California Surf Experience

What California Surf Experience does

California Surf Experience is a privately-held, founder-owned surf school and guiding service headquartered at Anita Street Beach in Laguna Beach, California. Founded in 2015 by World Surf League competitor Ryan Croteau and operating commercially since Spring 2017, the company offers a portfolio of in-water instruction and travel-related products, including private surf lessons, group surf lessons, after-school surf programs for youth, multi-day overnight surf camps, in-water surf guiding and coaching, guided surf excursions to other California breaks, and remote online coaching and trip-planning sessions. Service delivery relies on credentialed instructors (WSL competitors, watermen, and globally-traveling surfers), top-of-the-line equipment (wetsuits and surfboards), and CPR-certified, licensed, and insured staff, with sessions running 1.5 to 5 hours and operating year-round thanks to consistent Southern California swell.

The business operates as a direct-to-consumer service with no resellers or third-party distribution. Bookings are processed 24/7 through a FareHarbor-powered widget embedded in the company website, supplemented by phone, email, and on-site walk-up engagement, alongside a gift-card channel. Pricing is unit-based per person (or per private group) across tiers ranging from $75 youth sessions to $1,500 private-room surf camps; there are no subscription contracts aside from pay-as-you-go online coaching. Customer segments span first-time beginners, families and groups, adult and solo travelers, intermediate-to-advanced surfers seeking coaching and video analysis, youth enrolled in the after-school program, and tourists visiting the Orange County coast.

Geographically, the company is anchored in Laguna Beach and serves the broader Orange County market, including Irvine, Dana Point, San Clemente, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, and Long Beach, with a separate Surf Excursions brand (csxcursions.com) extending service to additional California breaks and online coaching reaching international destinations. The underlying technology stack is intentionally lean, comprising FareHarbor for booking and payments, Google Analytics and Pendo for site analytics, and standard social media integrations (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter), with no proprietary software, patents, or AI/ML components disclosed. Revenue is not publicly reported; the company has no external funding, no parent entity, and operates with 1–10 employees as a single-location micro-business.

Name

California Surf Experience

Legal name

California Surf Experience

Website

https://californiasurfexperience.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

California Surf Experience is a founder-owned surf school in Laguna Beach, California, offering private and group lessons, multi-day surf camps, youth after-school programs, guided excursions, and remote coaching to individual consumers, families, and tourists across the Orange County market.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Surf Instruction Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Surfing & Kitesurfing Experiences (Lessons, Camps) (THAJAJAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Surf Schools & Surf Camps (THAAAKAC), Surf, Kitesurf & Wind Sports Adventures (THAJABAK)

Keywords

• Surf instruction services
• Surf school programs
• Surf camps
• Water sports coaching
• Outdoor adventure services

Headquarters

HQ city

Laguna Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Surf Lessons: Private and group surf lessons offered at various price points. Includes equipment (wetsuits, surfboards), professional instruction, and safety training. Duration ranges from 1.5 to 5 hours.
2. Overnight Surf Camps: 6-night, 7-day surf camps with shared or private accommodations. Includes 10 surf sessions, professional coaching, equipment, and meals. Premium pricing for private room accommodation.
3. After School Surf Program: Seasonal after-school program running fall and winter, 3 days per week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday 3:30-5pm). Beginner and intermediate/advanced tiers. Equipment included.
4. Online Coaching & Trip Planning: 1-hour video call sessions with Coach Ryan Croteau for surf technique analysis, trip planning, and board selection advice. Remote service offering.
5. Surf Guiding & Coaching: Private surf guiding with expert surfers who provide pre-surf area breakdown, safety training, in-water coaching, and tips. Higher level coaching includes video review sessions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

California Surf Experience provides in-person surf instruction, guided surf tours, multi-day surf camps, and coaching programs for surfers of all skill levels, anchored at Anita Street Beach in Laguna Beach, California. Offerings include private lessons, group lessons, after-school youth programs, overnight surf camps, online video coaching, and surf excursions to other California breaks, with all necessary equipment (wetsuits and surfboards) provided.

Product overview

California Surf Experience is a surf school and adventure company offering a portfolio of surf instruction and guiding services centered in Laguna Beach, California. The core offering consists of Private Surf Lessons (individual instruction with expert watermen), Group Surf Lessons (mixed sessions for teens and adults), and Overnight Surf Camp (multi-day immersive experience with lodging). Supporting products include After School Surf Program for youth, Online Coaching & Trip Planning for virtual sessions, Surf Guiding & Coaching for in-water professional guidance, and Surf Excursions for guided adventures to breaks along the California coast. Founded by World Surf League competitor Ryan Croteau in 2015, the company positions itself as the #1 ranked surf school in Laguna Beach, emphasizing personalized instruction, professional coaching, and unforgettable California surf experiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Private Surf Lessons One-on-one personalized surf instruction with World Surf League competitors and professional watermen, including 1.5- to 5-hour sessions that cover pop-up technique, wave reading, paddling, ocean safety, and board maneuvering at Anita Street Beach. Equipment (wetsuit and surfboard) is included; suited for individuals, kids, families, and groups of any size.
• Group Surf Lessons 1.5-hour group surf lessons for ages 15+ and adults, taught by a local professional with wetsuits and beginner foam boards provided. Lessons focus on ocean safety, technique, and wave riding in mixed groups.
• After School Surf Program Fall and winter after-school surf program for young surfers meeting Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 3:30–5pm at Anita Street Beach, with separate beginner and intermediate/advanced tiers. Board and wetsuit are included, with a focus on safety, technique, ocean safety, and skill improvement.
• Online Coaching & Trip Planning 1-hour video call sessions with Coach Ryan Croteau covering surf technique analysis, footage review, trip planning for destinations such as Guatemala, Mexico, Indonesia, Florida, Nicaragua, Baja, Costa Rica, Panama, Puerto Rico, and Waco, plus tide chart reading and board selection advice.
• Surf Guiding & Coaching Expert surf guides provide pre-surf area breakdowns, safety training, in-water coaching, and tips, leading surfers to optimal spots based on skill level. Higher-level coaching includes video review sessions where technique is filmed and analyzed for improvement.
• Surf Excursions Guided surf adventures to various breaks outside of Laguna Beach, including day trips to destinations such as San Onofre State Beach and other surf spots along the California coast.
• Overnight Surf Camp 6-night, 7-day surf camp in Laguna Beach including 10 surf sessions, professional coaching, equipment, and meals, with shared ($899), private ($1,500), or no-lodging ($900) accommodation options. Activities include stand-up paddleboarding, yoga, and coastal excursions.

Quantifiable outcome

• First-time surfers almost always ride waves in the first lesson
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• FareHarborcoreTechnology or IntegrationFareHarbor is the booking and reservation platform powering online bookings on the California Surf Experience website. Customers book surf lessons, camps, and programs through the FareHarbor embed on the website. The platform handles availability calendars, payment processing, and booking management.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Corky Carroll's Surf School: Long-running surf school in Huntington Beach founded by a legendary pro surfer, offering lessons and camps. Directly comparable as a SoCal surf school leveraging a celebrity/pro-surf founder brand to drive premium lessons and youth programs.
• Surf Diva: Surf school in San Diego County offering private and group surf lessons plus multi-day surf camps for women and co-ed groups. Directly comparable as a California-based surf instruction and camp operator with a similar lesson-plus-camp product mix.
• San Diego Surf School: Established surf school in San Diego offering lessons, camps, and after-school programs. Comparable as a multi-format surf school serving beginner to advanced surfers with similar youth programming.
• Wavelines Surf School: Orange County surf school offering group and private lessons in the same regional market as California Surf Experience. Direct competitor for the Orange County beginner and intermediate surfing segment.
• LA Surf School: Los Angeles-based surf school offering private, group, and kids surf lessons in the LA County area. Comparable as a Southern California surf school with similar pricing structure and beginner-focused lessons.

Broad incumbents

• Surfline: Dominant surf forecasting and media platform with cameras, reports, and engagement tools used by surfers globally. Indirectly comparable as an ecosystem player that drives traffic to surf schools and influences which breaks surfers choose.

Regional players

• Pacific Surf School: Surf school operating in San Clemente and other Orange County beaches. Geographic peer serving an overlapping coastal customer base with private and group lessons.
• Mele Kalikimaka Surf School: Hawaii-based surf school in Waikiki offering lessons and surf camps for visitors. Comparable as a vacation-market surf instruction and camp business, though operating in a different coastal geography.
• Surf Academy New York: East Coast surf school offering lessons and camps in the New York/New Jersey area. Comparable as a surf instruction business with similar lesson formats but operating in a different coastal geography.

Others

• FareHarbor: Booking and reservation platform used by California Surf Experience for online bookings. Comparable as an enabling technology partner that powers the booking flow for hundreds of tours, activities, and surf schools worldwide.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCv_fps42pNvHMkIgOKfBq3Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/californiasurfexperience
• Instagraminstagram.com/californiasurfexperience
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/california-surf-experience

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about California Surf Experience