Surfing Waves

Hi everyone!

This summer I'll be on vacation for 4 weeks near San Jose.
Since I normally live far away from any ocean I want to use these weeks to start surfing.

Do you think it makes sense to take some beginner lessons in a surf school?
If yes, can you recommend a nice surf school in the Santa Cruz area?

Thanks in advance for your help!!

100% get lessons. I would suggest maybe 2-4hrs of lessons, then a break, then maybe in week 3 some more lessons (but, if possible, not beginner lessons - most schools will offer something for not total beginners; but of course depending on how much surfing you got done in the meantime). If you arent an ocean regular, getting lessons is even more important

Where - can't help!

Hi dtc!

Thank you for your answer! This sounds like an good plan

Hope,
It's a very short trip from San Jose to.Santa Cruz. I used to surf a lot in Santa Cruz when I lived in NorCal. My wife took several lessons from this surf school:

Richard Schmidt Surf School, Inc.
849 Almar Avenue, Box 192
Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Tel: (831) 423-0928
Fax: (831) 423-1643
surf@richardschmidt.com

Contacts: Marisa, Terri, Richard

You can take semi-private and private lessons.
Billie

Hope,
Be sure to go to the Santa Cruz Surf Museum. Information is provided below. Also, below is a list for all the surf shops in Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz Surf Museum in the Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse, located on West Cliff Drive at the Lane. Call it at 831- 420-6289 or log on to www.cruzio.com/arts/scva/surf.html<http://www.cruzio.com/arts/scva/surf.html>. It's open Thursday through Monday, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., in the winter, and Wednesday through Monday, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., in the summer.

Arrow Surf and Sport (West Side), 2322 Mission St., Santa Cruz, 831-423-8286
Arrow Surf and Sport (East Side), 312 Capitola Ave., Capitola, 831-475-8960
Cowell's Beach N Bikini Surf Shop, 30 Front St., Santa Cruz, 831-427-2355
Davenport Surfsail Repair and Equipment, 10 Marine View Ave., Davenport, 831-429-6051
Freeline Design Surfboards, 821 41st Ave., Santa Cruz, 831-476-2950
Haut Surf and Sailboards, 345 Swift St., Santa Cruz, 831-426-7874
La Selva Beach Surf Shop, 308 Playa Blvd., Watsonville, 831-684-0774
Nolands Sun and Surf, Municipal Wharf, Santa Cruz, 831-423-5500
O'Neill Surf Shop, 1149 41st Ave., Capitola, 831-475-4151
O'Neill at the Boardwalk, 400 Beach St., Santa Cruz, 831-459-9230
O'Neill Beach at the Yacht Harbor, 2222 East Cliff Dr., Santa Cruz, 831-476-5200
Pacific Wave, 1502 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, 831-458-9283
Paradise Surf Shop, 3961 Portola Dr,, Santa Cruz, 831-462-3880 or www.paradisesurf.com<http://www.paradisesurf.com>
Patagonia Santa Cruz, 415 River St. #C, Santa Cruz, 831-469-1945
Santa Cruz Surf Shop, 753 41st Ave., Santa Cruz, 831-464-3233 or www.santacruzsurf.com<http://www.santacruzsurf.com>

One final tip, Hope.

Pink Godzilla Sushi (conviently located to surfing and sun bathing beaches at Pleasure Point)
830 41st Ave
Santa Cruz, CA 95062
(831) 464-2586

Thanks for the info billie

Hi Billie,

Thank you very much for all the information!!!

The more information I get the more excited I get ... but still a few weeks to kill

Greetings and have a nice week,
hope

We offer surf lessons at Capitola Beach Company. Check out our blog post about the different places to surf and call us if you have questions http://www.capitolabeachcompany.com/santa-cruz-surfing-breaks/

Hey Capitola Beach Co.,
the 1st sentence on the 1st page for the link you provided says, "They don’t call this town Surf City for nothing!" This is a controversial statement because Huntington Beach, CA, by legal action, is Surf City. I'll readily admit, Santa Cruz has more consistent and more variable surf than Huntington Beach. Plus, Santa Cruz is more friendly and more cool.