North Shore Beginner Surf Lesson, Hawaii

Recommended by 93% of travelers

Oahu, USA

Great choice

5+ bookings last month.

2 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.7

· Justin_D ·

Sep 2025

I had never been surfing before, and Travis was a great surf instructor! He was really helpful with giving me an overview before getting into the water and on the board. And once we were in the water, he helped me paddle out and spotted waves that I could surf. Was able to get on the board every time. Would highly recommend!

· Genet_W ·

Mar 2026

It was our first time surfing and our teacher was amazing. We felt safe in his hands and it was great experience! Would recommend.

Explore our promoted experiences

Family, Private & Group Surfing Lessons, Waikiki Courtesy Shuttle

Oahu, Hawaii

5.0

(225)

Family, Private & Group Surfing Lessons, Waikiki Courtesy Shuttle

from $107

Open Group Surfing Lesson in Waikiki, Hawaii

Oahu, Hawaii

4.7

(587)

Open Group Surfing Lesson in Waikiki, Hawaii

from $112

Family, Private & Group Bodyboard Lessons in Waikiki

Oahu, Hawaii

5.0

(104)

Family, Private & Group Bodyboard Lessons in Waikiki

from $119

Viator earns higher commissions on experiences featured here

Overview

Hawaii's North Shore is one of the world's most famous surf spots. Try your hand at the water sport during your time in Oahu with this beginner surf lesson. Join a small group and learn about proper techniques on the sand as well as ocean etiquette. Then, it's time to hit the water to try and catch some waves while your instructor is on standby.

Learn the ancient Hawaiian sport of surfing in Oahu
All necessary surfing equipment is provided
Choose from a morning or afternoon lesson
A small group means more attention from your guide

What's Included

Surf board
All the equipment you would need

Private transportation

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

62-595 Kamehameha Hwy, Haleiwa, HI 96712, USA
Check in and meeting place is at Surf N Sea Surf Shop. Staff will check you in and direct you where to meet your instructor. Then in your own vehicle you will drive to the surf spot with the best conditions for the days lesson. **TRANSPORTATION NOT PROVIDED**

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Waialua Bay

Haleiwa

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Service animals allowed
Infants must sit on laps
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions

Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
Group surf lessons are for children 13 years old and above. Children under the age of 13 requires a Private Lesson.
Must able to swim!
Not recommended for travelers with back or knee problems
No recent surgeries
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 4 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.7

based on 115 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

It was our first time...

Genet_W, Mar 2026

It was our first time surfing and our teacher was amazing. We felt safe in his hands and it was great experience! Would recommend.

I had never been surfing...

Justin_D, Sep 2025

Great time

Mackenzie_R, Jul 2025

Great experience. Knowledgeable and patient instructor. Our daughter had a great time. And the North Shore is amazing!

Beginners Luck

Nakeisha_P, Jul 2025

Despite getting lost driving and being 20 minutes late they help guide us to where we needed to be!!! Thank God lessons were great my teenagers had a good time and learned quickly that surfing is not easy 🤣

Amazing!

Tate_S, May 2025

Super chill instructor, very kind and forgiving. Had zero prior experience and now feel good going into surfing by myself.

Totally. Dude.

Kellie_g, May 2025

The kids really enjoyed their surf lessons- Henry was patient and even got them up on the board! They had a good time. One would very much surf again. The other reports it was a lot of work and will pass, but are so very glad she tried it.

Beginner Surf Lesson/Session

Cynthia_L, Apr 2025

We had a great time with Surf N Sea. Our coach Henry was straight forward with instructions and made sure it was a safe and fun first experience surfing! Both of us got up several times. Would definitely sign up again the next time we visit!

Awesome

Mia_M, Mar 2025

Great time. My teenager daughter’s surfed successfully for the first time ever. It was safe and their favorite part of our trip. Highly recommend and would do this many times over. Henry was a great instructor. He was patient, kind and informative. Thank you 😊

Worth it!

Nathan_H, Mar 2025

We had Henry as our instructor. He was super helpful and a great teacher. My friends and I were all beginners and he did a great job of teaching us the basics. Would definitely recommend to anyone visiting Oahu.

Enjoyable Instruction

kristirenee24, Jan 2025

Henry, my instructor, was helpful and encouraging. The conditions weren't ideal, but I enjoyed the experience and look forward to taking more lessons in future.

Killer Experience!

Brian_P, Jan 2025

Great Surf Shop and Instructor! It was an excellent first experience and introduction to surfing. North Shore is really cool! Was able to stand up and ride a few waves all the way in. 100% will be back!

Just sign up and try it!

Amy_L, Nov 2024

Can not recommend enough. Eric was patient, explained in detail, and was encouraging. I am 50 and have always wanted to try, 10/10 experience.

Excellent instruction...

Sean_S, Oct 2024

Excellent instruction from Henry. Taught us the basics and did an amazing job helping us catch waves. If you want to try surfing, this is the place to go

Shaka!

barbara_s, Sep 2024

Henry was great, giving tips and instructions as we went along. So glad I was able to ride the waves! So much fun! Great all round experience. I definitely recommend!

First time surfing 🏄🏻‍♀️

Liz_N, Aug 2024

The staff (1 woman in the shop, 1 woman outside the shop) who helped check me in at the initial meeting location were both super friendly and helpful! The instructor (Henry) was a great teacher, supportive, encouraging, and just overall friendly as well! Also, Terrance was helping people out in the water who were getting tired from paddling in and out—so very appreciative of his kindness and assistance🙏🏽 Definitely recommend!!

Surf lesson experience

Lucas_H, Jun 2024

Great experience and well worth it! I was able to surf for the first time with thorough explanation from the instructor.

Successful surfing lesson!

Lauren_W, May 2024

This was a great experience for anyone looking to just try out surfing for the first time. Tanner took us out and was excellent at teaching us the etiquette and technique for surfing. We even got up on the boards and found some success in it! He helped us pick out which waves we were going to surf and made the overall lesson very personable. Thank you, we would 10/10 do this again!

Great instructor surfing lessons

Lorenzo_A, May 2024

Great instructor made learning surfing easy. Very friendly and mindful of everyone's safety, would come again

Awesome time! We wanna come back!!

Amanda_M, Apr 2024

Awesome experience with our instructor. Our group was only of 3 which was great and the spot where he took us was very chill and easy for the learning experience. Would definitely do it again!!

Surfing

Nadine_H, Apr 2024

The boys had a lot of fun. They both were able to stand up & surf. Only negative is that it was a group lesson & time had to be shared. Would do it again.

Surf N Sea is a MUST DO

Ted_W, Apr 2024

It was our first time surfing and I cannot emphasize how phenomenal our experience was. Henry was our surf instructor and we truly got blessed. He taught us surf etiquette, how wave breaks work, how to time the waves, and how to surf. This was invaluable in building confidence to one day surf on our own. As we waited for waves, we chatted and laughed with Henry who was charismatic and incredibly knowledgeable. He truly provided us the whole package from learning how to surf to making sure we all caught a wave. Don't hesitate to have Surf N Sea show you an awesome Hawaii surf day. It was easily the highlight of my trip - and a day journey to the North Shore is a must for any visitor to Oahu.

Mark was a really good...

Channey_K, Mar 2024

Mark was a really good instructor. Felt safe, had lots of fun, and even sighted a whale! Would definitely recommend it for beginner surfers as I’d only been surfing once and caught a few waves!

Awesome experience!

Arin_R, Mar 2024

Great experience and so much fun! Our instructor was so good and I was able to get up on the second wave! Definitely recommend!!

Excellent Experience

William_J, Jan 2024

Instructor was patient, knowledgeable and encouraging. Plus it's a great water sport shop with everything you need for the experience. I highly recommend them.