I started surfing five years ago at the age of 40... it changed my life in so many beautiful ways…read more I had only ventured into the warm waters of Mexico, Nicaragua, Caribbean... and was still feeling intimidated by the cold California water and unknown surf breaks that can get crowded with sometimes very aggressive local surfers. I decided to try out a few spots and looked for a local guide to take me out... my two days with Sean were my first two days surfing in California and were so much fun! Thank you Sean for opening my mind and growing my excitement for surf in the cold California waters! And I do NOT like the cold... I still struggle with it, but love surf so much I put up with it :) Sean was reliable... and I wasn't sure what to expect from a surfer :), he was very friendly, and overall just great about explaining the various details of the breaks we'd be surfing at. It was clear he wanted to be sure I was going to be safe. He asked the right questions to get a good understanding of my surfing level and comfort level in the water, and picked the ideal spot. I loved it so much... I wish every time I wanted to check out a new spot somewhere in California, I'd be able to find a local guide like Sean - it was by far the best way to venture into a new area. And if I lived closer to Sean, or if I find myself in his area again, I'd really like to get some good coaching as well. I know he has fabulous experience to draw on and was very gentle and helpful out on the water.

My 1st time surfing was made even more enjoyable by Sean. I'm so glad I had his guidance, I saved a…read morelot of time and stress by having a local help me through how to get started. Sean took care of important details like picking out the right wetsuit and board. He is known and respected where we went to get equipment, so things went fast and smooth. Also, he was early for the appointment and I appreciate when others respect my time. As for the lesson, his teaching style is relaxed, friendly, patient, and highly informative. It's obvious he wanted me to enjoy "The Experience." And his advice and concern for safety was reassuring. He communicates well. Repeating key tips ("now, hold the board when your foot comes forward Jay") showed me he's worked with many beginners and knows where people screw up--and it worked! Standing on that board ridin' a wave was truly a regarding experience and adventure. I'll contact him the next time I'm in southern California. I'm sure my kids will enjoy the ocean and his surfer-character too. Thanks Sean!

CUSWIMTODAY swimming instructor Cindy was really great with my 8 month old and 3 year old children…read more We chose the Self Rescue lessons for my younger son and Traditional swimming lessons for my older daughter. Cindy was able to help both of my children become water safe which is a great relief despite all the safety precautions around our pool. She was always prompt and professional and I felt my children were always safe in her hands. I can not recommend Cindy enough and will continue to use her in the future.

Took a private lesson from Mason in Newport earlier this summer. He was an awesome instructor. My…read morefriend and I had an amazing time and even got to spend some quality time with a pod of dolphins! I really appreciated the private lesson and it was totally worth spending the extra money. I got so much more out of it than a group lesson because of the personalized attention and feedback. Thanks for an awesome morning, we look forward to doing it again soon.

Grace is a gifted instructor! She's warm, professional, and good at explaining and modeling…read moreconcepts. Great communication in planning for our lesson, and she was prompt and ready to go when we arrived. She was incredibly encouraging and high-energy. My 15 yo son is in a special ed setting in high school and sometimes struggles with learning and incorporating feedback without getting anxious/flustered. It's a sign of Grace's positive teaching and ability that he had a fantastic time, learned a lot, felt great about himself, and was totally able to get up and surf a few times! We highly recommend surfing with Grace and will definitely book future sessions with her. Grace, thanks for making this kiddo's spring break dream come true!

My daughter and I had an amazing experience with Grace. She was very friendly and very encouraging…read more If you are thinking about learning or just looking for a buddy who knows the local spots, I would strongly recommend Surfing With Grace!

My fiancé wanted to try surfing, so I decided to get us surf lessons for his birthday gift. I was…read morereally nervous since this was our very first time surfing. The day we were planning on going didn't end up working out because our instructor said the waves were too high/strong for beginners. So we ended up rescheduling for another day. I'm really glad they take conditions into consideration when teaching beginners because it wouldn't have gone as smoothly if we tried to do it that day. Our instructor was Marion. She was an amazing teacher! We started off by going in the water, and swimming in a few of the waves to get used to the timing. We then went on land and practiced getting up on the board. Then we went out with the boards. I came into this lesson thinking I'd be happy if I got to stand up on one or two.. and I ended up getting at least 6 or 7 in! The most exhausting parts were getting into the wetsuit, and getting out in the water. We had so much fun! Highly recommend this for beginners!

Had my first surf lesson today with Emma. I'd been out twice before, once with my brother and once…read morewith a friend but I'd just gotten thrashed the whole time. Today I went out and it was awesome. Emma took ~20 min to explain some basics and teach me how to stand up, then we went out into the water. We stayed in the white wash (when I had gone out before I was trying to catch waves that hadn't broken - poor decision) and it was awesome. All in all, I probably got ~20 waves in and was able to get up to some extent on about half of them - some felt really good and others were questionable. Emma gave me great feedback the whole time and was super helpful. I'll definitely be coming here again. Have a couple friends from Europe coming into town in a couple weeks and am setting up a group lesson to do with them since they've never surfed before. Will also do some more personal lessons in the future to learn new skills after I've practiced what I've learned so far and feel more comfortable getting up. Would recommend to anyone.

I had a fantastic time, we had Jimbo and Ian as instructors (there were six of us). They were…read moreawesome, so patient, kept us laughing, and gave us all attention, so at least we were able to paddle out and attempt to stand up. I had a wonderful time and would totally do that again. They provide the wet suit, rash guard, and boards. :) heheeh all you have to do is sunscreen up, have a bathing suit, and a towel. They meet at the end of the all day parking lot #5, and near tower #28. It's right by venice. Be open minded, if you try and don't succeed, paddle back out and try again. I never did get the hang of popping up... but I want to go back out there to try it again. I totally understand why surfers have such hot bodies. :D

The California surf academy is a phenomenal program. They truly understand and expertly communicate…read morethe fundamentals of surfing in a way that is fun, safe, genuinely meaningful. This program is a real gem and clearly on track facilitate the progression of ones surf journey and life experience to the fullest! C Baker

The Junior Lifeguards program is fantastic. This is our second year and already can't wait for next…read moreyear. For the kids they train a solid summer and at the end they can participate in the Iron Guard swim/run 4 miles running 2 miles swimming. You end up covering the entire beach length of Long Beach. Parents can participate too, and wow what a work out! They also do a pier jump off the Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier as a fundraiser for the program and parents can do that too. What a blast of a program for kids and parents!

From their web site: The Junior Lifeguard Program offers students 9 to 17 years of age the…read moreopportunity to receive instruction in Lifeguard rescue technique, emergency medical first-aid, ocean sports activity, physical conditioning, marine ecology, and public service. Field trips and competitions at other area beaches will highlight the six (6) week course. All aspects of beach activity will be explored from beach running to skin diving. The program is presented in a manner that will enable each student to participate to the best of his or her abilities while acquiring new skills and abilities. My experience: My children have been involved for 3 years and it amazes me that they are eager, happy and enthusiastic about something that is so challenging and difficult. Says a lot about the instructors, I think. The other compelling factor is the social aspect. Many of the kids know each other from school and come September when they ask each other, "what did you do this summer?" Answering with how you did in Jr. Guards carries a lot of weight. From a parent perspective, i love how much they learn about the environment, and water safety. I also love how strong they become - it's terrific cross training for their fall sport. LOTS and LOTS of sunscreen is essential. The morning session is less sun intensive but cooler; the afternoon session can get quite windy.

THANK YOU for operating such an awesome, fun, and safe camp! My daughter had a blast (age 4.5) and…read moreit says a lot that she didn't once complain about going back to camp the next day- quite the opposite! ( Every other camp we've tried, she ends up saying "I don't want to go back"!). She's trying out another beach camp this week, and she continues to say that Perfect Day was much better. We now know, and we'll certainly be back for next year!

Perfect Day did a great job with my incoming 8th grader. They were organized, on time, and provided…read moregreat surf instruction with a friendly attitude. I would highly recommend them to any kids who want to have fun in the sun with their friends and learn to boogie board and surf.