Teach your child surfing – the best destinations to visit

Surfing vacations have increased in popularity in recent years and what’s great about this is that it has become a holiday activity for the whole family. It’s a fantastic way for adults and kids to get fit and have fun.


Where to go

There are excellent family-orientated surfing vacation venues in both America and Europe. Florida offers lots of opportunities, including Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton. These places are fully equipped for teaching and provide Surf Schools, where guests, both children and adults, can book for a full week’s lessons to get prepared for going it alone on the surf. Here, you can have one on one or small group lessons during the summer months.

Going abroad, from March to November, the best child-friendly surfing is to be had in Spain, Portugal and France, and on the Devon and Cornwall coasts of the UK. From September through to March, head for Barbados, Morocco and Lanzarote, where your child can be taught to surf in wonderfully warm conditions.

Need to know

Beginners may be shy of getting in the way of the experienced surfers, and taking lessons from a pro is really the best way to get out on the surf without causing any problems for others. There are a few commonsense conditions where children are concerned. Surf schools offer lessons for children
with a minimum age of six years old, and the child must be able to swim a minimum of 50 meters in open water. Always check and ensure that the instructor has genuine qualifications from a surfing authority. A surfing instructor should also be a trained and qualified lifeguard. The schools will insist  that a parent remains with the child for the duration of the lesson, actually going in the water with those aged six to eight years, and staying nearby on the beach for those aged nine and above.

Available accommodation

There are several travel agencies dedicated to providing family surfing vacations. They offer a complete package, with accommodation and lessons at surf schools catering for beginners to advanced surfers. Accommodation ranges from self-catering family apartments to hotels, all with modern facilities, such as Internet access. Look out for family-friendly hotels, like these Miami hotels, that allow children to stay for free in the parents’ bedroom, and include breakfast and other meals  for kids in the overall price of the room. Family-friendly accommodation will also provide babysitting facilities, so adults can relax in the evening without having to worry about looking after the kids.

Some of the surf schools will arrange pickups from hotels to the beach to make it even easier for guests to enjoy themselves. Hotels are usually conveniently located, with plenty of shops and restaurants nearby.

The surfing schools or camps will provide all the necessary equipment for learning to surf, so no need  to pack anything special – who would want to take a surf board on a plane anyway? If you already feel experienced on the waves, the surf camps can provide you with a guide to the best surfing locally
available, so you can get started straight away. Many surf camps also cater for those members of the family who are not interested in surfing, and classes in yoga, Pilates and other physical activities are available.






Susan S. Disclosure: The reviews and or opinions on this blog are my own opinions . No monitory compensation was received. I was not required to write a positive review. Your experience may differ. The opinions I have expressed are my own I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsement and Testimonials in Advertising .