Surf lessons in Santa Cruz since 2011
Learning the ocean's rhythm, one wave at a time.
Lessons, summer camps and board rentals on Cowell Beach, the gentlest wave in Santa Cruz. Board and wetsuit always included.
Book a lesson
Rent a board
4.9 from 840 reviews
Licensed and insured
9 in 10 stand up on day one
One beach, sixteen years
We teach on one wave and know it by heart: the long, slow rollers at Cowell's, the sandy bottom, the wharf that keeps the wind off, and the hour near sunset when the whole bay goes still.
June Okamura learned to surf at Cowell's at eleven, spent nine summers as an ocean lifeguard, and opened the school with six soft-tops and a borrowed van. Mateo Ruelas, our head coach, runs the camps and the dawn sessions. Fourteen coaches in summer, every one of them a local who surfs here all year.
Every coach CPR, first aid and open-water rescue certified
Four students per coach, never more
4/3mm wetsuits with booties, washed and dried every night
Two hours, a coach, and your first wave.
Every lesson starts on the sand and ends with you catching waves on your own. Board, wetsuit and photos of your best wave are always included.
Most booked
Group lesson
Two hours, four students per coach at most. Twenty minutes on the sand, then waves until you're catching them yourself.
9am
11:30am
4:30pm glass-off
$115
a person
Book a group lesson
Private lesson
Two hours, one coach just for you. Bring a friend for $85 more.
$185
Family lesson
Two hours, up to four of you with one coach. Kids 7 and up.
$340
Dawn patrol
Women's session, 90 minutes, Saturdays at 7am.
$95
Five-lesson pack
Five group lessons at $99 each. Use them any time this year.
$495
If the surf is too big or too small, we move your lesson or refund it in full. You choose.
Questions? Call or text (831) 555-0163
The glass-off.
Near sunset the wind dies down.
The whole bay goes smooth as glass.
The waves keep coming, slow and clean.
It's the best hour to learn, so it's when we teach. Every day at 4:30pm.
Book the glass-off
Kids 7 to 15
Five mornings. One camp contest.
Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm, June 15 through August 21. Snacks at the break are on us, and so is Friday's barbecue.
$495
a week, board and wetsuit included
Save a spot
Monday
Water safety, reading the ocean, and first waves.
Tuesday
The pop-up, over and over, until it's automatic.
Wednesday
Turning, and reading which wave in the set to take.
Thursday
Paddling out past the whitewater.
Friday
The camp contest, then a beach barbecue for the families at noon.
From the barn to the break.
No experience needed. You only need to be comfortable in water over your head.
01
Book a lesson
Online, or call or text. Pick the lesson, the day and the time. We text you the night before with the surf report.
02
Meet at the barn
Twenty minutes early. We fit your wetsuit and pick a board for your height and weight.
03
Twenty minutes on the sand
Paddling, the pop-up, where to sit and how to fall. Then a five-minute walk to the water.
04
In the water
Your coach stays with you the whole way, pushing you into waves until you're catching them yourself.
Waist-high rollers
Sandy bottom
Water 52–58°F
4/3mm wetsuits
Sea otters on the kelp
Photos of your best wave
16
years teaching at Cowell's
22,000
students in the water
90%
stand up on their first day
4.9
stars from 840 reviews
Boards by the day.
From our board barn, a five-minute walk down to Cowell Beach. Lockers and hot showers are free.
Soft-top beginner board
The board every lesson uses
$35
a day
Soft-top and wetsuit
Everything you need for Cowell's
$50
a day
Hard board
A funboard or a longboard
$45
a day
Wetsuit
4/3mm, with booties
$20
a day
Any board for the week
Seven days, swap it any time
$160
a week
Reserve a board
Get directions
Heard on the sand.
4.9 from 840 reviews
“I'm 52 and had never stood on a board. Mateo had me riding a wave all the way to the sand in the first hour. I've booked the five-pack.”
Denise, Seabright
“Our two boys did the summer camp and now they wake us up at six to go surfing. Best $495 we spent all summer.”
Rafael and Kim, Live Oak
“The glass-off lesson is magic. The wind just stops, the water goes flat as a mirror, and the waves keep coming.”
Priya, Midtown
Before you paddle out.
Anything else? Call or text (831) 555-0163. A coach answers, not a call center.
Call or text us
Do I need any experience?
None at all. You need to be comfortable in water over your head. Nine out of ten of our students stand up on their first day.
How cold is the water?
About 52°F in spring and 58°F in late summer. Every lesson comes with a 4/3mm wetsuit and booties, washed and dried every night, and the hot showers at the barn are free.
How old do kids need to be?
Seven and up for lessons, with a family lesson if you'd like to surf together. Summer camp is for kids 7 to 15.
What if the surf is too big or too small?
We check it every morning. If it isn't right for learning, we move your lesson or refund it in full. You choose.
What should I bring?
A swimsuit to wear under the wetsuit, a towel and sunscreen. Lockers for keys and phones are free at the barn.
Will we see wildlife?
Often. Sea otters and harbor seals are regulars at Cowell's. We give them 50 feet and enjoy the show.
Glassoff Surf School
Your first wave starts here.
Pick a lesson, a day and a time. We text you to confirm, and again the night before with the surf report.
Call or text (831) 555-0163
hello@glassoffsurf.com
540 Bay St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
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