DanSurf

Had my first ever surf lesson with Dan yesterday and had a great time. He runs his own business so you meet right at the Thalia Street Beach. (not a store front) He brought a beginner board and wet suite options for me to pick from; I chose the full suit due to the water being a bit chilly. Dan gave several good safety instructions to prevent getting pummeled by the waves and was extremely patient with my attempts. Surfing is definitely challenging and requires being in decent shape. It’s unrealistic to expect to be a pro after one lesson, as it takes a great deal of practice, but I got a good sense of the fundamentals and was able to get up a couple times for a short time. It was a good workout and lots of fun. I would definitely recommend Dan for a lesson!

Just did my very first surfing this afternoon. Thanks to Dan, My friend and I had a super good time! Dan is very professional and attentive. With his help, I did pop-​up and stand up on the board. Thanks Dan!

Dan is an amazing surf instructor! He is very patient and gives perfect instructions. I highly recommend DanSurf.

Awesome experience with Dan! Each lesson is 2 hours long. Booked 2 lessons with him. 20 min of basics and then straight into the water. The second lesson we pretty much went straight into the water since we covered the basics the first time. He would watch out for good waves to catch that were appropriate for your skill level. Very professional and friendly. Really a quality experience and will be booking more lessons in the future when I’m in town again. Thanks again, Dan!

I can’t say enough great things about Dan! My boyfriend was dying to try surfing for the first time and we couldn’t have asked for a better teacher. Dan was very professional — on time, brought surf boards and a few wet suits to try to fit him. He did a short land instruction and then they jumped in the water, where he did catch a few waves. Our biggest concern was safety, but rest assured, Dan is very safety conscious and put us both at ease. While in the water, he talked about how to improve on the waves he caught and what to look for when trying to catch one. Highly recommend him to all beginners!

Dan is a surf teacher rock star! He had my two daughters ages 8yrs and 11yrs up on the boards on their first runs. And many more times during the two hour lesson. Had a blast. Dan is kind, gracious and genuine. Highly recommend!

Booked 2 lessons with Dan for my teenage daughter and friend.
Dan was on time, professional, and provided the wetsuits and boards.
He is extremely knowledgable about surfing and is a patient and kind instructor. Both girls were able to get up and had a really terrific time.
The beach where Dan conducts the lessons is perfect for beginners.
Be sure to bring plenty of quarters to feed the meters in Laguna Beach.
Highly recommend DanSurf and we will definitely be returning for more lessons.

Had a lesson with Dan early last month after staying for a couple days at the Montage Resort. I have had a lesson before in Hawaii but Dan was hands down a better experience, He’s very knowledgeable and I would definitely recommend him to anyone from beginner to someone wanting to take their surf skills to the next level. My sister has been wanting a lesson so we will be calling him very soon. Hang Ten!

My daughter, 8 years old, had her first surf lesson with Dan. He was so kind and patient with her. He never rushed her, he made her feel very confident. She had a great time and loved her experience. Dan came with a full wet suit just her size and a great board for beginners. He made sure the swells would be great for her (1 – 2′). After the lesson, he gave us some great tips for her future as a surfer and where to go to get some great discount gear. Dan was a perfect teacher!

Having taken surfing lessons before in San Diego, I thought I would give this is a try with some friends who had never gone. For about $ 90/​each in a group on three people, we met Dan on a Saturday morning on the corner of Thalia Street in Laguna Beach. I had no idea what to expect. Below is a summary of the two hour experience.
I arrived early and paid for metered parking on PCH, and met Dan at his truck where he presented the boards and wetsuits. The wetsuit size discussion and dimensions (height, weight) were reported before at the time of reservation. After issuing payment at his truck and signing waivers, each person took their board, followed Dan down the street and down steps to the beach.
After changing into our wetsuits on the beach, we quickly checked out the waves. It turned out to be a day where the sets were coming in quick and from two different directions. Not the best or worst conditions. However, the early swells were at a perfect height for learning. I also ascertained, through Dan, to watch out for rocks below. I still couldn’t avoid getting my feet cut, as constant swells made it hard to paddle out.
After changing, and before heading out, Dan showed us the basic pop up move. While I wished he had taken a bit more time to show us techniques, like in finding your balance on the board and to practice it, we went right out onto the water in about ten minutes. I felt like we went right out to practice, or eat waves trying. My arms were very tired in the process of paddling, and while I couldn’t understand how to get traction and speed until much later, Dan was very patient and calm. We discussed stories in between swells to relax, and I asked as many questions as I could. Now this is the understated part of the experience and the message that you should ask as many questions as possible. That is, communicate and let him know what you feel comfortable, don’t understand, or find difficult. Through this process I felt like I got the most bang for my buck, and understood how to watch for better sets in the process.
Two tired hours later, I felt satisfied in my experience eating many waves (I didn’t get to stand up) although I wish I had tried getting onto more swells. I guess that is the bug, right? Either way, I found the experience rewarding and better than taking a larger class. I also recommend going onto YouTube and watching someone discuss the fundamentals of getting up on a board and teach you about the basics of surfing. This way you’ll be ahead of the curve when you arrive to class, and will be more likely to have a better experience. I would try this again, and am happy for the experience I had at DanSurf.

Great surf lesson. I am a total beginner, and Dan was a very knowledgeable and patient instructor.

Dan’s the man! Great time, good price, and good dude. Highly recommended.

My wife and I were in Laguna Beach for our 5 year Anniversary in May and we decided to try some surfing lessons. Dan was great! Very personable, worked at our pace, and was very patient with us in trying to get up on the board a few times! Overall his knowledge of the ocean patterns (including safe times to go), the beach we surfed out of, and surfing were top notch. DEFINITELY WOULD RECOMMEND! Dan was a nice guy.

My dad and I took lessons with Dan during a vacation in Laguna. Dan was extremely professional, helpful, and safe throughout the process. Each aspect of Dan’s approach is crafted with utmost customer satisfaction in mind and we had a total blast as a result. Thanks Dan!

Dan is a great guy. He’s easy to work with and a good, patient, instructor. I highly recommend Dan for surfing lessons at Laguna Beach. Thanks, Dan.

Dan is super nice and I had an AWESOME day! I totally recommend this to anyone who wants to learn how to surf. I have had zero surfing experience before this, but Dan made it super easy and fun for me and I was standing up pretty quick. Laguna beach where we go surfing is very nice and full of wild life. I had a great experience with Dan!

Me and my 9 year old son had a great day with Dan on Saturday. He was great with my son and had him up and riding waves to the beach in no time. To see the enthusiasm, excitement and confidence of my son through the day was priceless and it’s because of Dan’s patience, support and ability to coach and relate to a young guy just learning we’re on the way to a lot of fun together. Thanks Dan for a great day!

Had a great lesson with my 16 year old son thas past week.
Dan is very personable and a great teacher. All aspects of safety and the technical details were presented before entering the water.
Most all of the lesson is conducted in the water. Dan supplies the wetsuit if needed and the board. He has the best pricing by far for a 2 hour lesson and has a vast amount of past experience teaching for larger companies.
Go see Dan and get your surf on!

Great surfing lesson on beautiful Laguna Beach. A brochure strategically placed near the front desk of my hotel first tipped me off to check out Dan’s surfing lessons. I booked same day, and the price was very reasonable compared to the competitors nearby. The equipment was new and the wet suite fit great (don’t be alarmed when he asks for your height and weight). I had zero experience with surfing, or any water sports for that mater, and I had a blast!
The two hour private lesson was conducted almost entirely in the water and it was a beautiful day. Dan made sure I rode as many (size appropriate) waves as I could fit into that time frame and always gave me a push so I could go fast enough to actually catch the wave. Dan also knew when the big waves were coming and how best to avoid getting pummeled (paddle into them or swim underneath). Be prepared for a workout and wear sunblock :-)
Dan used to work for the bigger surf lessons school in Laguna and just went solo. I would encourage everyone to support this new small business — you’ll have a great time doing it!