Private Surf Lesson for Beginners in Santa Monica: 2 Hours

Two hours on the water learning to read waves, not just stand up

A two-hour private surf lesson in Santa Monica teaches you how to catch and ride waves all the way to shore, starting with 30 minutes of beach instruction on safety and paddling technique, then the rest of the time in the water. Your instructor has at least five years of experience and uses custom-made beginner boards designed in California for optimal learning. Live guides speak English, Spanish, Portuguese or French, and pickup is included.

The experience

Two hours breaks into 30 minutes on the beach and the rest in the water. The beach time covers the fundamentals: how to read a wave, where to position yourself, how to paddle past the break, and the habits that separate someone who can stand up from someone who can actually surf. Most surf schools stop there. This one keeps going. The remaining time is yours to practice catching waves and riding them to shore, with your instructor in the water watching how you're reading the ocean and adjusting what you need.

The boards are custom-made here in California specifically for beginners, which means they're more forgiving than rental stock and built to help you learn faster. You get a warm, well-maintained wetsuit and an instructor who's been teaching this for at least five years. Everyone on the team is American Red Cross certified. Pickup is included, so if you're staying in Santa Monica or nearby without a car, you don't arrange transport separately.

The lesson works for ages three and up and doesn't require any prior experience or particular fitness level. If surfing is something you want to actually learn rather than just check off, the difference between a school that gets you standing and one that teaches you to read waves shows up immediately in how the ocean feels on your second day.

What’s included

• Two-hour private instruction with a guide fluent in English, Spanish, Portuguese or French.
• custom-made beginner surfboard.
• warm wetsuit.
• hotel or local pickup.
• beach instruction on wave reading, safety and paddling technique.
• water time to practice catching and riding waves.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (18 to 90 years) · Child (3 to 17 years) · Under 3: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 11 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessiblePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Badass Surf School

Is this one for you?Pickup is included, so you don't need a car or need to figure out how to get to the beach. That's settled before you arrive. The private format means your instructor adjusts the pace to what you're actually learning, not to a group schedule, which matters if you want to understand how to read waves rather than just get through the motions.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

25 verified traveler reviews

5 ★25

4 ★0

3 ★0

2 ★0

1 ★0

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 17 years). Children under 3 can't be included in the booking.

What's the difference between this lesson and just renting a board and going out?

A private lesson teaches you how to read waves and position yourself to catch them, not just how to pop up on a board. The 30 minutes of beach instruction covers safety, paddling technique, and the habits that let you actually surf rather than just fall off. Your instructor stays in the water with you the whole time, adjusting what you're doing in real time.

Do I need to know how to swim to take this lesson?

The lesson is suitable for all physical fitness levels and doesn't require prior swimming experience, though comfort in the ocean helps. Your instructor will work with you on paddling and positioning in the water, and the beach instruction covers everything you need to know before you paddle out.

What happens if I can't stand up on the board?

Standing up is not the goal: reading waves and knowing where to be on them is. The lesson teaches you how to catch a wave in the right spot and ride it all the way to shore. Some people stand up their first time. Others take a few more tries. Either way, you're learning the skills that make you a real surfer, not just someone who fell off a board once.

How does pickup work?

Pickup is included in the lesson price. You'll be picked up from your hotel or location in Santa Monica, then brought to the beach for your lesson. If you're staying elsewhere in the area, let the school know your location when you book.

What should I bring or wear?

Bring a towel and a change of clothes. The school provides a custom beginner board, a warm wetsuit, and all the instruction you need. Wear something easy to change out of, and bring sunscreen if you want extra protection: the sun reflects off the water.