Great experience. Booking was easy and flexible. Price was good. Instruction was fun and motivating. I'll be doing it again.

Had an amazing private lesson, where I learned how to position myself on the board properly and then I was finally able to stand up and ride the wave. I'm a surfer now :) Highly recommend this place! Mel read more

My son spent the summer in LA and had one last bucket list item to check off. He wanted to go surfing. I flew out to LA and set up his session with an instructor. Best decision. His instructor was amazing. She invested in his success. She was in the water the entire time, gave him tips and helped make him successful. He was catching waves left and right. I was in the water videotaping and caught some great videos and pics. Well worth the money. I would highly recommend making the investment. read more

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Great communication and service. It was my 16 year old son's first time trying surfing and he loved it. His instructor was great too. Thank you. read more

Jesse was great. Very personable and experienced. He got right into the important parts - how to stand, posture etc. Very helpful for coaching you into your surf journey. I had group lessons and he was very patient and attentive to my technique to ensure I was really taking to heart the sills needed. read more

Booked a session one day in advance. Derik was my instructor and he was just amazing. No exaggeration at all. He made me feel comfortable and confident and I couldn't believe I was actually surfing shortly after starting our session. Derik could instantly read my confidence and comfort level moment to moment and knew exactly how to modify his instructions to make it super simple and we rode on small waves in the white wash until I was ready to go after some bigger ones and he was right there with me the entire time if I needed him. Highly recommended to book Derik. I'm going to take another lesson with him just to get some added training. Well worth the money I spent. read more

Our family had a great time and learned a lot with Adam. We all ended up having fun and being more successful then we had thought we could be for our first lesson and all being at various different levels of physical ability. read more

Santa Monica Surf School - After surfing ! - Surf Schools Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Took my girlfriend for a surf lesson as she is new to the ocean and waves being an east coaster. I grew up at the beach so its natural and would have tried to teach her myself.. but.. knowing how difficult it is to teach someone close to you (at timed) I decided to go with SM surf school. Nick was amazing, such a good attitude, friendly, calm, and patient. She was in such good hands and actually stood up a couple times on her first day. So thankful for the professional approach to something so fun and informal. Thanks Nick and SMSC!!! read more

If there was only one thing you can do in LA then go and take a lesson at the Santa Monica Surf School! And if there were three things, ...well, then take three lessons! ;-) No really, surfing in Santa Monica is so much fun! All the instructors are awesome and really cool surfer dudes, and Nick, he is the absolutely the best!! I never met a more heartwarming and caring person. He is the heart and soul of SM Surf School. My fiancée and I booked a package of three lessons, and we had such a great time. It was our first time Surfing and Nick made us feel comfortable and safe! And we were super lucky: In our 2nd lesson there were some dolphins right next to us in the water, so we were Surfing with dolphins. SO great!!! At our third lesson the waves were pretty small and it was hard for me to get up on the board because I am a tall guy. So Nick gave me on more lesson for free! I was so overwhelmed! This is exceptional service! We will be back everytime we are close to LA!!! Thank you so much for everything Nick! read more

Santa Monica Surf School - Picture with Nicks (Instructor) GoPro. Absolutely free! - Surf Schools Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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It was a good lesson, instructor was nice. My friend was able to stand by the middle of her 1st lesson. However, we paid for 2 party lesson - $200, but we had another person joined us, so the instructor trained 3 people. I assume 3 party lesson suppose to be cheaper. read more

Super friendly staff. We walked up and asked if we can rent gear and they had plenty of boards and wetsuits to rent. The price was very reasonable and they gave us tips. read more

I wouldn't recommend going anywhere else! I could not have asked for a more seamless experience. We booked our lesson the day before and communication from Santa Monica Surf School was super clear making the arrival process at the beach easy and efficient. I was hesitant to try surfing at first but my husband really wanted to give it a go and Adam was the perfect instructor. Adam was calm, straight to the point and made it so easy to learn. Before I knew it we were in the water and Adam has us on our boards and standing! Thank you Adam and the Santa Monica Surf School! read more

Nick, No call No Show did not show up for our scheduled lesson that was scheduled and confirmed weeks in advance. Left myself and my family stranded in a parking lot waiting for a lesson that never happened. Followed by a series of excuses when I finally called him asking when he was going to show up....totally unprofessional and really disrupted our family vacation. I would not recommend Santa Monica Surf School to anyone this was a clown show. read more

You cannot go wrong with Nick and his crew. Super professional and make sure you get up and ride your first wave! My personal session with Nick was attentive and although I was visiting LA, I've already decided I'll be hitting them up once I'm out there again. This was my first time surfing ever and the whole experience is super fun and unforgettable!! read more

I was very hesitant to take a surfing lesson, but my experience with Santa Monica surf school was great. The instructor was very patient with me, and helped me overcome my fears about paddling out, and of the waves in general :) I felt safe the entire time and learned really valuable information. I had surfed before with friends who were experienced, but the instructor was able to explain all the little nuances of surfing much better than my friends did! It was definitely a turning point in my surfing abilities. Ladies - if you're scared to surf and on the fence about trying it, just take one lesson. It's worth the money and you won't regret it! read more

Great experience with Santa Monica surf school. I gave my partner a gift certificate for 3 lessons and we are both so happy with this. Nick was very kind and responsive with the scheduling. Adam was the instructor and he was awesome!! Very informative and patient. Although I was on the side lines watching this time around, I had a great time watching the experience. I will def be scheduling myself to get on the board next time! read more

Last minute decided to take a surf lesson before we left Santa Monica and had THE BEST TIME! Saw the truck parked, called, and Nick picked up right away. He had us suited up and out in the water within 45 min! He was so patient and makes you feel so comfortable. Even let us play around and surf more while he started another lesson. HIGHLY recommend and will totally be booking another lesson when we visit again! ‍ read more

Our instructor Nick was the best! Super nice guy and very helpful for a first time surfer. He had us standing up and catching waves in no time! Well worth it if you've ever wanted to give it a try! read more

I took my kids - 14, 10, and 7 - to LA for a week. Hands down their best memory from the trip was the surf lesson with Santa Monica Surf. The guys explained step by step and made them feel comfortable from the beginning. Now they can't wait to paddle out again. It was a great experience, I highly recommend for adults and kids alike. read more

I took a lesson with my little brother, the instructors were amazing and so helpful! The only reason I gave it 4 stars is because the instructor had a girlfriend! They're total babes. But I'll be back every summer anyways.... read more

These guys were great. My son (15) my daughter (13) and myself booked a two hour lesson. By the end we all legitimately surfed. They were patient and instructive even when we weren't. We're still "hodads" but now we're "hodads" who have our own surfing story. Thank you Esteban you help us create an amazing memory. read more

Nick and his team are awesome! They set me up with lessons upon my arrival to LA with less than a days notice. They were friendly and knowledgable about where and when was best to go. As I progressed, they let me try various sized boards and made recommendations which proved to be very helpful. Also, their instructor to student ratio made it feel like a personal lesson even though we were a large group. If you have kids, definitely take lessons from this school. I observed them with kids in my class and they were awesome! Very encouraging and attentive. After several failed attempts at lessons in Santa Monica and Venice with other surf schools who were non responsive, no shows and a variety of other scams, Santa Monica Surf School was very professional and responsive. I highly recommend taking lessons from them! I'm already looking forward to going back for another session! read more

Big fan of Nick and his crew. I surf with them once or twice a year when I swing through LA. They took me from absolutely zero surfing experience a couple of years ago, to today catching my first wave with no assistance! That means spotting a wave myself, paddling into it, popping up, and riding allllll the way to the beach. Nothing like it! SMSS provides your board and wetsuit, so just show up ready to surf. Your first lesson starts with fundamentals on the beach, before getting out there into the water where the fun begins. SMSS is legit locals and surfing experts who know the waves like the back of their hand. Beyond that, the crew is total professionals that make the whole time fun and as easygoing or hardcore as you like. For those that have never surfed, it really is a thrill to get up on a board and ride the waves. I'm hooked! read more

I arranged a group lesson for two adults and two little kids when my sister and nephews were in town and these guys did a phenomenal job. We ended up with three rotating instructors--Nick, Abe, and Thorn--and they were all excellent and able to work with our different skill levels. They were particularly great and patient with the boys, 8 and 5, who were understandably nervous but ended up hooked by the end of the session. The lesson was super fun and was a highlight of everyone's trip. I would highly recommend this school and crew. read more

Exceptional service, we will be telling everyone about our experience! I wanted to surprise my son with surf lessons while we were in Los Angeles. I spent weeks researching various surf schools (Pricing, flexibility, experience, etc). I was relieved to find Nico at Santa Monica surf school! His work ethic and patience with my son and I were phenomenal. The equipment was top notch. He knew the ocean like Titan himself. We were comfortable and even managed to ride a few waves the first day! We are so thankful for the experience and were able to capture a few photos of our experience for bragging rights! Go see Nico (or TitaNico as I call him) for the best surf experience! read more

Loved our experience! Great instructors-- incredibly nice and helpful team! Highly recommend this surf school. So much fun!

I barley do reviews but felt like I had to because this team is so awesome. I was recommend Santa Monica Surf School by a coworker and decided to book a lesson while in LA last week. Nick and his team are the best of the best, they made me feel super comfortable and confident in the water. Definitely recommending them to everyone I know and will being signing up for another lesson next time I'm in town!! read more

Nick and the rest of the instructors at Santa Monica Surf School were extremely helpful in getting me started. I purchased a 3 lesson package and I feel like I have a good handle on the fundamentals. Lessons were technically only two hours but the instructors were more than happy to let me keep surfing over time if I wanted a little extra practice. The location is beautiful and it's a great place for surfers of all levels. read more

What an awesome experience! My co worker and I decided last minute we wanted to take some lessons. The owner was super responsive to scheduling a lesson that worked for us on our schedule. The instructor was AWESOME. Let me tell you people, THIS is the place to go. We did some drills on land and then took to the water. We had a full two hours of instruction tailored to our abilities and by midway through the class, we were up on our boards in the water. To top it off, he had a go pro while teaching us in the waves so he later emailed us some rad footage. Overall...Great experience, at the right price, with an awesome instructor! read more

My kids just took a surfing lesson with nick. They had an amazing time. I highly recommend them. It was a blast.

My son got two great surf lessons from Aidan. He had never surfed before. He made tremendous progress and was surfing really well. Aidan was very supportive and encouraging. Excellent instruction. read more

I have always wanted to learn to surf since I saw Point Break as a kid but I never had the nerve. A friend told me about Santa Monica Surf School and I finally decided it was time to channel my inner surfer. Oh my god it was such fun! Our instructor was amazing he was so patient with us. It's the not the easiest thing to teach and he did it with such great humor and knowledge it put everyone at ease. By the end of the day I was feeling so energized and confident. I cant recommend this enough. Make the time, learn to surf I guarantee you will love it and learn to do it here. Beautiful beach, great waves and amazing instructors. This could just change your life. read more

I went to this school for the first time back in February. I can say that Nick not only taught me the fundamentals of surfing, but also instilled the confidence that I could pick up surfing as a hobby. I learned techniques which I could use away from the board along with websites to buy a board, wetsuit and monitor the waves. The Santa Monica surf school is the only place you want to start hitting the waves and I definitely recommend it for people of all ages. read more

Me and my boyfriend are probably the least athletic people on this earth, and Lucas was encouraging, patient, and reliable. Will go again, with hopefully better weather. read more

Love boogie boarding at Hollister beach - the parking is amazing, the waves are usually fun and the lifeguards are plentiful. My friend and I went boogie boarding today, looked at each other and said, 'let's go surfing.' We went on Yelp and called SMSS. Nick answered the phone right away - I asked, "any chance you're available to give a surf lesson right now?" My friend and I were in the water 30 minutes later. Nick was great!!! He supplied boards and wet suits (wasn't expecting those) - gave us some quick tips on land and in we went. Nick was really patient with me - I can get really, really annoying when faced with a challenge. The waves were probably 2ft tall, but they were strong and I admit, I was a bit scared. Nevertheless, my friend and I had a blast, felt safe, and even stood up 3 times :) After an hour or so in the water, we were beat! Nick even carried the largest board back to his truck for us (like it was nothing). Nick was great - so glad I called. Highly recommend. read more