So impressed by Ty and his staff. My son was excited but a little anxious to learn how to surf. His instructor was very cool and patient, letting him go at his own speed. My kiddo got a little spooked on a wipeout (through no fault of the instructor AT ALL) and was a little overwhelmed and upset. The instructor suggested they go look for turtles for a little while instead, which calmed my son down and distracted him from his anxiety about surfing. All the props to the instructor and staff for being so supportive, patient, and understanding! We will definitely try again on another trip. Thank you, Ty Gurney! read more

Elijah was great with my 7 year old son. My boy caught a ton of waves and is now hooked on surfing. Awesome experience!

Best school you will ever surf with. They get you out and up on great waves. They surf a break called pops in Waikiki, went from day one never having surfed to to day three able to ride tandem on one board with one of my friends. Lovely instructors who are fun to hang out with in the water. read more

I searched all over the island for an on going lesson or camp for kids, with covid it's impossible right now. So I opted to put my 12 year old in a one hour private lesson. This would be the first time my daughter surfed so she was pretty afraid and actually didn't want to take the lesson. Nate had a great attitude with her despite she being quiet and timid. He did a few quick dry runs on the sand and within minutes out in the ocean she was riding her first wave! From what I can see on shore she was having a blast. When they got my daughter was already asking when can she surf again. Nate did an awesome job instructing her and giving her the confidence she needed. Very happy taking her here, we'll be back for a few more lessons before I buy her own board and she goes out on her own. They offer a video package, I didn't get one thinking I can film from shore, but they go pretty far out I didn't get any good footage. You might want to do the video package if your looking to capture your first wave. Mahalo Nate! read more

Ty Gurney Surf School - Surfing Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We did a surf safari tour during our trip to Hawaii with Ty Gurney. It was amazing and we had the best time. Definitely the highlight of the trip. We had two instructors who were so good to us. They took us to great spots and the surfing was fantastic. We didn't want the day to end. I cannot recommend them enough. read more

Ty and his team were amazing during our visit to O'ahu. We had a large group (9) of both kids (6-14) and adults and they paired us up perfectly so that everyone was comfortable and excited. The younger kids got to ride tandem with super encouraging instructors, while the adults got one-on-one instruction with their own boards, and EVERYONE got up!! The staff couldn't have been more friendly and the experience couldn't have gone better. The photos they captured and video they sent are priceless. Mahalo, Ty! read more

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I had a great experience with Peter in a 2 hour long private lesson. He did a lot of the non-surfing work for me so I could focus on the actual surfing stuff without burning up my energy paddling out or trying waves that were too small. It was an amazing experience! 4 stars because my appointment got double booked and I had to wait an hour for my lesson. Not a huge deal and they took a few bucks off my lesson for the trouble. I doubt this is a frequent occurrence but you may want to confirm your time over the phone if you book online. Definitely recommended! read more

If you're a beginner and you want to actually surf in Hawaii, this is the crew to go with. Nicco, Ty, Little Ty, Rhett and Amy were the freaking best. We did three outings, including the sunset surf and highly recommend all of it. You really can't go wrong with those waves and this team. HUGE thanks to Ty and co. read more

This review is purely for their rentals. My husband is a fairly experienced surfer and stopped by looking to rent a board. He typically rides a long board (10-11ft) and is fairly tall (6'6'). This shop had only 1 board that would work for him and even though it was totally thrashed appearance wise he rented it anyways (our mistake). The board was incredibly heavy to start with. Like inappropriately heavy. We both surf. We are both used to carrying boards from our car up and down bluffed trails to the beach at home. This wasn't typical longboard heavy. Anyways, once my husband got out into the water he realized the board wasn't totally watertight. He still did the best he could with it, but was understandably disappointed. To add insult to injury he then had to carry the now water soaked and even heavier board back to the shop to return it. Perhaps they use better equipment for their lessons, but if you're at all experienced and just looking for a rental this is not the place for you. read more

I think Ty Gurneys is great for two things: 1. Someone on vacation who wants to experience surfing. They'll tow you out to the surf break and help you catch waves. In addition, to fiberglass longboards, they also have big foam boards that are very easy to balance on so anyone will be able to ride waves. 2. Want to learn how to surf. I came in with the goal of learning how to surf, and I was able to hit my goal. I took lessons with LP and Nate and both were super helpful. Through the lessons I learned: - Surf etiquette: who has right of way on waves and how to surf around other people without bothering them. - How to turn a longboard - Better paddling techniques - How to spot waves After hours of practicing what I learned in the lessons (mainly paddling and wave timing), I was able to go explore other beaches on Oahu and paddle into waves. Overall, whether you are someone who just wants to experience surfing or wants to learn how to surf, I would highly recommend taking a lesson at Gurneys. read more

My 11 and 13 year olds had the BEST time with Ty's school. The instructors were kind, patient and had my kids surfing in no time. The kids were nervous but as soon as they met the instructors their fears were erased. We felt they were super safe, and maximized our kids time in the ocean. My husband and I stayed on shore and watched other schools and the classes were packed and people came back sooner than our kids and more exhausted than happy. Our kids were elated and high fiving when they arrived on shore. Do not hesitate booking this school, you will not regret it! read more

Great experience! Super accommodating, a little hard to find the shop but all else an A+. Great prices for what is an hour long private lesson. Brought 2 twelve year olds and they each had a great time. They caught waves and felt confident. I was super impressed. My 12 year old had just had a group lesson on Maui, it was good and instructive but definitely lead him to over think it. These instructors did a five minute instruction and got them in the water. It was perfect! The real confidence came from riding the waves. Many Mahalos for getting my little Big Island kids into the waves. We hope to keep them going here! read more

Had the best day with Rhett!! He took my novice wife and I out, we both stood up and rode 5 waves in an hour. He was the best! Look no further for another surf school - book this one and you'll have the best time. Bravo to Ty Gurney and staff, and Rhett! read more

I would come to Waikiki again just to take lessons and rent surf boards from these guys. They totally understand customer service and they are on point with their stuff! We had the pleasure of taking lessons from Pete and worked with Amber bunch of times. She has a great attitude and will try her hardest to find you a board or a lesson or whatever it maybe... read more

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My son and I had private lessons. The instructors, Dex and Ty were great. They got us up and we loved every minute!

We had a great time. The instructions had all of us surfing within an hour. Ty, Dakota and Elliott were awesome

Such a great surf school! My girlfriends and I got the pleasure of going out with Pat, Ty, and little Ty and we had a blast. I am a beginner and they were so patient and worked with me to make sure I had the right stance so I could properly ride. Everyone was super nice and we had so much fun! Highly recommend checking them out. read more

We're a family of 4 who took our first surfing lessons. We HIGHLY RECOMMEND Peter, Cheyenne, Nate, and Nicco. They made surfing so easy. They were all very patient! We all got to stand up and ride the waves, I actually lost track of the number of waves we all caught! As a mother, I was anxiously worried about my 8 year old son, but Nate took great care of him while Peter taught our 13 year old son, and he was so ecstatic to see turtles less than 5 feet away, such a bonus! Cheyenne worked hard to teach my husband and me. Thank you Nicco for all the footage and for being the extra eyes for our sons! IT WAS AMAZINGLY FUN! WE WOULD DEFINITELY GET LESSONS HERE AGAIN! (Review by A.Godoy) read more

If you really want know how to surf or enhance your surfing skills you should go here. Great customer service very experienced staff ! Instructors top surfers in the world . Thank you Joey and Ty Gurney team . read more

My two sons, 17 and 15 yo, had a one hour surf lesson with Ikaika and Ty the younger. This was their first time surfing and they loved it. They were given some basic instructions and they headed out. They each got up a handful of times and had a lot of fun. We reserved the lessons on the same day. The staff were helpful and the instructors were great. read more

My son and I took private lessons and it was the highlight of our trip! The guys couldn't be any nicer and we felt like we were in good hands. We chose the one hour lessons but should've taken 2 hours to get a little more time on the water. Can't wait to see the video and pictures (even if they are mostly wipeouts). Ty, Koa and James were fantastic and we definitely recommend making this a part of your trip to Oahu! THANK YOU!!! read more

Ty Gurney Surf School - Coming in from our lesson. - Surfing Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Did a 2 hour lesson and got great instruction from Justin. Was able to stand on a couple of waves. Our instructor was awesome and I would say it was probably my favorite experience in Hawaii. read more

Ty gurney's offered to rectify this wrong by offering a free lesson and even free video! The lesson was great and was really helpful in getting the right waves and towing us out and into the right places. Had great time despite the first poor experience. read more

Booked on the day of and was able to get a semi private lesson with Justin as our instructor. Justin was an amazing instructor. He was very knowledgeable and explained the nuances and things I'd need to pay attention to and was super friendly too. He'll definitely look after you if you're a beginner, and will take good care of you and take a lot of the tiring paddling from surfing out of it by pulling you along in your board. I was able to catch a couple of waves and actually ride them without wiping out. Overall, super fun experience and I'd definitely recommending asking for Justin as your instructor. read more

We actually booked with Big Dave's, which was more expensive for the lesson and we added the photographer. Our photographer bailed and James with Ty Gurney stepped up and was happy to capture our little man catching waves. I can't say thank you enough to James! After spending some time with the crew from TY Gurney, hands down, I'd choose them. Their company's culture and vibe was everything we wanted. They were happy to help, you could feel the passion they have for surfing and sharing it with others. Next time we're in Hawaii we will be using these guys! They were so awesome! Don't make the mistake we did, book with TY Gurney! read more

Took three lessons totaling 4 hours with Justin and Nate. 100% can't wait to do it again. They know where the waves are and go out of the way to make sure you catch as many waves as possible! read more

SHAKA BRAH! Ty Gurney Surf School IS RIGHTEOUS!!! SURFING and Hawaii, they are synonymous. An important part of the Hawaiian traditions, surfing was almost abolished by European missionaries, but revived and popularized, most famously by Hawaii's own Duke Kahanamoku. I am a surfing novice who enjoys the exhilaration of catching a wave but could always benefit from more wave knowledge. The lovely Wifey, prefers out-of-water experiences and really doesn't gravitate towards participating in athletic activities... to put it nicely. During the few surf sessions she watched while I was out in the ocean with family, she had never hinted of any interest. As Luck would have it, Wifey had an inclination to learn to surf while visiting Oahu, Hawaii, and oh, SURF GODS BE PRAISED!!! BUT, who/how to go about it? I was pretty sure it would be best if someone else instructed her, otherwise it would be like the blind leading the blind. One of the best breaks to learn the art of surfing is along the coast of Waikiki, so I focused my yelp search there. I read ALL the reviews and felt Ty Gurney Surf School would best facilitate Wifey's passion for the sport. I am SO glad we chose them. Mr. Duncan was a pleasant chap who we spoke with over the phone to set up 1 hr sessions. Yelp discounts are honored without issue. They prefer 1 on 1, but at the most, they will allow 2 students to 1 instructor. The shop actually faces Kalia Rd. and is right beside Denny's Restaurant close to the corner of Kalia Rd. and Lewers St. They provide rash guards so its not necessary to bring your own. 12'0" Longboards are what students ride, great size for stability and to catch even the smallest wave. After some initial instructions on the sand, the break they take you out to is called Populars, which is in front of the Outrigger Reef Hotel and the Halekulani Hotel, along Gray's Beach. Its nice that they tow you throughout your time in the ocean, if you so choose. Wifey had Mr. Joey both sessions and he was the perfect choice to settle her nerves and foster a love for the sport. Patient, encouraging, helpful... Mr. Joey was a blessing! First time he gets Wifey to catch a wave, she is able to get up & balance on her feet and ride for a good 6 seconds. FIRST TIME!!! They call him the "wave whisperer" for good reason. I hung out with Nick the first time, and Ethan on the return. Both friendly, easy going fellas who were very personable, very approachable, and NEVER made you feel like you were wasting their time. Cool peoples, the both of them. Now mind you, wave conditions were mild at best both times, yet we both were able to catch quite a few waves. Best moment: Riding a party wave TOGETHER!!! We got some great video footage from Troy on the first session, unfortunately he wasn't there the second time around. 1 hr sessions seem to be long enough to have a great experience and not be wiped out afterward. All in all, it was COMPLETELY worth it! A real easy recommendation. Couldn't compare it with other schools in the area since it was our first one, but we left with smiles on our faces, satisfied with a wonderful experience, and fond memories. What more could you ask for?!? Mahalo nui loa to all at Ty Gurney Surf School! Shout out to Nancy M. on her informative initial review of Ty Gurney Surf School. read more

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Ty and his crew were amazing! They took out 7 kids and a few adults - they were so amazing with all of us. They made us feel like we were pros! The kids had a blast and all surfed multiple waves!! I'm a giant chicken and still managed to surf - these guys are amazing - highly recommend!! It's an amazing surf experience! read more

The lesson was mediocre at best. The instructor was not really happy to be there and they were just running through as many students as possible to make as much money as possible. I wasn't impressed at all for my $125 private lesson in any way. I'll try another place next time I'm in Waikiki. read more

I went to Hawaii last Easter and had the time of my life. Ty Gurney and his crew were so funny, cool, and chill. I even hung with the gang after shredding some waves! I like to call what we did "fake surfing" because one of the sexy instructors pulls you out to catch a wave and then jump starts your momentum with a push to catch the wave. In Waikiki the waves are long and glassy so you're riding for a while. It's a blast! And the crew has a great sense of humor...always trying to break the ice or should I say wave ;). Paul was my instructor and we still keep in touch to this day. What a legend! Aloha folks! read more

Ty Gurney Surf School - Family vacation!! With cousins and aunt Marcia Gay Harden - Surfing Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Took my son and daughter out with these guys a couple days ago. Pete, Nate, and Zach did awesome with the three of us, and the kids were able to tandem ride with their instructors making it super fun for them. My kids are hooked, and we can't wait to get back to Hawai'i to surf again! read more

Ty Gurney Surf School - Surfing Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Wow! Elliott, Ty and Nicco were outstanding instructors. Not only did I learn great technique but I learned about how life is like a wave. Thanks boys for sharing this experience with me and my friends! Great work! Keep it up! Highly recommend!! read more

Ever since our daughter was a toddler and could barely talk, she has been talking about wanting to surf. We went to Waikiki for Spring Break, so I figured it was the perfect time for her to learn. I researched online to find the best, most child-friendly surf school. We have only positive things to say about the whole experience. A couple of things you might want to know, as a parent. (1) They take your child very far out. So far that you cannot even see her at all. This is why (2) you should buy the video package. I sat on the beach for an hour, la la la, wondering whether my daughter could even get up on the board. But of course she had an AMAZING time and caught a lot of waves. I was so happy to see the video, which arrived today. She looked like she had the best time ever and she is still talking about it. She would have loved to surf every day but we had a busy vacation planned. Next time we go to Waikiki, though, another lesson will be a must! read more

Great experience! The best surf lessons in Waikiki. My daughter and her husband took their first lesson with Ty Gurney Surf School and had an amazing time while learning the basics...two years later it was my turn. Just returned from my 1 hour private lesson - I can not say enough good things about this surf company. Fun, kind, professional and excellent instructors. I will be returning in May for another lesson for sure. I'm 58 years old so don't worry about your age. With Ty Gurney Surf School you will be in great hands and have the time of your life. read more

I had to fight with my daughter to do this and when she came in after a lesson with Paul "Awesome" she said "I hate to say it but you were right!!" big smile!! I run a number of businesses and I am blown away at how happy, professional and motivated these people all are. Seriously..whats in the water Ty? SUPER PROFESSIONAL AND IF YOU GO ANYWHERE ELSE YOU ARE BLOWING IT!!! read more

Awesome instructors! We had a great time! If you want to surf at Waikiki this is the place to go.

Had a blast learning how to surf with my cousin! LP was an awesome instructor, very down to earth and gave us an unforgettable experience! They really let you learn things on your own and the waves give you lots of time to get the hang of things. read more

Took our two girls, 16 and 8 out for surf lessons. They guys were great, very supportive and we all got up on waves!

This was my 4th time to surf with TGSS and I didn't want it to end! My instructor was Ikaika and he was awesome. My husband and 3 kids were also out there and they had a blast with their instructors. We all caught lots of waves and stood up on almost every try. The school provides rash guards and the instructors 'toe' you out to the break where the waves are. All of the fun without all of the hard work!!! There is also a package you can purchase called Surf and Stay with gorgeous luxury rooms and surfing! True VIP experience! read more

Ty Gurney Surf School - The Surf and Stay is a great luxury VIP option. - Surfing Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

* close (a block away) to the beach with gentle and long waves and cool turtles * rent everything you need (board, rashguard, etc) * cute shop where you can stash your stuff before heading to the beach * chill, fun, helpful and super cute (hot) staff and instructors (Dave, Brian, Chad, James, Amber and Pua) * first lesson you'll be already standing up on the board and riding the waves * get the video/still photos package with your lesson, worth every penny if you want to re-live the moment again and again which I've been doing Keep doing what you guys are doing, stay chill til I'm back again ;) Mahalo! read more

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