A visit to Los Angeles, California isn’t complete without visiting its world-famous beaches, and there is no better way to enjoy them than by surfing in LA! There are several experienced surf schools to choose from that provide private surf lessons and surfboard rentals in Los Angeles. A solid strategy is vital to your success in enjoying surfing and experiencing epic waves in California. Whether you’re an experienced shredder or wish to learn to surf in LA while maximizing your fun and safety, we have you covered. Below we’ll share our experience, so you may get adequately stoked and hopefully prevent unnecessary wipeouts on your trip!
Before charging the beach for some waves, you should consider:
- What nearby beaches may you find surfboard rentals and surfing lessons?
- What is the best beach for beginner surfers?
- When is the best time of day to enjoy riding the waves?
- How do you prepare for a day in the waves?
- How can you check if the waves will be good for learning?
- And most importantly, how do you maximize your fun by maximizing your safety? It’s a lot, but we have some info to get you started.
SURFBOARD RENTALS IN SANTA MONICA
LET’S START WITH WHERE TO RENT SURFBOARDS IN LOS ANGELES:
Home to the world-famous Santa Monica Pier (aka the 8th most Instagrammed place in the WORLD), Santa Monica has excellent waves for learning and the right people to help you catch the waves! Whether you’re renting surfboards and wetsuits or looking for a private lesson from a professional surf instructor, they’ve got you covered.
The most important thing to consider is safety, and we recommend that you check the surf forecast to make sure the waves are a good size for learning. Anything over 4ft on the surf forecast is generally too big for beginners learning how to surf in LA. Surfline is an excellent resource to see the current Santa Monica Surf conditions. You may also ask any beach lifeguard or a reputable surf school if the ocean conditions are safe; they’re the experts. We recommend planning your beginner sessions when the waves are 1 to 3 feet high when there is a mid to low tide, and when it is not too windy (typically in the late afternoon).
Rental Information
Aqua Surf School offers soft surfboard rentals available by the day for $45 during the hours of 8:00am – 4:00pm. You can reserve ahead of time by contacting us (recommended), or you can walk up to one of our beach locations.
Aqua Surf offers wetsuit rentals that are $25 for the day. Our selection of surfboards and wetsuits is pretty extensive, and usually, our quiver of rentals can accommodate all surfers (levels, sizes, and preferences). Please feel free to make arrangements if you need rentals for a few days or outside our regular hours. Our hardboard rentals are more expensive and require a deposit.