As all the other reviewers have shared, Mickey is an excellent surf instructor and an overall cool human! My 8 year daughter and I wanted to learn how to surf for the first time while on a quick trip to Waikiki. After searching for surf schools, I determined that Mickey's school sounded like the most approachable for newbies like us. We had so much fun during our 90-minute session with Mickey! He was funny, calming, and attentive to me and my daughter. I highly recommend him and plan to come back and take another lesson with him. read more

If you ACTUALLY want to learn how to surf, GO WITH MICKEY! He is knowledgeable, extremely helpful, encouraging, and just an awesome human! My entire family had a blast, learned something, and are planning on renting boards tomorrow! By the way...none of us have ever surfed in our lives! Thank you Mickey!! Much love from this NY crew! read more

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Mickey is fantastic! My two brothers and I booked a 90 min lesson a few days in advance, and the experience was one of the best parts of our trip! Mickey is friendly, encouraging, gives good, clear instructions, and made the whole experience super fun. This was the first surf lesson for my brothers, and with Mickey's assistance, guidance, and then eventually on their own, they were standing up and riding waves. Mahalo, Mickey! read more

I had an amazing time learning how to surf with Mickey. He really wants you to learn and will cater his teaching to your abilities. He didn't just push me on waves, he taught me how to catch them myself. He explained surfing etiquette, the names of the different places people catch waves on Waikiki, how far back on the board to lie/stand, etc. If this is your first time, heads up that surfing is quite tiring (my arms are still sore). But it's worth it, I had such a blast and Mickey is the best! read more

Best time ever! Micah is so patient. It took a bunch of tries, but I finally surfed for the first time ever. I've never had so much fun. During the lesson, I lost my brand new GoPro overboard, but Micah came to the rescue and was able to find the camera on the bottom of Waikiki beach. Go for it, you're never to old to surf! read more

Mickeys Surf School - Lynne's version of "Hawaii 5 0" - Paddleboarding Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Micah is the best! My brother and I wanted to try surf lessons, but I was really worried because I have a bad knee (and let's face it, hadn't done anything athletic in a long while).. Micah, taught us some basic moves on the sand and let us practice, correcting our form and offering tips.. He said to trust him, and do what he asked of us, when he asked us to do it- and he wasn't joking- we both got up on multiple waves our first time surfing! He set us up for success, teaching us proper surfer protocol, how to stay safe, when to start swimming, when to pop up, and much much more.. He pushed us out at the right time, since we didn't have the wave timing (or the upper body strength) and then yelled at us when to pop up.. My brother and I were delighted at actually being able to surf our first time on the water and felt very safe with Micah.. He tried to take us to an open area and made sure our pathway was clear so no one in front of us got hurt, and even instructed people to watch for us, as we had the right of way being behind them.. I would highly recommend him to anyone learning at any level.. He is very personable and easy going, but takes his job seriously and prioritizes safety and fun! We REALLY lucked out finding him and can't wait to go back to take another lesson!! read more

Mickeys Surf School - Paddleboarding Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Mickey shares his wealth of surfing knowledge! I would recommend to anyone interested in learning to surf! I have been surfing for a little while and wanted to up my skills. Having a 1:1 lesson with Mickey was perfect! He assessed my skills to see where I was and my next steps. He communicated instructions clearly in a low key positive manner. He also took video to review later. Super helpful! Mickey is wonderful human being and great instructor who loves what he does! Call Mickey! read more

After reading all the great reviews, I decided to give Micah a try. He was so responsive to my text and his rate was very reasonable and affordable since we wanted a semi private class for just our family of 3. Right after I made the reservation, he sent me two videos so we could learn some basics prior to our lessons. We were supposed to meet him at 10am. We arrived early, texted him but didn't hear any responses. A few minutes went by but we still didn't see him. We thought we got scammed. We already paid him on Venmo. There's not much we could do if he doesn't show up. Well, I scared myself over nothing. I'll tell you why he was late towards the end. My husband, my teenager son and I had our lesson with Micah today and we had a blast! My husband and I took a surfing lesson with another company many years ago but we failed a big time. My husband doesn't coordinate well in general and has hard time following directions but today he did well! He was motivated to work hard because Micah explained things so well and clear. My son and I were so surprised to see how well my husband did (My husband is usually a couch potato.) My teenager son also had a great time. I booked him another lesson with Micah tomorrow and my son agreed to it. My son refused to go to Hanauma Bay because he doesn't want to go snorkeling. BUT he wanted to take another surfing lesson! That says a lot. My son has a pattern where if he had a bad experience to do something for the first time, he would refuse to give it another try. At the beginning of the lesson, I told Micah I am not a strong swimmer. After seeing how exhausted I got from just paddling, he gave me extra help without making me feel bad. Not only is he skillful in teaching surfing, he's very personable, kind and friendly. He wants you to have fun and a positive experience. Today was definitely a highlight of our entire family. He took a bunch of videos for us with his GoPro and he transferred them all to my phone for free! It's a touristy town. He could easily charge us but nope. He cares about the experience his customers get. He is so passionate about what he does. There were times he offered help to little kids who were struggling and they weren't even in his class! I could tell that he doesn't do this just for the money. Micah ran into so many people he knew. Seeing his interactions with other explained why he was late. He talked to everyone he ran into. Micah didn't shortchange us. I even think that he gave us more time than we paid for. He didn't rush or become inpatient when we took forever to get to where he was in the water. I know I wrote a lot but he's worth my time writing so many positive things about him. Even my husband who never writes any reviews told me to make sure I write one for Micah.,Thank you, Micah, for an extraordinary adventure and great memories! Next time you need to book a surfing lesson, go with Micah. You can't go wrong. read more

Surfing in Waikiki is intimidating as a beginner just because of how crowded it is. As beginners my friend and I tried to crack at it ourselves to limited success. Wanting to get better, we reached out to Mickey. I highly recommend taking classes with him as he does a great job explaining ways to catch your own waves, as well as how to properly navigate a crowded beach. The next day after the class, we even managed to catch some waves by ourselves with the techniques we learned from him. We are excited to take more classes and get better . Thank you Mickey! read more

I highly recommend Micah if you want to learn how to surf!! This guy gave me the confidence. I thought I wasn't able to do it. After a lot of falls, I finally was riding the waves. To all the tourist: what are you waiting for? Call him. Thanks again Micah! read more

Mickeys Surf School - Thanks again Micah! - Paddleboarding Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Had the best time surfing with Micah!! He's such a nice person and very encouraging. He thought me the process fo surfing and answer all the questions I had. I was able to surf some cool waves!! It made my trip so much better! I highly recommend for beginners. read more

Mickeys Surf School - Surfing - Paddleboarding Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Had a great time with Sparky this afternoon. I called around 2pm, Mickey said he was not free but his friend, Sparky could us at 3pm. I appreciated that he took my last minute appointment. We greeted Sparky at a statue, we surfed for more than 1 hour. Sparky was extremely patient at the same time super helpful. Both of us could stand up at the end of the lesson. I would def recommend them to anyone that wants to surf at Waikiki read more

I'm super glad we did our research and chose Mickey's surf school! Communication: After we requested a booking on his website, Mickey responded within an hour and we were confirmed for the date and time that we wanted. He was clear in messaging the time, meetup location, & pricing! Surfing lesson: The surfing lesson was super fun! Mickey let us try standing up on the board while we were on land before heading out to the waters. He explained how to position our bodies, where to look, and also provided guidance when we were surfing. He even gave us a little push/momentum while the waves were coming, and timed when we should stand up to catch the wave! Also when we fell he'd give us tips on what to correct :) Hospitality: Mickey's such a friendly and funny person! We had as much fun as we did because he was generous with his time and tips. The class did not feel rushed and we had ample time to surf. He made us feel welcome and comfortable, and even gave us tips for other places to visit on the island. Will definitely come back the next time I'm in Hawaii! read more

UPDATE: Second time around with Mickey and we still just absolutely love him! Yes, he's still a great surf instructor; so knowledgeable, patient, and encouraging. Yes, he still gives you great footage. But most importantly of all, he's good people! You feel how much he cares about you and it's such a great time just hanging out! A hui hou... Aloha Ohana! read more

Mickeys Surf School - Paddleboarding Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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My wife took a lesson with Micah and she's still raving about him. He taught her so much in one lesson (how to position herself, what board to use, etc). His knowledge and energy is so great -- highly recommend him to anyone who wants to learn or tune up their surf skills! (Micah - my wife Sam doesn't have a Yelp account but was adamant that I write one for you because you were so amazing. Hope to see you again soon!) read more

Mahalo to Mickey for the amazing surf experience! Interacting with Mickey, you will quickly see his passion for surfing and his depth of experience. My wife and I did a 90 minute surf lesson, and we were complete beginners. He has many years of experience working with surfers at all levels and he was a great coach. He will teach you the fundamentals and tailor the lesson to your needs. He also takes amazing photos and movies of your surfing, which are priceless memories. We highly recommend taking a lesson with Mickey, he is excellent!!! ‍ read more

We had a wonderful lesson today with Mickey. My kids, 12 & 16, and l, have never surfed before. Mickey was great about teaching the fundamentals and gently pushed us as we progressed in the water. Don't bother with anyone else, he is fantastic! read more

Mickeys Surf School - Paddleboarding Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Met at my last day unfortunately. Wish I would have gone earlier. Totally recommend to anyone M is a great teacher and very professional while still a ton of fun to work with. read more

10/10 RECOMMENDED! Mickey is so so so so NICE My husband had a great time learning with Mickey:)) He rode a wave by himself successfully at his first try and Mickey got some cool footage for him too. Unfortunately, my husband got seasick towards the end of the lesson (FYI, if you usually get seasick, take medicine 30min before the lesson) so Mickey took him back, went to the ABC store with me to get medicine and stayed with us until my husband got back on his feet. The entire time hanging out with Mickey was super fun. Give him a call if you want surfing lessons! read more

Just talked to Mickey and what a great conversation we had, not only was he genuine but very informative and so easy To understand my situation with my wife And her desire to learn how to surf the right way, I look forward to getting surf lessons for my wife with the best out there and I called around and he definitely Was the best price and experience to go with Update 8/92018 Mickey is the best and my wife looks forward to every surf lesson each week, He is the man to learn how to surf hands down, nobody knows the waves better than Mickey, he is a walking encyclopedia When it comes to teaching someone the first steps of surfing if I could give him a thousand stars I would read more

A little late review but I just wanna say Mickey was very professional and personable at the same time. Feels like I was hanging out with my friend if anything which was a great thing. Best part is we still keep in touch and he's still giving me advices on surfing or which board I should be getting. Just want to say Mahalo Mickey and I definitely recommend him for anyone who wants to learn how to surf!! read more

A+! Super safe and knowledgable, local surf instructor. Mickey is patient and fun. He's excellent with keiki, puts them at ease and has a good time. He taught our ohana: two 6 yo's and one 7 yo, and they were up and riding waves in no time. We love the photos and videos he gave us too. Unforgettable first time surfing for our kids! MAHALO, Mickey! We will be back. read more

Micah was amazing... Patient, took the time to explain different techniques, and a true surfer at heart. We were referred to Mickey's from a colleague who described him as the best instructed in Waikiki. Hands down... It's the truth. There were 5 people in our group and he had a friend (Sparky) help out. We all got personal attention and most of us were able to get up without assistance/direction by the end of the lesson (I'm not one of those). We come to Honolulu every other year and will definitely set another lesson with Micah. Thanks for the great day and getting my daughter into wanting to try more surfing when we get back home to LA! read more

Mahalo Mickey!! Best coach he video the whole surfing session. Got some goof videos. VIDEOS ARE FREE! Really good surf coach. The best!!

I cannot say enough great things about Mickey! He is truly a class act, excellent surf instructor, and all-around great guy. From the initial booking, he was there with pre-practice videos for my son and I to work on and get familiarized, as neither of us had ever surfed. He responded quickly to my many questions, greeted us with enthusiasm, and an upbeat attitude, and put us at ease immediately that we were in good hands. He was patient and helpful during our lesson, assisting us in catching then riding wave after wave, even after "wiping out" seconds later in most cases. After an hour, we both were able to "stand up" and ride a wave for a short time. My son and and I both came out of the lesson feeling confident we could give it a go ourselves next time. The videos he provided after the lesson were great, high quality, and were loaded directly to my phone so they could be shared immediately with family and friends. Where he went above and beyond is when I injured my foot (my fault) on a rock during the lesson. Afterward, not only did he assist me in getting it looked at and treated, but topped it off with a handful of awesome seashells for my son as a gift! Book Mickey for a surf lesson and you will not be sorry. Cannot recommend him enough! read more

Mickey is so unique and such a great instructor! He accommodated me for a one-on-one session and taught me so much about how to find the right wave, what to look out for, when to catch it, and how to ride properly. I got up so many times, it was an experience I'll never forget! I've never felt so comfortable in the water (been surfing 3x prior to this). He also records your session so you can watch yourself in action and see what you're doing right vs. wrong. Mickey is also just insanely cool and clearly loved by everyone. 5+ stars, don't hesitate to take advantage of everything he has to offer! read more

Book here, not one of the other surf schools for the real deal. Mickey is the man and has so much knowledge. I have never surfed before and he helped me stand up the first day and catch some great waves. He also takes a GoPro video of you to keep after the session. I'm going back for another session next time I'm in Oahu. read more

Living in Hawai'i, I started surfing only about a year ago and took lessons from a few other instructors in the beginning. You can tell from the others it's just a job, punch in, punch out and done. But Micah goes the extra mile and then some! Even before we had our first lesson he was already at work giving me pointers and thinking about how best to use the time. At the lesson, it was like a download of surfing wisdom and knowledge. Then after the lesson, he was still engaged and giving me advice via text. I hope we'll have many more lessons in the future! I don't give 5 stars lightly. Mickey is truly deserving. Aloha and mahalo for all you do! read more

Surfing has always been really scary for me...but something I've always wanted to learn. I dated a boy who shamed me for not being able to surf, so on my latest trip to Hawaii, I wanted to learn (whether or not this surfer boy stayed in my life!). Mickey was the best teacher I could ever ask for. He was truly the highlight of my Hawaii trip. Despite rough waves, he brought me out. Taught me the foundations of surfing. Gave me tips and tricks and prepared me prior and after with YouTube videos. I had FUN. He was cracking jokes the whole time and makes his students feel so comfortable and not fearful at all!! I felt so much more confident about my skills after my time with him. On TOP of that, he has a GoPro and sends you VIDEOS and images of you surfing that you get to take home immediately!! I sent them to all my friends and family :) I can't wait to go back to Hawaii just to surf with Mickey!! read more

My kids 7 and 8 just had private lessons with Micah. This is their first time taking surf lesson. They had such a great time. Micah is very knowledgable and really good with kids. He has a go pro and recorded great videos. My kids were able to catch a lot waves...I highly recommend Mickey Surf School. Thanks so much Micah. read more

Mickey is the man! And gets you the best videos and photos! Can't wait to come back and surf with him again.

Mickey is awesome. He takes the lesson very seriously, but still keeps it fun, even for beginners like me (this was my second time surfing). He teaches you real skills that you can use to keep improving, even if you only surf every couple of years. This is not a touristy experience; it's much better. Also, it's an incredible value - $100 for 90 minutes and he gives you a bunch of videos he takes of you on his GoPro. I highly recommend booking a lesson with Mickey. read more

Mickey is the best surfing teacher you could ever ask for!! He deserves 10 stars!! I took a surf lesson with another teacher before I found Mickey and after taking a class with Mickey I realized how many mistakes I've made in my previous lesson that the teacher did not correct me. (And not to mention Mickey's service was more affordable) What Mickey provides is not just a standing up on the board experience like what most teachers do, where they just push you along the waves and shout "stand up!" Mickey teaches you the correct body position, how to look at the waves, knowing when to stand up and so much more. Mickey is beyond professional and friendly, I'm sure everyone who've met him could tell his passion immediately. Although I know how to swim, I was a bit nervous about being on the ocean but Mickey made me feel so safe! He knows the ocean very well, took us to the perfect spot where it's safe from reefs and where the waves were perfect for beginners. I was hoping to take another lesson with Mickey before I leave the paradise, unfortunately, my legs got sunburnt and was too painful. So remember to put on a lot of sunscreen if you have sensitive skin like me, especially the back of your legs where it's exposed to the sun the most. Mahalo Mickey! You are the best and we will miss you until we meet again! read more

We are lucky to have found Micah through our neighbor's recommendation. He's just an amazing coach! We booked lessons for our two boys 7 year old and 5 year old. Both of them are still learning how to swim, but the 7 year old was able to get up on the board almost on his first wave! The water at Waikiki is quite shallow and safe even for non-swimmers. Micah is super good at talking to kids and teaching them in a fun way. At the end of the lessons, we also received nice gopro videos of boys surfing and the turtles they saw. We took two lessons with him, and they are definitely the highlights of our trip. We look forward to coming back to Waikiki next year for more lessons with Micah! read more

Great experience with Mikey ! Highly recommend it for beginners! Very friendly, knowledgeable and open to any questions. I can't wait I to visit him again! read more

Thanks to Mickey, we had a fantastic first surfing lesson! He is very professional and responded promptly to our text. He's a great instructor, explains things very clearly, and makes it fun! Our photos and video footage turned out great. I couldn't have imagined a better first experience surfing. Highly recommended to anyone looking for a lesson! read more

I have had several surf lessons with Mickey And I'm looking forward to so many more. Not only is he respected in the water, but he is so knowledgeable of what's going on In the ocean, I couldn't be happier with His lessons, my husband called around To several instructors, and when he got off the phone with Mickey, he said Mickey Was the guy period !! Nobody comes close It's a fact, his words after the conversation, So happy to have these sessions and so comfortable surfing with Mickey out there. He pays full attention to my faults and encourages me to go beyond my comfort zone, of course he never leaves me alone and is always there in case I get nervous. The best surf instructor in Waikiki ever !! read more

Mickey is really best if the best. All the 5 star reviews were 100% proper. Mickey is super chill, smart, cool dude, who every knows in the city. He is a Great Surf instructor, who makes things fun and easy. I would give him 20 stars if I can. Amazing experience! Thank you! read more

When I first moved back to HI I wanted my wife and son to go surfing with me. Problem was this was their first time in HI and first time surfing. I didn't trust anyone with my 6yr old son in the water (including myself) until I saw Mickey out in the water with 2 kids my sons age. Mickeys style of teaching is unique to say the least. On top of that, he makes it look easy. Booked a lesson for my son. Being one of my bucket list things I was more nervous than my son was. He was nervous though. He learned to swim in pools and oceans are big. Mickey put us all at ease, and gave my son the land lesson and then took him surfing. I was a wreck, my son on the other hand was having the time of his life! My son was on a wave riding a surf board standing up. On top of that, Mickey was able to film it on his go pro (priceless). So much fear of the ocean has been removed from my son after his lesson (priceless). Mickey gave us the full rundown on how my son did, things to work on, suggesting ways to improve. A thorough surf lesson for my son with memory's that will last me a life time. So I book another lesson for him and one for my wife. He got her up riding waves with no problem. Wife and I finally went surfing together for the first time. Mickey has helped us check off some family bucket list things. Sooo Grateful!!! Highly recommended, and I recommend him highly! Thanks Mickey!!! read more

Cancelled last minute on us with no call or text. He said had a family emergency, but still expected a call. We planned our whole day around this. He did refund the money plus some right away, and was very apologetic, but still a bummer. Be sure to confirm before going read more