Customer Testimonials

Don't take our word for it, hear from happy customers!

wave santa barbara surf school image

Santa Barbara Surf School Reviews

” I loved my lesson and my instructor (Jacob) was great! Every time I had a question or concern throughout my lesson he always had an answer for me that helped me do better and feel more comfortable. He was very encouraging as this was my first time ever surfing. I was afraid the 1.5 hours wasn’t going to be enough time but we got right in the water after a short beach lesson so my water time was maximized and I was thoroughly tired by the end! Mitch was very responsive and helpful via email as well to secure my lesson and I was called ahead of my lesson to verify where we were meeting. They also have a 24 hour cancellation policy which was helpful because my plans could’ve changed last minute. I would highly recommend this company and the surf experience!”
Brittany S

Google Reviews

TripAdvisor Reviews

Santa Barbara surf beach sunset image
“The surf lesson was an amazing experience because the instructors were thorough and fun. I am scared of the ocean, but they motivated me to give it a try. I was able to stand up on the board and find a new appreciation for surfing!”
Sarah 21
“The instructor (Nathan) was patient and experienced and really allowed for a great surf lesson. I was a bit nervous at first, but he made me feel completely at ease and his instruction me allowed me to be successful in my first lesson. I look forward to coming back in the future!”
Grace 16
“I have never done Stand Up Paddle and when I realized I booked it on a morning that the wind decided to kick up and the rip currents came in early, I was concerned that this would be a huge waste of money and no fun!! My experience could not have been any better! First of all, the instructor Connor was so very comforting, friendly and non-judgmental. He saw my concern and worked with me to learn what I could since it was my first time on a board with no leash and turbulent waves. Then he called to his co-worker in the bay and asked if I could come over. So I had about 30 minutes of preliminary instruction which was excellent and then drove to the bay. I had 1 1/2 hrs with the second instructor who could not have been sweeter. My time was not cut and I received a full session. The instruction was so perfect I stood up immediately and the rest was just wonderful ! The most impressive part of this entire journey was how much attention to detail I received from both instructors. This company does their homework before hiring. I guarantee you will have an amazing experience with people you would want to call “friend” after it’s all done. Also worth mentioning the owner himself Mitch who is so nice emailed me back right away to answer my questions and pricing is very reasonable for their adventures. A quality time guaranteed!!”
Dawn
“Five 50-ish women + five surfboards + instructors Nathan and Andrew = awesome time catching our first “sets”. It was the end of a great week in Carp/SB of hiking, golfing, cycling so we decided to try something new. Nathan and Andrew were professional, fun and instructive. I got up on my first wave! and highly recommend them!!”
Jennifer
“Everybody in this operation was top notch. Very responsive and stayed with my family longer than our allotted time to make sure we got the best experience – it even involved switching locations. I truly appreciate, Nate and the rest of the team.”
From Paris France
“My husband and I took surf lessons a couple weeks ago and our entire experience with them was awesome. We were thinking we’d be with a group of people but it was only the two of us which was nice. Our instructor, Nathan, was awesome! Being the first time either of us surfed, he made us feel very comfortable out in the water and was very patient and helpful. We could not have asked for a better instructor for our first time surfing. The company offers a variety of activities and rentals, we will for sure go with these guys for our next adventure in Santa Barbara!”
Sarah K
“I brought a group of college students who had been doing service over the weekend and then had a surf lesson with Santa Barbara Fitness Tours. The group had a blast and the instructors were great with working with everyone, and very patient as they helped everyone learn how to surf. Overall, it was a great experience and I would definitely keep them in mind when planning my next service trip to Santa Barbara!!activities.”
Greg Scott
“Thank you for the great service in helping us plan a surf lesson for our 9 year old daughter. Our instructor Nathan was awesome and fun! He knew just how to make this lesson a special memory for our daughter. He was patient and relaxed and made her feel really comfortable learning to surf. I would highly recommend this team.”
Hailey
“Our Surfing lessons with Nathan were simply fantastic. SB were reliable, efficient and good value, but above all friendly, enthusiastic and engaging. The surf lessons for our 2 children (12 and 8) were one of the highlights of their 4 week California holiday (so they must have enjoyed themselves!). Throughout, it felt as though you were out with a friend (who knew their stuff) rather than with an instructor simply going through their paces. We had initially only booked one session, but ended up going a second time – if we’d been in Santa Barbara for longer than 3 days I am sure we would have also booked some mountain biking and kayaking. The simply fact is the company were spot on and (certainly) if you are traveling long distance (in our case from the UK) you want to get fun stuff right – we highly recommend this company and will undoubtedly look them up again when we are next in town.”
Roy H
“My daughter (51 years) and her two sons (14 years & 12 years) were visiting from Michigan during their school spring break, and they wanted to learn to surf. We arranged for an instructor, “Nathan”, who was superb. He was knowledgeable, personable, gentle, and professional. All gear was furnished, including wet suits, leashes, booties, surfboards, and was in pristine condition. We were kept informed of the surf conditions from moment to moment at different beach locations, and moved to alternate areas when the tidal/weather circumstances dictated. As a result, everyone was able to ‘get up on the board and surf, standing up, during the very first 1&1/2 hour lesson. What a thrill! We can’t say enough good things about this organization and crew. We recommend this company whole heartedly. If you want to learn to surf, you can’t do better than.”
Larry B
Reserve your Surf Lesson