As a veteran elementary teacher in the Poway Unified School District, I highly recommend Menehune Surf and Oceangirl Surf Schools. My daughter, now 9 years old, began surf instruction with Menehune six years ago. Because of my summer schedule, I've had the luxury of watching how they teach, interact with students, and operate their camps. All I can say is - WOW! First, Menehune's customer service is fantastic. Camps and lessons are a good value, and easy to sign up for. (Wetsuits and surfboards are included in the price.) They also have a discount for early registration, which I start looking for every February. The owners and staff (also local school teachers) are great about answering questions or addressing concerns before camp begins. Second, the school's surf teachers are superb. They are experts at individualizing instruction, helping kids feel safe in the water, and keeping things laid back and fun. My daughter just finished her annual week of surf camp, and is begging for more! Third, camp sizes are kept small - a rarity in today's education. Finally, Menehune's camps have a balanced structure. Here's the break-down of what happens at camp: There are usually eight students or less, with two instructors in the water, and one stationed on the beach. They begin camp every day with 20-30 minutes of stretching and whole group instruction on the sand. Next they hop in the water for an hour of surfing in shallow waves (ankle to chest deep.) After that, students take a 30 minute break to reapply sunscreen, eat parent provided snacks, and play in the sand. The last hour is spent with more surfing. A short graduation ceremony takes place at the end of camp on Fridays. Parents then get to take home their happy and exhausted kids. Needless to say, my daughter will continue to be a loyal student. Thank you, Menehune, for helping nurture my child's love for surfing, swimming, and the ocean! read more

Our little family of 4 has been in La Jolla all week visiting my husbands folks. Our first day here, my husband and I each took a 2 hour private lesson (me with Daveo and him with Justin - both EXCELLENT) and had a blast. We've both taken surf lessons elsewhere and our experience here FAR surpassed both our expectations and our past experiences. We both got up dozens of times, so satisfying for beginners! Our 3- and 5- year old daughters were watching and inspired to try as well. So today, our last day here, we arranged for an hour lesson with Daveo for our 5 year old, and rented a wetsuit for our 3 year old too so she could feel included. To our delight, our normally reserved 5 year old (and risk seeking 3 year old) showed no hesitation under Daveo's excellent guidance. He had her waaaaay out in the waves, riding in (standing up on her own!) and practicing real techniques - paddling, balancing, standing up, and protecting herself in big waves. Daveo even let our 3 year old try a couple of times and she stood up too! We were FLOORED with how great a time we all had. And I should also mention that we all felt extremely safe the entire time, even watching our little girls being led way out in the ocean. Thank you, Daveo and Justin for an AMAZING time! read more

My brother and I, both adults, took our very first surfing lesson at Menehune Surf school at La Jolla Shores. We were fortunate enough to get Michael as our instructor. He was a patient, detail-oriented instructor who spent time breaking the techniques down into manageable steps, and then observed us individually on the shore before determining that we were ready to try those techniques in the water. As we waded out to our surf starting point, Michael actually injured one of his toes significantly enough that he was required to go to the lifeguard station to have it examined. My brother and I continued to ask Michael if he wanted to cut our lesson short, but Michael finished our entire lesson in the water for the full hour before taking us back to the shore where Michael continued on to the station to attend to his injury. We truly admired that professionalism, and it goes to show the level of commitment that the Menehune instructors possess. We so enjoyed our lesson that we will continue with the classes offered by the Menehune school, and specifically request Michael whenever he is available. read more

My grandchildren attended this camp two years ago and were placed with who I heard were the "best" counselors, Mark and Jason. Both of these counselors lived up to their reputation. Both are school teachers and did a fantastic job of keeping the kids not only surfing but entertained during their break time/lunch. All the way home I heard stories of Mark and Jason's lessons about sea life, magic tricks, and words of encouragement that they gave my child. I was especially impressed that during the children's snack period, the other counselors chatted amongst themselves while Mark and Jason remained with the kids and ate with them. We "request" these two counselors now and come back each summer. I asked them how long they had been with this company and both have been here over 6 years. I also found out that Menehune means little mischief maker or munchkin in Hawaii. I have fallen in love with the experience we received here and also with the Junior Lifeguard Program through the City. read more

I saw all the kids gathering at this day camp at the La Jolla Shores beach and wanted more information and so I parked my car (not easy in the summer at this crowded beach) and approached a Hawaiian-looking young lady who said to me "Did you need some help?" I said yes and said "Hi, I'm Laura", and stuck out my hand. Not taking my hand, she said to me "I'm Marlin". I asked for a brochure for more information and I was shocked at her response, "we don't have any and never will". I responded "Pardon?". ...."No, the owners refuse to make any and we just don't have any". I was finished at this point even though she attempted to tell me more about the camp and I noticed another camp nearby, approached them and was given printed information regarding their camping experiences. I don't know if this camp is good or not but the initial impression I received was that they had not taken time to train this young lady in manners and customer service. You lost a customer. read more

My husband and I had a private 2 hour surfing lesson with Mary Anne. She gave us a quick land tutorial and in no time we were already in the water catching waves. She was very knowledgeable about the ocean ( rip tides, which waves were the best, etc.) This information became very important as we happened to pick a day that was uncharacteristically rough because the water was quite choppy and the waves were larger than usual. She knew exactly which waves to ride and we changed locations a couple of times to get the best place. She was always positive and provided great feedback. Admittedly, I am not the most comfortable in the ocean as I am unfamiliar but I never felt uneasy. Mary Anne was always keeping tabs and making sure that we were having fun. I do recommend the two hour private session as it can take some practice. The private session was ideal because she was really able to successfully divide her time effectively between the two of us. read more

My 5 year old just finished his week-long surf camp and absolutely loved it. His instructor, Jake, was excellent and great with the kids. My son was standing up and surfing after the first day, and other kids in the class were also. They taught about water safety and being aware of the rip currents, when you need to get help from the life guards, and general water safety. They also played games and had a potluck on the last day, a fun farewell party for everyone. They provided the wetsuits, rash guards, and boards, which made it really easy. He also received a really nice t-shirt and certificate from his instructor that he treasures. The check-in process each day was easy and organized, pick-up was a bit difficult with the La Jolla parking lot (out of their control), but the instructors always waited with the kids until you arrived. Overall, I highly recommend them for surf lessons and surf camp, no one is too young or old to learn. read more

We love Menehune Surf School and Staff!! As we planned for vacation, my 17 year old daughter found Menehune (based on good reviews) and sent me the link. I got busy and forgot to book the lesson. Just a couple of days before our trip I started getting worried as the times were filled up on the semi-private classes in La Jolla. I called and spoke with Allie who quickly eased my stress by telling me she could set up a private lesson in Del Mar. She handled all details and gave me tips on what lesson would work best. The pricing of the private lessons was very reasonable. My daughter and her friend had Eric as their instructor. He was phenomenal. He was very kind and patient with the teens. In less than an hour he had two complete beginners up on their boards and surfing! They caught multiple waves and left the lesson wanting to move to California to surf! Thank you Allie and Eric! read more

Dropping off little ones to "strangers" who will take them into the ocean is nerve-racking enough without the little ones being your nieces and nephews who you are in charge of and whose parents worry excessively. However, my fears were groundless. From the moment the director "Mark" introduced himself I felt at ease. Having school teachers run a kid's camp is a good idea. The kids came back from camp, tired, hungry and full of smiles. They learned to surf, had a picnic, learned some water skills and even came home with "tricks" they got a kick out of at their game time. I want to recommend Mark, Drew and I think it was Tanner who were the counselors. Thank for supervising so well. Also thanks for re-applying sunscreen even though it was cloudy. The kids got a full body wetsuit and so that also helped with the sun and the cold water. See you next summer! read more

we booked surfing for my 9 year old boy at Menehune Surf School yesterday ( 05/19/15) and was the best decision we made! The waves were small and perfect for the beginners to get up on the board for a thrill. My son had such a great time and the instructor Fanzi was so patient and helpful and very very knowledgeable.My son could not stop talking about how much fun he had, and he wanted to buy a wet suit for himself the funny part is we live in Colorado :) i know for sure he will be narrating a surf story at school. I highly recommend this place for their professionalism, dedication they made it a fun and meaningful experience even though i booked at very last minute. And again Fanzi the instructor was fantastic, our boy was standing on the board in few minutes. read more

AMAZING! Our family of 5 booked a 2 hour session and had Fonzi as our instructor. He was amazingly patient, fun, and very enthusiastic. Our 3 daughters (ages 7, 10, and 13) had all surfed on the east coast before; however, my husband and I had never surfed. Rather quickly, Fonzi had us all surfing the Pacific like we had done it our whole lives (or at least that's how it felt...I am sure that's not how I looked to the seasoned surfers). Fonzi was able to tweak our techniques so we could get up on the boards quicker and stay up longer. It is easy to see that surfing is a passion of Fonzi's and he genuinely wants everyone to enjoy their time in the ocean. Overall, it was an excellent experience and one that I would recommend to anyone, young and old, to try! read more

8/18/2015 This is our second time using Menehune and the first time I failed to respond and didn't give them the praise they deserved. We had Fonzi last year and he was friendly, patient and fun. We had a great time so we decided to do it again. Our most recent sessionwas even better. My daughter and I had a great time and Fonzi is an excellent teacher. He was very encouraging and we caught some great waves and the wipeouts were not as numerous. But, the important thing is we had FUN, FUN,FUN! There were other instructors from Menehune with other instructors and their students were smiling and laughing also. I don't think you could go wrong with this group and plan to come back next year. read more

While staying at the best Hostel in San Diego (TheHostelCalifornia, THC) I was stoked to meet other International travelers who also wanted to get surfing lessons! We were able to borrow their boards and we loved our lesson with this group! Our favorite part was the patience and individual attention our instructor gave us and I learned he was staying at the hostel too! We had a great time making BBQ and drinks in the hot tub too at night! I can't believe the great connection made here and for sure I recommend them for anyone staying here! We look forward to coming back to to Always Sunny San Diego on another road trip soon! read more

Took my three kids and myself for three days of private group surf lessons after Christmas. None of us had surfed before, though we're all reasonably athletic. We had an absolutely fabulous time! Our two instructors, Fonzi and Nick, were both terrific. Fonzi got all of us up on the board the first day, and by the third day we were reading the waves (sort of) and catching some good ones without assistance. By the way, the online booking website worked flawlessly. I was able to book last minute lessons Christmas Eve for the 26th; instructions were clear and it all just worked. Thanks!! read more

As a 62-year old novice from Chicago, it was my first time surfing, and I was a bit apprehensive. I took the 1-hour private lesson with Davo, and couldn't have been more happy with the results. The first 20 minutes consisted of basic safety and balance instruction, with wave dynamics and riptide physics thrown in for good measure. The rest of the lesson took place in the waves, where I was able to successfully complete quite a few rides. I would highly recommend Davo and Menehune La Jolla Shores to anyone who asked. It's never too late to learn. read more

We signed our Son (13) and Daughter (9) up for lessons at Menehune. Emilee was our instructor and she had both kids riding waves in no time. Emilee was very patient and helped them both feel at ease. She helped them learn and enjoy the sport so much that we their only desire was to return for a second day. On the second day, Matt was their instructor, and he picked up where Emilee left off with the kids again having a stellar day and leaving with great memories. Definitely will reconnect with Menehune on our next trip to the area! read more

A group of four of us came to La Jolla from Texas for surf lessons. Our private instructor, Fonzi, met us for our one-hour lesson. We spent the first 10 minutes on sand learning technique and balance. He watched each of us individually critiquing our stance, easing my mind that four people was not too many for one instructor. We hit the water going one by one riding the waves in. All of us were able to get up with guidance from Fonzi. I highly recommend getting an hour lesson for any first timers. An hour for the four of us was perfect. read more

Our 13 year old nephew was visiting from Minnesota and wanted to give surfing a try. We booked a private lesson in Del Mar using Menehune's web site (easy!) and were delighted with how it all went. Kyle, the instructor, was awesome! Friendly with both adults and kids and made our nephew instantly comfortable. The lesson was just the right balance of instructive advice and trying things out. Our nephew was able to successfully ride waves several times in just the first lesson and wants to keep surfing. Well done, Menehune! read more

What an awesome week for my two 11 yr old boys. The instruction is top notch. Mark Heinze especially lead the team to create a caring, funny, and amazing surf experience!! My kids were smiling all week and had so much fun they want to do another week!! They couldn't stop talking about all the great friends they made and the great instructors they had. The drop off was a breeze and very timely. I can't say enough great things about Mark and his team at Menehune surf camp. I highly recommend this surf camp. read more