Has any taken surfing lessons? My two teenagers want to learn. Is it worth it? Safe? We will be staying on Maui and Oahu.
Thanks!

I've taken surfing lessons in Wainscott (Long Island) and thoroughly enjoyed it. The trick, obviously, is to find a good instructor, and "private" lessons are way better than groups.

For first-timers, small waves with a long break are key.

I took a surfing lesson on Oahu this past March and absolutely loved it. It was one of the highlights of the vacation. I used Hawaiian Fire surf school. They are quite a bit more expensive than the beach boys along Waikiki Beach, but it was worth every penny. The beach they take you to is quite deserted, so you don't have to worry about all the other people in the water along Waikiki. They use large, soft foam boards with rubber fins, so if you were to get hit by the board, it would be less likely to injure you. I found standing up to be relatively easy- it was catching my own waves (without instructor pushing you) that was more difficult.

In Waikiki there are several beach boy stands by the Duke statue (near the beachside police station). Ask for the prices at all of them. Should be $35 or so for lessons, including your board. All of them are good, and a lot of fun. Just be sure to ask if the waves are surfable that day!

We've taken tons of teens here for lessons. All have been able to stand up and catch waves. I'm usually the designated photographer. Kid standing on surfboard with Diamond head in the background...That photo is always enlarged and framed!

Sometimes my husband does the teaching; when thats the case the kids just rent the long boards- about $12 for 2 hours.

Have your teens wear a tee shirt or a rash guard over their swimsuits to prevent chafing.

Thanks for the great tips!

also think about taking them out on the outriggers also found along the beach at Waikiki- closest thing to surfing without surfing - we thought it was a blast- we caught several waves where we just went flying - people were jumping off their boards to get out of our way

My friend's 14 yr old daughter took a surfing lesson on Maui in March from Maui Waveriders. She said it was great & she was able to get up on her first try!