An absolute 5-star experience! If you are looking to learn how to surf, look no further than Evan Caples and the Ventura Surf School. My daughter and I went out last weekend, and we had an absolutely terrific time from start to finish. I hadn't stepped on a surfboard in over 55 years and had forgotten just about everything. On top of that, being 65, my body doesn't quite move the way it used to! But Evan was incredibly patient, encouraging, and an outstanding instructor. He broke down the basics perfectly and gave us the exact foundation and confidence we needed to engage in this wonderful sport. Yes, I had some aches and pains the next day (nothing a little Advil couldn't easily handle!), but it was worth every single second. My daughter and I are both officially hooked and will absolutely be going back for more lessons. If Evan can get a 65-year-old riding waves after a five-decade hiatus, he can teach anyone! read more

My husband and I did our first surf lesson yesterday down at Montes. The location was great for beginners and our instructor Levi was AWESOME. They brought all the gear that we would need including things we didn't think of like booties for the rocks great fitting wet suits from Patagonia and sturdy boards. Great instructor and always had his eye on both my husband and I out in the water. I caught a bunch of waves and can't wait to go out again! read more

If you want to learn the basic fundamentals of surfing this is a great place. I had a private lesson with Tomas and he was really great instructor for my first surfing experience. I feel very confident after my lesson on using what I learned to practice on the waves. Overall really great! read more

Especially in a difficult time like this, Ventura surf school has really provided me with reassurance and trust For my daughter to participate in such an amazing experience. Scanning for temperatures, mask being worn during demonstration talks on the beach, following social distancing, they are such a great place for your kids to learn the sport of surfing and its foundation, Instructors are certified and they pass their knowledge of the ocean down, and seeing my daughter being able to stand up and actually trim on a wave was rewarding, She did not wanna get out of the water, Highly recommend Ventura surf school camp, We live all the way in orange county, but will drive back very soon, Peace of mind is worth it, Evan and his crew are top notch, Patient, and knowledgeable, Best of all smiling kids and being able to be outside in the water, it's worth it read more

Overall it was great experience for our kids. All the staff were helpful and friendly and our kids had a great time. Mondos beach was such a great place for beginners to learn surfing safely. Shallow sand bottom, nice slow rolling waves. read more

Ventura Surf School - Ventura surf school - Surf Schools Near Me - Ventura, California

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I had my intro group lesson with Andy (Cruise was also there, mostly working with the younger kids) today. Being a first-timer, I will say this was an excellent experience. Evan (the owner) set me right at ease from the first phone call. It was a little confusing, upon arrival, as the surf shop's name is Momentum, and once inside it was a bit chaotic and seemed unorganized as far as paperwork, who still needed a wetsuit, etc. However as soon as all the logistics were sorted, even from giving very clear driving directions through the lesson Andy was clear, kind, professional and attentive to each member of the group. I am a teacher, and I can vouch that he's a good one. I am still unsure how soon I will be able to surf, I certainly need more lessons, (though I did 'get up' at least once which was pretty cool/fun) when I'm ready to do more I'll be happy to call these guys for more help read more

If you want a respectable solid summer camp for your children this is it! Andy, Evan and their staff are all very knowledgeable helpful and courteous to all the children in the school they take pride in what they do, of course safety is at the top of all of these camps priority list however when you see Evan Andy and their staff work together as a team to not only show the children how to surf but how to respect one another how to help each other and ultimately have a great time this is the camp for your children I personally guarantee it thank you Evan and staff for everything! See you next summer! read more

Ventura Surf School - This surf camp is amazing, Evan, Andy, and the whole crew take pride in what they do, and safety's their main concern. - Surf Schools Near Me - Ventura, California

My friend and I had a lesson with Eric on Friday. We had such a great experience with him and had so much fun. He was patient and encouraging, and it made the whole experience that much better. read more

This is the second lesson my teenage son and his buddies have taken with Eric. Eric is a great instructor! He's informative, patient, supportive and just brings great energy. The boys love learning from him and just hanging out in the water with him. Evan, the owner, is great too. He's also laid back, friendly and professional. Great experience! read more

I had friends from Germany come to visit; they wanted to surf and I found this place through Yelp. Based on the other stellar reviews, I had high expectations which were thoroughly met. I talked to the owner Evan who scheduled a lesson the same day on a holiday weekend (it included board and wetsuit rental). Evan was super cool, extremely polite, and their instructor Andy was just as awesome. Since my friends were unfamiliar with the area, Andy met them in town at the gas station at the Seaward exit off the 101, then caravanned to Mondos. Both of my friends were able to get up on their boards and had such a good time that they convinced me to take a class too. So the next weekend I contacted Evan again and he taught me personally one-on-one. It was a phenomenal class! I learned a ton and had a blast. We started with quick lessons on the sand so that I could understand the basics before getting in the water. We then did a few pop up drills, and then we were out to the water! I was able to ride 6 or 7 waves, which was far more than I was expecting. We all considered it a complete success and a good value; my friends and I agree that you can't go wrong here. read more

Eric was an awesome instructor. This was my first time even touching a board and he had me up and riding on my third attempt. Evan, the owner, is laid back but professional; these guys are the real deal. The lesson started shoreside with about fifteen minutes of instruction and demos. Then we paddled out into the surf and the real fun began. With Eric right by my side, helping me learn to read the waves and get my timing right, I had probably twenty attempts, and rode about a dozen times. Each time Eric provided great feedback so that I improved on every attempt. By the end of the class, I was exhausted but elated. What an adventure! I recommend Ventura completely; don't let uncertainty stop you from enjoying this amazing sport with top class instruction! read more

Great! Not the usual "surfer dude" shop, and absolutely not just for beginners!! (Although they have a way way better setup than the average for that as well!) I was in Ojai on a family vacation and had a very brief window to surf. I was looking for someone in the area to help hook me up with boards and help getting a good surf in. I only had a few hours and didn't want to waste it looking for the spot, trying to figure out the spot etc. Someone had recommended Evan and Ventura surf school to me, so I hit him up for rental boards for my son and I, and an instructor/guide to get us to the best spot at the right time for the given conditions. I explained to Evan our skill level. I'm a decent recreational surfer, and my son can surf, but not tons of experience and I knew I'd be more comfortable with a second pair of eyes on him at a new break. Evan totally got it and set us up with one of his guys, Tim. We met Tim at what turned out to be the perfect spot for us, and with the tide timed out perfectly. Tim had a few boards for us to pick from and took us over to the right place to paddle out. (Which I would've totally missed). He got a handle on our skill level right away, and intuitively helped out my son just enough when he needed a little boost to get past some whitewater, and let him find his way when he could do it on his own. Exactly what I was hoping for! It left me free to catch a few and not have to worry about my son, and my son caught several nice waves in conditions that challenged, but didn't spook him with Tims calm demeanor keeping it all calm and in control. I felt totally comfortable with Tim with us. He was a great help and a wealth of knowledge about surfing in the area, and surf in general. He was very generous with his time, and even offered to meet us the next day and bring us boards if we wanted to surf on our own. Way above and beyond the call of duty. SCORE! Excellent excellent find!! read more

This was just a great experience. I am a late starter to the sport. My lesson was my first contact with a surfboard. My instructor, Catherine, was amazing. Everything about the lesson was comfortable and informative; just a really great experience. I was up on my first wave, a by the end of the lesson,I knew how to practice and have fun. I highly recommend Ventura Surf School! read more

Awesome experience overall! I was a first time surfer and Tim, the instructor was a great teacher. Rode several waves because of the great comprehensive instruction. Was a little odd to meet at a local gas station, but in hindsight, I think that was the easiest way to do it. read more

I definitely recommend going with Ventura Surf School if you're interested in trying surfing for the first time or refreshing skills you may have acquired previously. It was excellent value for the money. From the beginning Evan at Momentum Surf Shop was really pleasant to deal with and made organizing the lesson and all the gear (boards, wet suits) extremely easy over the phone/email. My friends and I just needed to show up at Mondos beach the day of the lesson. At the lesson itself our instructor Andy seemed to teach us all the right things in terms of how to pop-up and some of the ground rules/etiquette for when you're in the water with other surfers. Andy was very encouraging and supportive and everyone in our group stood up at least once, which was quite exciting for all of us. Generally the customer service in all my dealings with Ventura Surf School was excellent. They were focused on everyone having a good time and just seemed like nice people to work with. read more

A great experience - from the time I called Evan on a busy Saturday morning to see if my 17 yr old son could possibly have a lesson same day, until we waved goodbye to Catherine, our instructor. Evan was very professional, polite, honest, and accommodating. Catherine was knowledgeable, polite, and very encouraging. I really appreciate her willingness to take us on last minute as well as her enthusiasm during the lesson. I would definitely do this again and would recommend them to anyone else! read more

Called the night before and had no problems setting up a private lesson for my son. A little mix up with the time, but Eric was a great teacher. My son loved it and got up on his second try. He spent the rest of the 2 hours surfing and loving it! Board and wetsuit was provided and was a great fit to my son. Great company and if we lived closed and had the time that trip would done another day. Very happy with lesson. Thank you, Eric! read more

Husband, son, and I had great first surf with instructor, Eric. Eric was very chill, patient, and encouraging. Great at explaining the basic moves and how to stay safe. Caught some waves first time out. Highly recommend! read more

Loved our lesson! We're sitting having lunch after our lesson and working on planning our next one! Eric and Evan were great at giving us just enough info to get us up, without overloading us. My husband and I got up a few times and we're totally ready for more. So glad we found the right instructors! Can't recommend them enough. read more