About

Some training… some paddling… and a little nudge over the edge…

Starting out surfing is a humbling and amazing experience that demands respect for oneself, other surfers and, above all, the power and beauty of the ocean. We’d like to help you into this experience.

At Santa Cruz Surf School you will be getting lessons from educated, positive surfers who have dedicated their lives to knowing and appreciating the spots they surf and teach at. Our instructors are highly qualified, mature, lifelong Santa Cruz Surfers certified in Lifeguarding, First Aid and CPR. You can pick from male or female instructors who are some of the most patient people you’ll ever meet. If you like a particular instructor, please request them for your following classes and they will work with you as you progress.

We are striving to maintain a healthy balance in the water, so as many people as possible can enjoy the Sport of Kings, while having as small an impact as possible on other locals’ home breaks. To do this, we maintain that learning surf etiquette and water safety comes first, and we teach our beginning classes exclusively at Santa Cruz’s best beginner’s surf spot: Cowell’s.

Surfers you see today at the top spots with the best waves have likely been surfing throughout their entire lives. Many of them had parents who surfed and passed down the skill. At Santa Cruz Surf School, we realize that many people who didn’t grow up around surf and surfing have not had this opportunity, and we’d like to give it to them.

Santa Cruz Surf School believes that surfing is a rare chance to see a side of life most people never knew existed– and we’d like to extend that opportunity to anyone with a desire to learn. For that reason, we also offer “scholarships” (free lessons) to kids from low-income families. If you feel you or your child may qualify for this program, please contact us for more information.