were nice, friendly, totally approachable to kids and parents, and they taught her so much. They give all the kids a lot of encouragement, and Dante even stayed after to help her one day. That's how enthusiastic they got her about skateboarding, something she had never previously done. Camp is really well-run and they have all the COVID stuff in place. You feel like your kid is having a great time learning in a safe environment. My kid couldn't get enough, and I credit her engagement with this particular activity to the instruction and environment these guys provided. I couldn't recommend them more. read more

Ocean Experience Surf School - Curb. - Summer Camps Near Me - San Diego, California

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This was our second summer doing camp with Ocean Experience and it was again absolutely spectacular!!! My younger son was able to join his brother this year and we signed up for 8 weeks - some weeks we did half day surf, and other weeks we did full day combo skate and surf, and it has been the most incredible summer ever! Again, the coaches are just phenomenal. Every single one of them is kind, fun, professional, welcoming, talented, and awesome role models for my little guys. My sons race into camp each day excited to see everyone, and they enjoyed making new friends with other campers each week. They have become such great little surfers and skateboarders; the camps are a perfect combination of fun, and learning new skills. The fantastic owner goes above and beyond to ensure these kids have a safe, happy, awesome time, the camp is extremely organized and well run, and my kids and I will never forget every single counselor who helped give them another epic San Diego summer. We are already looking forward to next summer - if you haven't tried camp with Ocean Experience you definitely should :) read more

I just rented a board, but the helped me find the right board, they are close to the beach, and the price is right. Very satisfied. read more

I was impressed with how quickly my kids picked up surfing! They make it fun, simple and personable. They knew all of the kids names and gave them special attention when struggling during their surf time. We will definitely be back! I highly recommend this camp! read more

We came back for our second summer at Ocean Experience and it did not disappoint. We came all the way from Sacramento to spend a week so my 7 year old daughter could attend again this year. I felt super confident leaving her in their care and she had a fantastic time. We will definitely be back next year! read more

Best surf camp in San Diego. Instructors are well trained watermen and water women. My daughter has a new found passion for surfing and the ocean. Compare the price to the other local surf school and it's a no brainer!! read more

My 7-year-old son attended 2 weeks of surf camp this summer. He loved it! It was his first time surfing and he was able to get up on the board after only 2 days. The coaches and all of the staff were incredibly friendly and kind. The camp was well organized; easy drop off and pick up, and they had great COVID-19 safety protocols. After trying a few other local camps, this is the best camp experience we have had so far. Can't wait for next summer! Thank you Ocean Experience Surf School! read more

Amazing group of coaches, we had Trey and Alex. Very professional, super knowledgeable and extremely patient. Large group in mixed surf but both coaches were able to engage each student with individual attention and instruction. If anyone is considering a day of surf instruction this is the-surf school I recommend. Thanks guys I'll be back. A+++ read more

It was incredible. My daughter absolutely loved it. We would go back every week if we could. Her instructors were Hannah and Courtney and we are so grateful to them and the whole crew. 5 stars doesn't even do it enough justice. To drop your 6 year old off for several hours in COVID times at a public beach is stressful but these people made it so smooth and enjoyable!!! See you next summer Ocean Experience Surf School!! read more

This is the 2nd time my son has attended a camp here and he doesn't ever have complaints. The coaches are kind and easy to interact with. He returns to camp tomorrow and wants to skate today, get there early tomorrow and stay late. You've made a most excellent impression on my grom. Thank you for being awesome! read more

My 12 year old is not into camps AT ALL. She does love the beach so I convinced her to give Ocean Experience a try. She loves it! They work with each camper very closely. This individual instruction helped her to stand up and surf the first day. This gave her so much confidence and motivation to continue to improve her skills. I'm very impressed with the camp staff and will definitely sign her up for another week. She especially loved coach Sophia who is super sweet and patient with first time surfers. It's not just about learning to surf - she met new friends, enjoyed nature, and saw some dolphins swim right by her. Best camp ever! read more

I have gone twice here and loved my experience both times. The 2nd time was especially more fun when our instructor Tray, helped us catch as many waves as possible. That made us feel like we could actually do this! Though my friend was finding it difficult to catch waves but Tray kept motivating her. And, we all cheered when she finally caught her first wave and she did so well and rode it for a long time. read more

Purchased two groupons for my boyfriend and I to try our hand at surfing (his second time, my first time) after his pleading with me that it would be super fun. The shop/store was well maintained and the guy at the counter was friendly and helpful and had our waivers all ready to be signed. After our group was all accounted for (about 10 of us) we all got fitted into wet suits and headed down to the water. This next part was very impressive: we spent over an hour on land working on balance training. We started out sitting in a very camp-like circle (mostly because the instructors had just finished doing a kids' surf camp) and our instructors explained what they do and why they do it. We then began our balancing on wooden indo boards to practice gliding. Then we had squishy half-circle inflated things placed under the indo-board to try to work on positions and standing up. Once we'd gotten enough of that, rollers were placed under our boards and we tried our best to balance and possibly go down to a diamond position without falling off to simulate water movement. It was tough! I felt like I got a full yoga workout without even going into the water. Once we got down to the beach, we each practiced positions twice on an actual surfboard, then headed with our individual boards into the water. It took me a while to get the hang of the waves and motions and kept getting hit by waves and going underwater which I wasn't used to, but eventually I was able to catch a few waves (even just kneeling on the board) and actually stood up once for about 4 seconds, which I was super proud of. Everyone in the group was really nice and we'd all clap or give thumbs up or 'woo hoos!' to each other when someone actually made it standing on top of their boards. The instructors were also in the water helping to guide and push all of us on our boards. My arms are still tired from doing this 3 days ago but it was worth it. Not sure I'd love it as a hobby, but I'm glad my boyfriend convinced me to step out of my comfort zone and give it a try! The instructors are very serious about what they do and seem to have fun doing it. I'd definitely recommend them for surfing lessons. read more

WOW. I have to admit, I am very tough at rating businesses. But this school was THE most amazing and fun time that my friends and I have had in San Diego. We live in Arizona and visit often, so we know most of San Diego...but happened to purchase this lesson on Groupon after we figured, "what the heck". We got there on time and they were friendly and helpful to direct us to the bathroom, lockers and changing area. Travis and Chase were the coolest instructors ever!! They went over a brief description of what we would be doing, got fitted with wet suits and headed to an area to start the lesson down the way on Indo boards. This was not only fun but entertaining. It was challenging for us to try to accomplish each task as they get harder. But-this was all for a purpose. To simulate how it will feel out in the water on your surfboard. Balance is key. Travis mentioned that looking down makes you lose your balance, so when we all looked up and focused on something, it got easier. After that, we headed to dog beach and put our wet suits on under a tent with equipment. We left our things and cover ups under the tent and headed out for the beach. WOW. What an exhilarating experience!!! Travis and Chase's main goal was to help us try to catch a wave in. They would take our group out and tell us what to do to help us improve. When we asked them specific questions, they answered with knowledgable experience and we seemed to get better!! I caught my wave the first time and the people in the group shortly thereafter. Chase made sure to take pictures for us while we were out in the ocean as well as when we trained on the Indo boards so that we had proof to show our friends!! I bought a waterproof case for my phone and a few others had waterproof camera. We have INSANE pictures of us to frame!!! After some of the group got tuckered out and rested by the shoreline, Travis asked to borrow my board really quick while I rested to take my boyfriend out and help him catch a wave on his own. Success!!! I have many pictures of him on his own wave!!! Finally, we headed back and they let us shower back at the school and rest before we headed out. This was one of THE most amazing experiences ever. I've taken snowboard and ski classes and this surpassed ALL of them. DON'T: Bring a towel to the beach. You won't need it. DO: Bring a LARGE bottled water to the beach-you will need it Bring a waterproof camera or phone Bring sunscreen-it was overcast but we still got a little red Park in the back of the school:$5 for 2-9 hours, cash only Wear a suit and coverup;they provide wet suits for you read more

Got a three-hour surfing groupon for my friend who was visiting (never surfed ever) and I (suck at surfing - tried a few times). The shop was not easy to find since the name is not actually Ocean Experience Surf School but it is part of a surf shop - a small sign indicates the surf school but was difficult to catch while driving. We called and finally found it (Opposite the Harp!). Everyone is very chill and friendly! Our instructors were Ryan and a girl from San Luis Obispo, both chill and helpful. Ryan was good about introductions and to understand everyone's background (surfing,board sports) before we began the class, and to kind of break the ice and get everyone comfortable with each other. It was a small class of just six so very cosy. We started a land training, which was not easy (quite the workout!) but very useful (as we saw later). Instructors were encouraging and there to correct you, guiding you through the steps. Ryan was good at telling us what the difference would be when we are surfing compared to land training, helping us understanding the mechanics etc. It was a GREAT workout too! My friend and I considered getting the tools they were using just for workout purposes and perhaps to help us with surfing down the road! After the land training, we went out to the water at dog beach in OB. The waves were perfect, not too big and enough time between each waves for us to prepare ourselves. At first, Ryan and the girl just helped us by pushing us to catch the waves, getting us to try to stand up. It was super useful to not worry about catching the waves. They were good about telling us exactly when the waves were coming in (how many seconds etc) and what to do (get on your board, come back a little etc). After awhile, some people got the hang of it and caught their own waves! It was mighty fun! FIRST TIME I EVER STOOD UP! WOOHOOO!! It felt great. Everyone should try surfing at least once. We weren't really taught how to catch a wave properly though. Kind of important when you don't have them to push you into it... That was more an instinctive thing that people did. I caught some and had a great time! My friend had trouble standing up but still had a wonderful time! I love the dogs too! Overall, a great place to begin your surfing adventure! read more

Wonderful! Had a truly amazing group intro-to-surf lesson today. The class starts out with a lecture, then moves to the balance boards and pop-up practicing, and then moves to the water. Roger is a truly talented instructor with a gift for being thorough and informative while keeping things fun and entertaining. I have an appreciation for details and experience teaching a sport and was truly impressed by my lesson today. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable and the beach we walked to was simply marvelous for beginning surfers. The staff members in the water with us were patient, attentive, and encouraging. The friends I brought with me for the lesson had a great time as well. I am looking forward to the next experience I have with this company. They even have a hot outdoor shower you can use to rinse off the sand and salt water. :) David read more

Mixed reviews. The counselors were great! The camp was definitely fun! When I called to ask if my kids they could bring their own boards, they said no problem. They forgot to mention they needed a nose guard which led to a wild goose chase at 9a. No where in their literature did it mention a nose guard. In addition, I asked a lot of questions about the van/driver from skate park to beach. The camp put my child in a private vehicle w/o my permission. When my husband asked for my child to not ride in that car again, he was told ok. The very next day my child was required to ride in the private vehicle even when they voiced their concern. It felt creepy and inappropriate. I was pretty anygry they didn't ask my permission! read more

I purchased a deal for the paddleboarding lesson, and I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed myself. The instructor was not only incredibly knowledgeable but ensured that all participants had a good understanding of the basics before getting into the water. I would definitely recommend them to all, and will eventually be taking surfing lessons through them. read more

My fiance and each purchased the Groupon $29 special for the SUP (stand up paddle-boarding) because I'd been dying to try it. It was certainly a bit of a drive for us (nothing new living up in Carlsbad) and only a few days to a week or so after purchasing the Groupon the man called to set it up for Saturday at 10:30A. He received the confirmation email and it had all the info on it...unfortunately for us I didn't realize the address was different from the one on the printed Groupon, so were early for once, but at the wrong place. By the time we located the correct spot they were just getting started. We started with 20-30 mins of instruction and practice on land before heading into the bay. There was a head guy who taught and two other guys who dealt with the paperwork and eventually went out on the water with our group of 15 or so. I was immediately hooked; so much so that I came home and started searching for SUP's. Too bad they START at $500. Crap! Carlsbad lagoon rents them for like $30/hour. Ugh. Anyways, although they took us out for over 2 1/2 miles and about 1 1/2 hour of actual paddling (maybe a bit much for a new group?) I loved every minute of it. We had perfect sunny weather and the water was perfect. We really had a blast...but more so at the beginning when we could hang and (of course as my fiance tried to knock me over by running into me) than the second half where we were ferociously paddling (in a relaxed manner of sorts) to keep up with the trail. I'm not sure how I ended up at the back of the line but for some reason that's pretty much where I stayed. The only sketchy part is that the bay is super busy on a Saturday; so in addition to the regular boats and such there was also an amateur sailing class going on that you had to be able to dodge/paddle around the seemingly non-ending stream of people aiming for you! All in all we had a great time (I did at least) and I'd love to find a way to really get into SUP'ing. Makes me feel like I've finally arrived as a San Diegan. read more

Being from Colorado, there isn't too many chances to learn how to surf. However, since I was going to be in So Cal for a couple of weeks, I thought I would try it out. Spring isn't a busy time for surfing so a group surfing lesson (3 per instructor) turn into a personal surfing lesson (1 on 1). I got Carlos and he is an awesome instructor. He is very patient. He also would pause while teaching and ask if I had any questions. A lot of teachers just finish teaching before asking. He gave constant feedback on how to improve and a general lesson on ocean basics (like rip currents). We went to a dog beach where there isn't a lot of surfers around. This is great since as a beginner, I didn't want to crash into anyone. I would definitely recommend it to my friends and Carlos as their instructor. Thanks again!!!! read more

Great camp! great counselors! My daughter has attended 5 weeks in a row and she's loves it!

My 7 year old daughter and 10 year old son had a blast at the full day combo skateboarding/surfing camp. It was well run, well organized and the counselors were engaged, caring and fun! The kids had so much fun that they didn't even mind wearing masks during the half day skateboarding sessions. They both picked up lots of new skills and made new friends. We will definitely enroll again next year. I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5 because I thought it was quite expensive for 1 week and the skateboarding counselors didn't wear helmets which I thought was a bad example for the kids. read more

I had an amazing time .... and best of all I learned to surf .....my life time dream..... Jared is the best .... he stood with me all the time walking me though every wave.... I truly recommend learning to surf with ocean experience read more

My Daughter has taken other surf lessons twice before, but was still uncomfortable. At all the other surf lessons she basically learned to pop up on the surfboard for about 10 minutes & then into the water. She even took a private lesson. Ocean Experience Surf School really took the time to teach about currents, & learn to balance on several different objects. When the class seemed to feel comfortable, then they learned to pop up. The instructors were very attentive to all the students. My daughter has a new self confidence. read more

This is my second time coming here and I loved it just as much as my first experience! The instructors are all so nice and willing to help. Very approachable too, so I never felt intimidated whenever I wanted to ask a questions or ask for help. Plus, they are very very cheery too and obviously enjoy their job as surf instructors! Also, they make sure to focus on the fundamentals before going into the water, which is nice because I felt very comfortable surfing prior to going into the water and didn't feel confused or just thrown into it at all. When actually surfing, the instructors made sure to pay attention to all the students in the class and give everyone tips in order to ride a wave successfully! 10/10 would recommend to anyone who is visiting San Diego and wants to surf!! read more

My boys did 2 weeks this summer half day only and really enjoyed it. The instructors were cool and really engaged with the kids. I really liked that they would challenge them and not let them give up so easily. But they would also respect if the child was done with the water at that moment and let them chill on the sand. Great summer camp for stay at home moms that need a little break! read more

I'm torn on the school, but leaning towards the negative. We signed up our kids, 12 and 9 for a lesson during our week long visit. Robert, the owner starteded out with a great opening speech on safety and the agenda for the class, and their philosophies, which I appreciated, but was totally over the heads of the 4 kids in the class, they were pretty well glazed over shortly after Robert started his mini lecture. There was alot of foundational training on Indo boards in the grass which helped and is certainly critical training. Once everyone headed into the water, a class of eight total, 4 of them were kids, 3 parents, 1 solo adult, with 3 instructors, this is were I lost faith in the school. Of the three instructors, we lost one entering the water, no clue where he went. So once we actualy moved into the area where safety is of greatest concern with 4 kids, they shrunk the instructor pool down to 2. I moved into the water a little just to watch my own kids if nothing else, and gang, I'm neither a good swimmer, nor a surfer, so I was about worthless in this situation. The 2 instructors that were left were so spread out that the other parents that came to attend the school were focused on their kids, one instructor did help my youngest, but my 12 year old was left to his own devices the entire time. 12 year olds tend to think they know everything, but it was clear that he was frustrated and was not successful at all during the class period. I tried reaching out to the coaches but they weren't interested in talking. So, end of the class, I had one that loved it, the other that didn't and left discouraged. I'm a mountain guy and have instructed skiing to kids; this experience was nothing short of putting a first time student on a pair of skis at the top of the mountain and saying good luck. That turns a kid away from a great sport from that point on. When you have lots of kids, you have to have enough instructors to focus on safety and instruction. I don't think they were focused on either very well with two instructors in the water when it mattered most. read more

It was tough!! I wish there were more instructors, as I needed more help than was available. Also, I wish there was an option to reschedule if the waves are too big for beginners. It is hard to learn in one lesson, I wish you could purchase more lessons for less money. read more

I too got the Living Social deal for a group lesson. Mark was my instructor, and I can't say enough good things about what a great surfing instructor he is and how he made the learning experience fantastic. He's deeply knowledgeable about surfing on every level, including a valuable insight in local surfing spots and surf etiquette. He's enthusiastic and highly engaged, and a great teacher of surfing fundamentals. I've no previous experience with Ocean Experience, but with Mark as an instructor, you cant go wrong. read more

I'm very impressed by these guys. I brought my nephew and his friend who were visiting from Indiana who had never even been in the ocean before. Before the lesson began the instructors were positive, supportive and enthusiastic which really came through in the lesson. By the end of it these kids didn't want to go home. I would recommend this to family, couples and individual alike. Dax and Dave are awesome! Very impressed by their attitude and the value of the experience. read more

Wife and I took a lesson. Chris? and Jamal were great teachers. The dry land training for the first hour and a half is essential. ONce in the water, I actually was able to catch a few waves. The group could have been a little smaller. I think there were about 12 people in our group. That being said, they did a great job.. Included in your lesson is wet suit rental and board for the remainder of the day. Would have given 5 stars if group was half the size and my board wasn't so beat up. read more

My son and I took the beginner group lesson with Ocean Experience. We have taken surf lessons a couple times and these guys were among the best we have experienced. I was very impressed with the quality of the instruction and the time we spent on fundamentals which made the time spent on the water productive and enjoyable. We spent the first hour or so working through a progression of exercises designed to focus on learning the pop-up and practicing balance (working with an Indo Board). Once we were on the water we had plenty of instructors who provided individualized instruction. They were able to adapt their coaching and assistance to the relative skill level of the participant and provided plenty of encouragement for the kids. read more

My family and I (5 people total) got a private group lesson for 3 hours. We decided this versus other surf schools that only gave a 1.5 hour lesson. We are first timers and needed all the time we could get. Our instructor, Chrisman, was so calm and such a great teacher! We started on the grass with an hour and a half of instruction on how to actually surf. It was quite the workout but exactly what we wanted to be able to catch a wave in the water. Once in the water, we had a great time! Chrisman gave everyone some tips and some one on one instruction with each person in the water to keep getting better. We all caught at least one wave. Loved it! And we would definitely be back if we lived in San Diego. Make sure to bring water and sunscreen! Wetsuits were provided. read more

My experience this afternoon with Maddy was absolutely the best one in San Diego yet! Her helpfulness and willingness to answer all our questions (with a smile) was completely refreshing! Thanks to her bright personality and obviously thorough understanding of the equipment, she was able to clearly explain all we needed to know before venturing out into the unknown on SUP's! I look forward to my next encounter with Ocean Experience Surf School (surfing?) The bar is set high for all their competitors! THX Maddy!!! read more

Fernandoooooooooo - you were amazing. Thank you so much for helping five girls from Boston in their first time surfing. We had a blast and you were so helpful and positive it made the day so much fun! If you are thinking about doing a surf school GO HERE. Everything was organized and on time and it really felt like a community out there. Fernando you rock Thank you again! Go Sox. read more

My son has been in Ocean Experience Surf School in their various holiday skate camps and most recently two weeks of the surf/skate combo summer camps. He really loves the program and gets lots of great feedback on how to continue to improve. He likes the diversity of having both activities in one day and the staff is very cool and he told me daily how much he enjoyed the camp. I highly recommend this camp for anyone with a child who wants to learn to surf and skate. read more