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Learn how to catch a wave with these local surf instructors.
By Sharael Kolberg
With 7 miles of coastline, it’s no wonder this town beckons surfers to the waters off its shores. And the area has a long history of surfing, with Duke Kahanamoku catching waves here in the early 1900s. Laguna Beach was also home to surfing and sailing pioneer Hobie Alter, founder of the popular Hobie Surf Shops, and the Brooks Street Surfing Classic competition has been held in town since 1955.
You’ll find everyone from retired pro surfers to elementary school kids catching waves off Laguna’s scenic shores. Thanks to the surf schools based in Laguna, anyone (who knows how to swim) can give it a try. The instructors have years of experience in local waters and are patient professionals who can teach you the ins and outs of what it takes to catch your first wave or advance to more challenging breaks.
Learning Proper Technique
Most surf lessons in Laguna last about 1 ½ hours, with a ratio of one instructor for every three or four students for group lessons. Private one-on-one lessons are also available through some schools. You’ll typically start practicing your “pop-up” on the beach before hitting the water.
“Our lessons include basic beginner techniques, like how to paddle and pop-up,” says California Surf Experience founder Ryan Croteau. “We also go over safety, surf etiquette and ocean awareness. Our lessons are tailored to the student’s skill level, so if someone is more advanced, we adjust and work [on] more intermediate techniques.”
For those without much experience in the water, part of learning to surf is getting to know the ocean—the tides, the currents and how to paddle out through the waves. There’s a lot to process just to get out to where the waves are breaking, before you even start trying to take a wave back to shore.
“I don’t just teach people to surf. I give them an understanding of the ocean—how to make it your friend—to the greatest degree possible,” says Dan Oftelie, owner of DanSurf. “This knowledge of the ocean can maximize the fun they have while minimizing the pummeling the ocean will inevitably deliver over their surfing career.”
For those who may have given it a try, but want to progress, spending time in the water is essential. “Even if you aren’t surfing, just being out in the water and getting comfortable in all of the conditions will help you progress and teach you how to read waves on your own,” says Cayla Henderson, director of the surf lesson program at Laguna Surf & Sport.
These surf instructors are not only dedicated to helping clients learn to ride waves, but also to teaching them the ways of the water in hopes of inspiring a lifelong love for the ocean and an interest in continuing to surf.
“The lessons really focus on all the information you will need when you eventually graduate from taking lessons,” adds Henderson, who is also a lead surf instructor at Laguna Beach Surf School. “We go over all of the basics to grow your surfing ability and coach you to improve [toward] any further goals you have for your surfing experience.”
The Laguna Beach Surf School also features Sli Dawg’s weeklong Summer Surf Camp for kids ages 9 and up, with CPR-certified instructors who have grown up in Laguna’s surf community.
The Best Breaks
When scheduling lessons, instructors take into account the tide, wave conditions and water temperature.
“When someone calls, the first thing I do when scheduling a lesson is check my tide book, which gives me the high and low tides for the entire year,” Oftelie says. “Here in Laguna, you want to surf in the ‘tide window,’ which is the optimal tide for the conditions on that particular day.”
During the summer months, from June 15 to Sept. 15, the city of Laguna Beach posts black ball flags, which designate areas that are only for surfing and skimboarding. No swimming is allowed between the flags.
Beginner surf lessons are taught at Hakama, a surf break between Anita and Thalia Street beaches, between the black ball flags. “I teach at Thalia Street/Hakama—a spot with more beginner-friendly waves due to its gently sloping sea floor and reef structure,” Oftelie says.
Henderson agrees, adding, “Thalia is a great place to start your surfing journey because you can gradually move around the surf stretch to more advanced breaks as your skill improves.”
The surf breaks stretch from Brooks Street to St. Ann’s, with the most advanced breaks being Brooks Street and, in north Laguna, Rockpile. These require the ability to handle a more powerful wave and to navigate around rocks.
“The Brooks Street wave comes out of deep water and hits a shallow reef, which pushes more water into a smaller area, intensifying its power,” Oftelie says. “Rockpile is aptly named: Lots of rock, often encrusted with even sharper barnacles—and a rock bottom, with [spiky] sea urchins.”
Gearing Up
Every surf school in Laguna Beach provides wetsuits—since water temperatures can get chilly—and surfboards suited for beginners, with a leash.
Eli’s Learn to Surf Laguna Beach brings the equipment to the beach, so all you have to do is show up. “You don’t have to carry your gear to the beach because it’s already there when you arrive,” says owner Eli Viszolay. “We bring everything to you to make it easy to focus on surfing. Additionally, we aren’t just surf instructors, we are passionate locals from Laguna Beach that have experience in professional surfing.”
The only local company with a brick-and-mortar shop for outdoor adventures is La Vida Laguna, which is situated just a couple blocks from the beach. “We meet at the shop and provide custom wetsuit fittings, [a] bathroom, changing area, safekeeping for valuables, off-street parking, hot showers after [your] lesson and beach chairs for parents,” says Doug Oyen, co-owner of La Vida Laguna. The company also offers kayak and bike tours in Laguna as well as SUP outings that combine a lesson and tour.
And Laguna Surf & Sport, which has been a Laguna staple for the surf crowd since 1982, sells all you need for your surfing adventure, such as swimwear, wetsuits, surfboards and leashes, sunscreen, sweatshirts, sunglasses and sandals, in addition to offering lessons. The shop is just one block from Oak Street beach.
“Our surf lesson program stands out from others,” Henderson says, “because we incorporate the surf shop experience, where you get to hang out with the locals, get some souvenirs and have an amazing time learning a new skill or hobby.”
Hit the Waves
These local surf schools offer lessons to get you hanging 10 in no time, with instructor-to-student ratios typically depending on student experience level and conditions.
CA Surf N Paddle
949-497-1423; caboardsports.com
Ratio: one instructor per up to four students
Private lessons are offered.
California Surf Experience
949-532-7277; californiasurfexperience.com
Ratio: one instructor per four students
Private lessons are offered.
DanSurf
949-395-8517; dansurf.com
Ratio: one instructor per up to four students
All lessons are private sessions (including groups of family members or friends).
Eli’s Learn to Surf Laguna Beach
949-874-5085; learntosurflagunabeach.com
Ratio: one instructor per four students
Private lessons are offered.
Goff Tours
949-338-5937; gofftours.com
Ratio: depends on conditions.
Private lessons are offered.
La Vida Laguna
949-275-7544; lavidalaguna.com
Ratio: one instructor per up to three students
Private lessons are offered.
Laguna Beach Surf School
949-497-7000; lagunabeachsurfschool.org
Ratio: one instructor per three students
Laguna Ethos
260-446-8066; lagunaethos.com
Ratio: one instructor per three students
Private lessons are offered.
Laguna Surf & Sport
949-497-7000; surfandsport.com
Ratio: one instructor per three students
Private lessons are offered.
Soul Surf
949-637-0463; soulsurfingschool.com
Ratio: one instructor per up to three students
Private lessons are offered.
Thalia Surf Shop
949-497-3292; thaliasurf.com
Ratio: one instructor per up to four or five students
Private lessons are offered.
