Surf at or near hotel, Hawaii?
 

Looking to do a trip to Hawaii this spring, not sure about island yet. Looking at Maui, but not firm. Would love to be able to do a little surfing right at or near the hotel. Anybody got any experience with hotels that have this nice type of location and surfable waves? Likely to be in feb or march. thanks.

Waikiki or North Shore, Oahu fit what you describe.

Not talking the banzai pipeline, but surfers are on the beach at the Whale Watcher's Village hotels outside Lahaina.

What do I know about surfing?? Of what I saw while lounging on the beach though.. on the South shore of Kauai/Poipu, around Kiahuna Plantation.. should be a good time and place..

Anna

Wildlawnc, are you a beginning surfer? If yes, I think then Waikiki on Oahu would be best. If not, you have a lot of options with good ones already mentioned.

Had a great time learning to surf at Kalama Park in Kihei, not far from Wailea. There was a great peruvian surfer that taught me. I can't remember his name. But he lived with his son across the street from the park. I'm sure if you ask around, someone will know.

My daughter took first-time surfing lessons at Kiahuna last July.

Not beginner, been surfing since my teens, but very sporadically for the past decade, as I'm now a desk jockey. Would consider myself intermediate, as I don't need to learn. Any recs/experience with the hotels mentioned in the above posts? Thanks.

Actually, when we were at Kiahuna for her lesson, the beginners were close in with the instructor, but there were a fair number of "real surfers" farther out. Again, this was July -- I don't know anything about the conditions in Feb-Mar.

Princeville Hotel overlooks a world class right hand reef break. Feb and march is prime time for Hanalei. Weather can be a factor during these months, and its been a rainy and windy winter so far! The hotels on the south shore overlooks some fun breaks, but this is off season for the south shore.

To get good surfing recommendations I would check with local surf shops-they know the areas better than anyone and generally give good advice. you could probably email them prior to going.

Along the lines of nanabee above, if you are in Waikiki, just go down to the beach and look for the local surfer to talk to for recommedations.

Right on the beach outside of Duke's on Waikiki is the surf shack owned by Duke's family... my kids got 1 hour lessons for $40 each and there is a photo booth nearby that will take your picture surfing from right in the water!!! that was a great keepsake (if you can stand up)... they'll put your pics on a dvd to travel home better...

swells are around 3-5' in kihei/wailea and may need to go out about 100yds for more on a longboard near kihei, good for standup paddling, tho. lahaina's puamana is good for beg/int. try hookipa.

Sounds like you're still going to need a spot that's tame for a desk jockey. Feb-March is when Winter swell is pumping on the north shore of all islands. I would pick Kauai for your best chances. If you want something more heavy, go to Oahu. But I don't recommend this for you. South shore will likely not have waves anywhere, but you never know.

Definitely not looking to charge the N. Shore Oahu, and certainly looking for something more "tame", but not looking for soft-top knee high crumbler-style either. Something in the waist-head range, not too hollow, not too steep/fast would be perfect, but then I guess that's alot of people' dream list anyway.--Steve