Highlight of our vacation! He does this because he loves it and you can't help but feed off his…read morepassion for the sport. He is so kind and patient. Heck, he towed us most of the day so we wouldn't tire out. He offered to loan us his boards and even called and invited us to surf with him another day for FREE! He made my nervous 13 year old niece totally comfortable and got her up 3rd wave. Knew how to teach my cocky 14 year old nephew and he was up first wave! He even got me up at 42! He has great stories and you feel like you're rollin' with a rock star. He is SUPER! He was moving back to Oahu, so, look him up!

Love this guy! Everytime I visit my family in Kona I am always wanting to go hang with Rory! He's…read morereally nice and not to mention a surfing legend. My aunt knows him through some of her friends.. Kona is very small. He lended us some of his foam boards to me and my girlfriend one of the times we were visiting. If you are visiting and want to learn to surf or want to brush up on some of your skills Rory is the man. Just be careful of the reef break! yikes!

The last time I surfed was in 2004 in Maui, many years ago not quite young - but much younger than…read moreI am now; and before I had kids. But surfing in the beauty of Hawaii is an experience of a lifetime and one I wanted to share with my kids/family. My son was up for the adventure. We met our instructor, Daniel, at the surf van that is parked on the road, near the guardrail, just south of the little blue church. He informed us that it was high tide, and there wouldn't be many waves and offered to rebook us for another time. It was our last day of our trip, and we would not be able to make it for another day. After much thought, my husband convinced us just to go out and make the best of it. I'm so glad we did. We got out into the water, paddled out. During the our time in the water, I got roughed l up a bit by a set that rolled one on top of another, but Daniel was there keeping a watchful eye, was awesome to help paddle tow me over a bit further away from that area. Daniel was able to pick out what few waves came by and get us set up to catch them. He is so easy going and encouraging. He continued to give us tips for board positioning. We were able to catch a handful of waves between myself and my son. Standing up and riding a wave was pure magic - and the highlight of my trip. I wish I would have taken photos of it all, but I was too busy enjoying living the moment in real life. And my son and I were able to even catch the same wave together - that was the best! Thank you to Kona Town Surf Adventures and to Daniel for sharing the surf of Hawai'i. And when Daniel comes to Arizona to follow his dreams at UTI, we'd be happy to be his desert ohana.

Our four kids (two 11-year olds, a 13 year old and a 14 year old) had an absolute blast. Two of the…read morefour kids were looking forward to the surf lesson and two of the four were dreading it. Happy to report that four and the four had a GREAT time! Our instructors (Daniel and I missed the gal's name) were definitely a highlight. They let the kids go at their own speed but didn't treat them like babies. I've taken surf lessons in other cities and these were awesome because they cut right to the chase. Definitely more time spent in the water, which was appreciated. Their instructions they emailed ahead of time were spot on. Couldn't say more great things about our experience. All four kids ended up getting up on a board plenty of times, despite less than ideal Hawai'i conditions (gray, rainy, etc). They could have gone for another two hours!

We spent an awesome morning on the water with Evan. He was friendly, fun, knowledgeable and even…read morewent the extra mile (fathom?) while free diving 40 feet to find an octopus so that we could have an encounter with one. We saw lots of turtles getting their spa day while tropical fish cleaned them. Within an hour or two, we received an email with two dozen high quality photos and videos that Evan took with his GoPro. A pretty big value add to the tour! I was a little apprehensive about exiting the kayak but he made it a safe, easy and fun experience. If you're thinking of joining a huge group tour organized by one of the resorts, book a trip with Evan and his guides instead. You won't regret it!

Excellent experience. Evan and Don where great. They both were very knowledgeable of the ocean and…read moretook us to a great place to snorkel on the kayaks.

INTRO Friendly shop with fair prices, but board quality can…read morebe hit or miss - especially some of the soft tops, which may be waterlogged and very difficult to surf. Definitely inspect your board before heading out and if you get a bad board, simply head in and swap it out. They will be very cool about it and likely give you more time in the water for the inconvenience. THE STAFF Very, very friendly and welcoming. No issues here. THE BOARDS Beware: some of the soft-top boards may be waterlogged. Pick them up - if they're unusually heavy, they're likely full of water and will surf terribly. I raised this with the leadership team, and Ben said they're going to do a better job inspecting the rental quiver to ensure boards are ready to ride. When in doubt, opt for a solid 8-9' hard top. BOOTIES You may think you want them to get out past the ~10 feet of rocky bottom. Not the end of the world - smooth rocks and ZERO sea urchins. They'll tell you they're everywhere, but you're only touching bottom for a couple seconds as you enter the crystal-clear water. Bring your own or rent for $5. If I had to do it again, I'd skip the booties. THE WAVES Scout the waves first. This is not Waikiki. This spot is hit or miss. THE CROWD Perpetual surf school sitting in the best spot in the lineup. No issues with them personally, but it does make the area feel crowded. OVERALL You're surfing in Hawaii - it's always a good outing. This is the best rental option for this beach. The staff is great and the prices are fair. Just double-check the surf and your rental board before paddling out, and don't hesitate to return to the shop during your rental to swap boards. They're happy to help, and if you lose time due to a bad board, ask for extra time - their team will likely make it right.

UPDATED - November, 2025 -…read more FOURTH YEAR IN A ROW!!! Jackson now is in his fourth year of lessons with Eli. He started at 5 years old and this year his sister Reagan started - she's six years old! Eli is the BEST surf instructor in the entire world. The kids love him and he genuinely loves the kids. He teaches them to love the water and have FUN - all while being safe. Supporting Eli is the owner and operator Ben who makes sure everything is covered at a high level. Great equipment, location, safety and the positive VIBES! If you're interested in surfing on the big island, water it's renting equipment, lessons, or the location, this is your spot! Check out the photos.

Hana was a great instructor to my daughter. Patient, encouraging, friendly and fun. They provided a…read moresurfboard, shoes and rash guard shirt for the lesson. While my daughter went surfing, my other kids went snorkeling at the same public beach. Good time had by all.

I took a private lesson with Chad an had an absolutely wonderful time. Chad was easy going,…read moreinformative, and encouraging, guiding me on my board in the water and setting me up for success. After standing up a few times, but feeling fatigue from paddling, he encouraged me further and I got up a few more times again! Definitely recommended for newbies and beginner. Thank you Chad!

Chris was an awesome instructor for my daughters first time surfing. He has 30+ years of experience…read morewhich came in handy when the conditions weren't great that day but he managed to make the most out of the session. He was very patient and friendly to her (7 year old) and my younger daughter (5 year old) - especially since he has a daughter of his own. Both loved their first time and now my older wants to go out again so mission accomplished

The location was perfect. Easy to find parking , great waves and very helpful instructor, who was…read morevery patient with my nine year old. They provided us with everything we needed (surfboards, shoes, leashes etc) and gave detailed helpful instructions. If you are looking for family surfing fun this is an awesome surf company to use.

Great owners. Lots of info and videos on the prone paddle board I bought. They sent the board to…read moreHonolulu quickly and safely. The price of shipping was included in the cost of the board. The board came with 3 skegs, a chin rest, a coiled leash, a sock, and a travel bag. Great bargain for an innovative and well made prone paddleboard.

Weylin was a great surf instructor and made the time in the water a blast! Had a great experience :)read more

Jay was super cool. I rented a board from him and he gave me advice when I was in the water. He…read morerepresents the Hawaiian spirit of the islands. Will look him up again when I come back

We had a great time with Jae and his crew! I found Jae by looking up safe surf lessons for kids in…read moreKahalu'u, and this certainly did not disappoint. Starting with communication.. Jae made sure we were only booking on a good day for waves... very easy to talk to, he wants a good experience for all! With a 5, 6, and two 8 year old boys who are good swimmers but never surfed, it was great having the instructors each with the little boys on the boards.. I felt very safe with these professional surfers! The 8 year olds were doing great with one instructor. And all the boys caught so many waves! Now all they want to do is surf! The adults were able to tag along and float with everyone, and try to catch some waves too.. it was great for all of us! Highly recommend and we will be back!

We has a great time on the outrigger paddle trip we did through Kona Boys. Tommy was welcoming and…read moreencouraging. He had us paddling in unison in no time. Interesting stories, beautiful scenery and a good little work out. Mahalo!

Had a great time kayaking through Kealakekua bay with Evan and Steve and then snorkeling near…read moreCaptain Cook's monument. This was our second time and it was just as fun, if not more! The early morning kayaking through the bay is soothing for the soul. We also got lucky and saw some dolphins. The snorkeling is out of this world with such clear water and variety of colorful fish of all sizes. Evan and Steve were both very attentive to all the kayakers and super knowledgeable as we learned a bunch about Hawaiian history, Captain Cook's arrival (and demise), and the lasting legacy of that episode on Hawaii's history. After all the snorkeling, the sandwich lunch hit the spot. It also came with a souvenir water bottle! I had a last minute dietary request and they graciously accommodated. Even though this was our second time, we still had fun and actually learned new details about the history and conservation efforts happening in the area! If you want a fun, yet respectful and ethical experience, this is it!

We were visiting from Oahu and stopped in to see what they had. I saw some really cute shirts for…read moremy girls and they were on sale! The workers here were soo amazingly friendly. I absolutely love HILO and the genuine Aloha!!! Thank You HIC Hilo!!

Very similar to other HIC locations. Price and sales are consistent with other locations as well. I…read morewouldn't call it cheap but it's also not terribly expensive. They carry all the standard surf brands with great selection for men and women. We come for the accessories like their bags, belts, hats, etc. and they have great variety. The style is geared toward a surf and skate lifestyle. Staff was really friendly and helpful. They're consistently approachable and chill, which blended right into the feel of the store. We got exactly what we were looking for with the staff's help. They even helped us get a better deal by recommending some of their current sales.