Great in-water instruction for beginners. Lots of reps on the inside reform for those who need to…read morefind their feel for the waves, then help with learning to catch and drop in on waves with a face

We LOVE Eli Howard! Our most favorite camp that we truly count down the days for. Emily is amazing…read moreand so are all of the instructors.

WARNING!!!! Took My Money, Canceled the Trip, Zero Accountability!!…read more Booking with Fulcrum Surf has been one of the worst customer experiences I've ever had. I paid several thousand dollars up front for a Kelly Slater Wave Ranch trip -- something special I had planned more than a year in advance as a Christmas gift for my fiancé. After the initial deposit, my card was hit with additional charges I did not authorize or approve beforehand. I assumed it was part of the package and kept going because I trusted the company and believed the trip was secured. Then they went silent. For months. When they finally resurfaced -- over a year after taking and holding my money -- it was to tell me the trip wasn't happening. No apology, no explanation, no alternative solution, and certainly no urgency. The trip that I had paid for in full simply did not exist anymore. Instead of refunding me, they offered store credit, as if I should be excited to keep gambling with a company that couldn't deliver the trip they already took my money for. I declined and asked for a refund back to my original form of payment, which is standard for any legitimate business. Since then? Radio silence. No refund. No acknowledgment. No accountability. Just a company sitting on my money, hoping I'll get tired and go away. In my opinion, this behavior is deeply unprofessional and completely unacceptable. A company that can quickly charge your card but disappears the moment they owe you money tells me everything I need to know. If you're considering booking with them, here's my honest advice: don't. There are plenty of surf travel companies out there that understand customer service, deliver what they sell, and don't leave customers chasing their own money for months. After everything I've experienced, I would never book with Fulcrum Surf again and would strongly warn others to think twice before handing over a single dollar.

Justin and Ari from Fulcrum might just be the best coaches in all of SoCal (and I've had a few!)…read more In a short time, they helped elevate my skills to a whole new level, transitioning me from a Wavestorm, to a mid-length, and now to a performance shortboard. Both place a big emphasis on form, incorporating both land and water exercises to strengthen the key muscle groups essential for shortboarding. In the water, they keep attention to the smallest details which is helping to fine-tune my technique - and the video analysis has been a game changer for my progress. Fulcrum sincerely cares about my progress and surf journey and I can't thank them enough.

I booked this for my kiddos for two of their birthday experiences when visiting from AZ. We had a…read moresmall issue with booking what were able to get it all figured out. Carlos was awesome with my 3 kids! He gave them great cues and was super patient and supportive. My kids had an absolute blast and just "going to the beach" will probably never cut it again!

I had a lesson with Alex, and he was really great with the stage I was at. I need some help with…read morewave selection, reading, timing, etc., and a lot of instructors just revert to working on the first-time beginner stuff. Alex helped me with what I was trying to work on and let me keep some stuff in his car, because I was traveling without one for part of my trip, which I really appreciated!

In early April 2026, we took a surf lesson with Steve and had SO much fun. He met us (ages 44, 44,…read moreand 15) at the top of the steps at Stonesteps Beach and helped us suit up in comfy wetsuits. We were all first-timers from a landlocked state. Steve's instructions out on the water were easy to follow and he helped steady the boards to ensure we all got up! The ocean temp was perfect for a 75 degree sunny day- we were super comfortable. The ocean floor is very flat with no rocks or seaweed. Honestly wouldn't change a darn thing, and huge shoutout to Steve who is very good at this! Would absolutely do this again.

Surfing has always been something that I was too afraid or intimidated to try. I've lived in SoCal…read moremy whole life and was kinda embarrassed that I never REALLY tried to surf. I decided to face my fears and sign up for a lesson. I'm so happy I did. I had an amazing private lesson with Steve who was very patient and encouraging. They provided the board and wetsuit so all I needed to do was show up. It was a perfect day and the waves weren't too scary. They picked a spot that wasn't crowded and we just kept trying to catch waves. Steve provided helpful tips each wave and I eventually was able to ride multiple waves which surprised me! I wasn't expecting to be able to be able to stay up on the board, but through minor adjustments from Steve I exceeded my expectations. Thank you Lynn for setting everything up and making it easy. Highly recommend!

Instructor was a great guy, very funny and helpful, He taught me and my cousin how to stand plus…read morethe fundamentals of surfing on our first lesson

My 10 year old son came home from day 1 of Leucadia Surf School and said he had the greatest day…read moreever and had so much fun surfing. This camp is all surfing and no fluff. Wonderful staff, positive environment and safe. You wanna learn? Leucadia Surf School provides more time in the water surfing and doesn't gouge on price. For that, I am grateful.

Scotty is as good a surf coach as you'll find anywhere in the world, not just in SoCal. The best…read morepart is that he works exceptionally well with all skill levels, from first-time surfers to advanced surfers seeking larger waves and tow-in experience to maximize wave count. Personally, he coached my daughter for years, and she was riding head-high waves at just seven years old. Additionally, I've had the opportunity to fish with him on numerous occasions, and we almost always return with multiple yellowtail. Scotty is the true definition of a waterman and, more importantly, a genuine human being with a heart of gold. I highly recommend Scotty for your Encinitas and North County SD surf lessons at any level, as well as for an outstanding San Diego and Oceanside fishing experience.

If you have no experience surfing you should get zen surfing instructor. If you have experience…read moresurfing you still should get zen surfing instructor. Honestly, hands down we had an amazing experience with Scott and the team learning how to surf. I have previously tried surfing twice and has since given up on idea to excel in the sport. I arrived to the lessons skeptical and honestly was there to support my partner who has been surfing for a bit now. Scott and his team implemented very personable and customized approach to each of our levels and within 30 minutes I was able to stand on the surfboard and catch small waves. By the end of the lesson, we moved to the ~real~ waves (idk they probably were small ones for professional surfers but I felt accomplished). If you told me that would've been result by the end of this class I would probably laugh in your face knowing how bad I was at surfing. Team of instructors here take their time to listen to all the concerns and create personable approach to each person. As a result my partner and I had very different (but nonetheless positive) experiences resulting in both of us enhancing on our surfing skills and abilities. We had a lot of fun learning, advancing and picking up right technic. I highly recommend this place and cannot wait to come back to learn more

Best place to rent boards in Encinitas. Walking distance to the beach. If you have friends coming…read moreto town, they also offer surf lessons, wetsuits, sunglasses, shirts, hats and dog bandanas.

We made it back this year and Concept Surf Shop is better than we remembered. Emily helped my son…read moreand his buddy get outfitted with bodysuits, and the surf camp they run is second to none. If you're looking for the best surf shop in Encinitas make sure you stop this family operated gem. Appreciated as always.

My kids (ages 6 and 9) had a great experience at this surf camp. They will meet your kid where they…read moreare at and encourage them without any pressure. And the location is hard to beat...Highly recommend Maui Surf Academy!

Matt and his team (Baylee and Nathan you rock) are so fabulous!!! My oldest daughter was already…read more standing up on day 2 of 5! They kept the kids engaged and inspired to learn. Overall excellent customer service. We will be back next year!

SwimLabs has been our family's swim lesson destination for years. The coaches and staff are very…read morekind and accommodating. Our eldest started private lessons with coach Josh and coach Havana. They both helped him progress well in a short period of time. Our youngest is now with coach Josh who helped him transition from beginner to intermediate. Coach Josh is very patient. He understands the student's needs and tailors the lessons accordingly. Our youngest one also has private lessons with coach Kim for the past few months. She has been instrumental in getting him to relax and feel comfortable in the water. She makes the lessons fun and encourages him when he gets the strokes/kicks right. I would highly recommend coach Josh, coach Havana and coach Kim for their dedication and commitment in teaching kids how to swim.

I had a first one lesson with Josh and it was a great. he was very patient very informative gave…read moregood direction and I really like how I can review my body posture and stroke and how my legs are kicking on the video during the lesson. I've always known how to swim but I never knew how to swim properly like to race so that's why I wanted to go there and I'll be back.