Had an amazing experience at Ty Gurney Surf School! Special shoutout to Tyler, James, Kainalu, and…read morethe receptionists for making the experience enjoyable. I booked two-hour lessons, and each session left me with new insights and things to work on. All the instructors were engaged and observant throughout the lessons, providing continuous feedback, encouragement, and helpful tips. Whenever I had questions, they were attentive and took the time to give thorough, detailed answers. It was especially great learning from instructors who clearly enjoy what they do. Their passion and enthusiasm made the lessons even more enjoyable, and I left each session feeling like I had learned something new. Would definitely recommend Ty Gurney Surf School to anyone looking to learn, have fun, and/or make unforgettable memory :-)

This place had last minute booking options which was so convenient for us as we have a little girl…read moreand didn't think of lessons until the day before. They have easy online booking options and they sent you an email right away to sign a waiver. It's a little hard to find as it's between the Denny's and a parking lot, so just be vigilant while walking. They have a little shop with a receptionist and the instructors. There's a QR code for tipping your instructors which was convenient considering you're so tired after the lesson. I felt comfortable leaving all my stuff in the office (even shoes) as we walked across the street to the beach. My instructor, James, first practiced my footing, head placement, and movement. Then we paddled out, and he held my board the entire time. I got to enjoy the view prop my head on my board and give Ms. America waves even though no one was looking. That alone is worth all the money. James gave me tips and tricks each wave he pushed me in. Telling me to balance more on the right foot, etc. I felt like I had also paid to hang out with someone really cool. The vibes on the break were so chill. Everyone knew each other and were respectful with waves of hello and aloha. This is a must do in Waikiki. The waves were so soft on my beginner board and they have a 99.9% rate of success. James said he was able to help a 84 year old catch and stand up in a wave. Remarkable!!! I caught six waves and it felt incredible. I'm wiped out and exhausted, but so satisfied and excited for my next lesson. What a treat! I highly recommend Ty Gurney- ask for James!!

It was our first time surfing and we were comfortable and had so much fun…read more Coach and the entire team was amazing. I was the oldest in the group (including my kids) and Coach and Ryan were super attentive and ensured that I didn't get hurt and enjoyed myself. The team promoted connection that made the entire group of first time surfers and total strangers comfortable and supporting each other. From the time we checked in until the check out, every staff member was friendly and professional.

Excellent communication, rate quoting and responsiveness. Helped me with available times, getting…read morethe lesson booked and getting the payment paid, all in a time-sensitive way since I arrived in Oahu on Monday, was staying the week, but hadn't made advance bookings. Emily made sure all my questions were answered, advising what to wear (I asked), and what to bring to the beach, versus leave up at the shop. Amazing!! Some downsides: it's a BIG group! Even though we got semi-private lesson (1 instructor for the 2 of us), you're still taking the lesson amidst the rest of the "school"(...which for us, was 2 school buses filled with students. Maybe 25 people?) You're then all having your lesson in the same area of water, so imagine 30 beginners all on surf boards confined to a limited area on the water. I didn't love this part. You're assigned an instructor (and each of course has his/her own personality). The instructors were all great: coaching you through the positions, picking the waves for you, pushing you off into them to gather speed, and calling out when to "paddle" then "up". But each instructor inherently comes with a personality and if you get a less aggressive one, you might end up waiting for all the other students to get their turn before you get to go. Then (this part was unexpected)...you have to win all the way across, to get out of the "surf lane" of all 25 beginner surfers, before you can win back out to get in line for your next try. It was a lot of swimming for not a lot of surf trials which really tires you out. By 5 runs, I'd had enough. I have had one lesson before (which I absolutely LOVED!!) but it wasn't as part of a big school, it was just me, and one other student, and the instructor. And there was no 25-50 ft "surf lane" that you had to swim across after each attempt to get out of the way of the other students. this extra swimming ate into a lot of surfing time I think. Anyway, good experience, but I wouldn't do it again in this way. Actually, I'm not even sure I'd do it again at all. I ended up buying the photo footage because I'm so sure I'm off surfing now...so might as well buy the photos, as I'll probably never do it again. That's not how I felt after my 1st experience a few years ago in a different format.

When we were looking for surfing lessons on Oahu, Mickeys Surf School stood out to us. Lots of…read morepositive reviews of how he worked with families, and reasonable prices. We are so glad we went with Mickey. Mickey was really amazing with our kids. They tend to be shy, but he was so friendly and they had fun with him almost instantly. It was their first surf lesson, and they had a blast. It was one of the best highlights of our visit. Our kids love telling people about it. Great instructior, great lesson, and great experience for a good price! Thank you, Mickey! Can't wait to return someday.

Our experience with Mickey made our trip. He introduced my 4-year old to surfing in such a gentile…read moreand thoughtful way, ensuring a safe and positive experience. We scouted out all the options for instructors and Mickey is by far the best and highest quality. In our case, he also went out of his way to share his time early in the morning to allow for best possible conditions. My son came out of the experience with a new friend, asking when he gets to surf with Mickey again. He also had a creative Go Pro set up that documented the whole experience. Mickey is special and has a natural way with kids (and people). We are so thankful we met him, let alone surfed with him.

My son & nephew had an amazing lesson with Micah. He was very patient & encouraging. After a few…read morepractice rounds, they were off & actually catching waves! The pictures & videos were also great - clear & professional grade. The boys had such a great experience, we came back the next day to rent boards & surf again. Thanks Micah and the Moniz staff for taking care of my boys!

Our family took 3 amazing surf lessons at Moniz Family Surf. The staff was so helpful…read more The instruction was perfect! My daughter, wife and I had not been on surf board in over 4 years. Our instructors, Micah, Josh & Sam, had us up on the board riding in waves in the first 20 mins. We had such a great time we came back the next day to Moniz Family Surf to rent boards and head back out. Amazing experience on Waikīkī Beach! 5 Stars.

A huge thank you to the entire staff at Moku Surf Rentals. Every single person I interacted with…read moreover the last five days was beyond kind, friendly, helpful, and professional. Just a class-act group of people. I've been surfing for 18 years and have done around 15 international surf trips. I usually travel with my own boards, but I've also rented from plenty of surf shops over the years. I can genuinely say that my experience with every single employee here was absolutely epic. I rented your boards for 5 days & paddled out with the owner who is a splitting image of the operation staff. - friendly, knowledgeable, trusting, flexible, adds value. I also really appreciate the way you price your rentals. $25 for a quality surfboard when many other places are charging considerably more says a lot. You Molu guys clearly care about your customers, their experience, the ocean, Oahu, and the sport of surfing. And a special thank you for how you handled my little mishap! After 18 years of surfing and thousands of waves, I somehow managed to buckle my first surfboard. I caught my best wave of 2026 thought I had kicked out cleanly, and somehow the board came out of it buckled. I felt horrible like the time I was 16 years old & crashed my moms car. But you all treated me with grace and understanding. The staff couldn't have been nicer about it. Of course, I took responsibility and paid my fair share for the damage, but I really appreciated how professionally and reasonably you handled the situation. You represent Oahu and the surfing community incredibly well. You deserve a monopoly of Hawaii surf rentals. If you're reading this review and looking for a board--whether you're a beginner, intermediate, or advanced surfer--this is an A+ operation. Great people, great boards, fair prices, and outstanding customer service. Give these guys your business. They deserve it. Mahalo to the entire Moku Surf Rentals team for making my five days of surfing in Waikiki that much better!

No more dragging boards on planes, car rentals and parking worries! Moku is right at Waikiki,…read moregreat board selection, price and OPEN past sunset so no panicking to hurry back! Good merch too!

Our family had such an amazing experience! We booked a family surf lesson with our three kids (ages…read more4, 7, and 9), and they paired us with four instructors. I honestly can't say enough good things about the entire team. My two youngest stayed on their instructors' boards the entire lesson, which was perfect for their ages. Their instructors were incredibly patient, kind, encouraging, and so amazing with young children. My oldest had his own instructor who really took the time to teach him and build his confidence. My husband and I were with Sparky, who was absolutely fantastic. By the end of the lesson, every single one of us had stood up and ridden a wave more than once! The instructors made everyone feel safe, supported, and successful, no matter their age or experience. It also gave us peace of mind knowing everyone is lifeguard certified. We had so much fun that before we even got back to the car, my kids were already asking to book another lesson before we leave! If you're thinking about surfing, especially as a family with young kids, I can't recommend Sparky and his team enough.

I (9 year old) took an amazing surf lesson!…read more Sparky is the perfect guy for me, he was so patient! And he was always lifting my spirit with amazing positivity whenever I wiped out on a wave. I loved him so much I took another surf lesson the next day! Since I am a kid it is not too easy but with Sparky on my side the word hard never came my way! Surfing with Sparky is amazing and if you are looking for a successful surf lesson you should definitely go to Sparky's! Love Olivia to Sparky!!!!!

Phenomenal surf school -- Mick and Trevor are incredible!…read more We had an absolutely fantastic experience with Gone Surfing Hawaii! I booked multiple surf lessons for my teenage daughters and myself during our time in Waikiki, and I could not have asked for a better team. From the very beginning, our instructors, Mick and Trevor, were extraordinarily friendly, welcoming, and encouraging. Their attention to detail was exceptional--they took the time on land and in the water to break down proper technique, wave timing, and positioning so the girls felt confident every step of the way. Most importantly, as a parent, I was so impressed by their uncompromising commitment to safety and ocean awareness. Knowing they were in such thorough, capable hands allowed everyone to relax and fully enjoy the ocean. My daughters had absolute blast and were catching wave after wave with huge smiles on their faces. The positive energy, professionalism, and genuine aloha spirit Mick and Trevor brought made this one of the absolute highlights of our trip. If you're looking for surf instruction in Honolulu--whether for first-timers or kids looking to sharpen their skills--I cannot recommend Gone Surfing Hawaii highly enough! We will definitely be back!

Great instructors. Tommy and Dev were friendly, professional and so patient! It was great having a…read morephotographer there to catch my two daughters getting up during our first surfing lesson ever! We highly recommend this company!

My 10 year old daughter had a lesson with Talia last week during our Hawaii vacation. The…read moreinstructor was so friendly, patient, and very knowledgeable! My daughter said that her surfing lesson was one of the highlights of our trip! Great communication, and I would recommend to anyone with kids to try in the future! Thank you!

Free parking lot for 6 hours and if you follow the lagoon, it'll lead straight to the Grand…read moreWaikikian Hotel. By 8/9 pm, the entire lagoon clears out and it's empty. Private beach to yourself with beautiful weather.

5 I can't say enough about the gang at Hans Hedemann Surf School Waikiki! Our family of 6 ( kids…read moreages 11,13,15, and 17) from the Midwest had never been surfing before. These guys were so good at providing instructions, keeping everyone safe, and most importantly making it fun! The kids had an absolutely blast. This was after two weren't overly confident going into it! We opted to have them take photos during our session and man did they not disappoint! I can't say enough good things about Peter, Willie, and Kiva. Would recommend these guys and the surf school to anyone who is considering it! - Matt

We've been to Hans Hedemann Surf School twice - once recently and once 2 years ago. That says a lot…read moreright there. We had such a good experience the first time that we were willing to pay for it a second time. The safety prep is done well and the instructors really stick with you out in the water. It's been a great experience overall.

Our family had an exception experience with Surfer Girl Academy. We were in Waikiki July 2013 and…read moreour daughter wanted to try surfing. She is only 5, not a great swimmer, and our resort's lessons required children be 8 yr old. Also, we wanted private lessons and a more personal experience in light of our daughters age & personality. The SGA website advertised "all ages & abilities" and were local in Waikiki, so we sought them out. Mito was prompt with an email response & after looking at reviews & their Facebook page, we booked a lesson the following day. We were met for pick up at our resort (Hilton Hawaiian Villlage) promptly for our lesson by our instructor Kawika. He is a local. born & raised on Oahu, who was very friendly. Once at the beach, our daughter was given a professional wetsuit (that actually fit!), a high quality Neoprene life vest & water shoes. Kawika provided board knowledge, paddling instructions, wave basics, ocean safety & an intro to "how to stand" when riding a wave all--on the sand, before entering the water. He then took our daughter out for 1.5hrs of FUN!! Yes, they surfed, enjoyed the waves, she got to stand (with him always holding her hand) and even saw a sea turtle while waiting for waves. Kawika was very attentive & really in tune with kids and how to make them feel comfortable. She loved the experience! The icing on the cake were the photos taken while she surfed, provided by Kenny of Fire Shots Surf Photography. Kenny surfs alongside students, is a knowledgable surfer who also helps students, and takes the most amazing pictures of you out on the waves! After your lesson, he lets you view them right there at the beach parking lot in a studio inside his van, and provides you the DVD of all of the shots. ALL AROUND AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE. Nothing short of 5 stars! Take yourself or your kids to SGA. You will be glad you did. And ask for Kawika. PS: We have returned home from HI and our daughter still says her FAVORITE part of our vacation was her surf lessons with Kawika and SGA.

I called the day before to ask for a lesson and they told me I could show up to the 10 AM lesson…read moreand said to pay onsite. The surf lesson was both amazing and scary. We were given a 2-minute safety and tips speech before both of us in the lesson were shown how to get up on the board. We each had one attempt to get up while the instructor held the board steady near the beach. Then we paddled out to the waves. We had to paddle far and it wasn't my hands/arms that were tired but my shoulders and neck because you have to keep your chin up to stay out of the surf on your way out. I was able to stand up on almost every wave except the one that was too small and the one I tried to do myself. I can imagine it being unsafe and not fun to try to just surf yourself without any prior experience because the one time I tried to judge when to get up myself, I immediately fell hard into the water and swallowed salt water. Highly recommend it if you are at all athletically inclined. Surfer Girl Academy was very laid back and I liked the instructor John.