Jason Borte Surf School
This one’s for the groms (grommets) out there, aka kiddie surfers. Designed for kids aged 6- 17, the two, three or five-day surf camps at Jason Borte Surf School strive to be informative and fun for beginner and intermediate surfers. All lessons include a guarantee that you will stand up on a surfboard—niiiice! Held on the beach at 4th Street on the Virginia Beach Oceanfront, classes have a 1:4 instructor-student ratio. At the end of the camp session, there’s a pizza party, camp slideshow, swag bag and free downloads of surf photography featuring your wave-conquering kiddo. Borte and crew also offer private lessons and girls-only sessions.
Founder Jason Borte was the East Coast Pro Champion surfer in 1997 and holds an MA in education. This surfing renaissance man has authored surf books, operated surf camps up and down the East Coast, coached most of the top local surfers, and is a member of the East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame. He founded a surf camp for injured soldiers and offers free “Get on the Board” surf camps exclusively for low-income families.
Seth Broudy School of Surf
Seth Broudy’s surf camps and private surf lessons take place on the south section of beautiful Croatan Beach, which stretches between Rudee Inlet and Camp Pendleton. Surfer wannabes (and experienced surfers) ages six and up can choose one, two or four-day classes.
The team is led by lifelong surfer Seth Broudy, a pro who once defeated 11-time world champion Kelly Slater in a surfing competition. Respect! Broudy is a true soul surfer, a kindred spirit with a genuine desire to share the stoke of surfing with everyone. Whether you go the group/camp route or book private lessons, Broudy and his team will work with you on technique, how to avoid bad habits, and the basics of board handling, positioning, paddling and different techniques for getting to your feet, plus surf etiquette, ocean knowledge and water safety.
Surf & Adventure Co.
Since 1974, the folks at Surf & Adventure Co. have been sharing their passion for the great outdoors via surfing, paddling and cycling. Their chosen playground couldn’t be more inviting: Sandbridge, a five-mile-long, skinny slice of turf that separates the Atlantic Ocean from the Back Bay. Consider it a portal to excellent adventures.
Their two and three-day surf camps take place at Little Island Park at the south end of Sandbridge, a remote, uncrowded stretch of sand bars and open beaches—perfect for learning to surf. (They also run a few special sessions at False Cape State Park.) Surfers (ages eight and up, including adults) get useful intel about beach environments, weather, safety and how to read tides, rip currents and swells–plus surfing etiquette and equipment know-how. And, of course, the nitty-gritty: How to paddle, catch waves, stand up and surf. The Surf & Adventure team also offers one-on-one private lessons and Chica Surf Camps, two-day-long sessions for surfers of the female persuasion.
Looking for some cool gear to compliment your newfound surfing talents and chill new attitude? Check out their retail store, located at 577 Sandbridge Road, which offers goodies like surfing accessories and trendy clothes.
VB Surf Sessions
Are you five years old or older, and know how to swim? (We’re guessing ‘yes’ to the first bit if you’re reading this!) Congratulations—VB Surf Sessions would be delighted to have you as a happy camper in one of their surf camp sessions, held at Croatan Beach. There’s plenty of variety here: If your schedule doesn’t allow for a three- or five-day (half-day) commitment, VB Surf offers a full-day camp designed to maximize your surfing skills in the shortest possible time. Or sign up for a two-hour group lesson for beginner surfers or a one- or two-hour private session. Private sessions are great for wee grommets, they say, since they’ll get lots of hands-on attention.
Once the surfing bug has bitten you, the folks at VB Surf Sessions will be happy to rent you a board and a wetsuit, or a bike, or a boat, if you’re one of the multi-sporting types.
Wes Laine Surf Camp
Founded by pro surfer Wes Laine, partnered with Quiksilver and Roxy, Wes Laine Surf Camp is dedicated to the enjoyment and appreciation of the ocean, combined with the thrill of surfing. These three-day camps are designed for the surf-curious of all ages, kids and adults. The focus includes ocean safety, etiquette and protecting the ocean: once per session, a member of the Surfrider Foundation visits camp to discuss ocean preservation. The surf camp meets at the 3rd Street Beach section of the Oceanfront.
Laine began surfing at the age of five and became a junior champion in the sport. He turned pro in 1979 and was the top-rated East Coast surfer for three years, regularly finishing in the top ten of surfing contests in the years that followed. He was inducted into the Surfing Legends of East Coast Surfing Championships Hall of Fame in 2009. We guess you could say the dude definitely has street cred (or, in this case, surf cred.)
WRV (Wave Riding Vehicles) surf camp
Founded by pro surfer and East Coast amateur champion Brendan Petticrew in 2001, WRV surf camps will teach you the difference between semi-glassy and bumpy waves and how to deal with anything that comes your way in the big, blue ocean. Designed for those aged seven and up who are ready to rip (surf well,) camp sessions are three or five days long and take place at 5th Street beach on the Oceanfront. Note to all aspiring Gidgets: Some camps are ladies’-only. They also offer private, one-on-one lessons lasting one or two hours. Although surf camps are held just in the summer, WRV offers surf lessons year-round.
The instructor-student ratio is 1:4. Lessons with three or more students use multiple instructors to keep everyone safe. Classes include professional surf photography (free pics!) and swag bags at “graduation.”
Get Your Gear Here
During surf camps and private surf lessons, your gear is provided. But what happens if you want to practice on your own or are so smitten with surfing that you can’t bear to leave Virginia Beach without a board of your own? Count on this surf haven to have you covered.
At the veteran-owned Atlantic Surf Shop, the surf experts can set you up with boards from top brands and all the board tech you’ll ever need—bags, traction pads, leashes, shapers, thrusters and then some.
Meanwhile, Ocean Rentals, part of Surf & Adventure Co. in Sandbridge, rents soft top and epoxy surfboards by the day or week. Pick it up at the shop or they’ll deliver to your rental home in Sandbridge at no charge. They also sell a wide range of gear.
At MAR Surf Exchange, they’ve got some of the best selection of fins in Virginia Beach. And if you know what that means, congratulations---you’re a surfer! Owner Nick Halleran and his team make hand-crafted surfboards right in their shop. They can set you up with a used board, a new board from their own exquisite line or a custom board, with every detail designed just for you. Get in on the action yourself with one of their builder experiences: shape your own board and bring it to life, even adding your own artwork. Bob the Builder would be, as the surfers say, stoked.
About Our Writer:
D. Chérie Bair
East Coast-based writer D. Chérie Bair covers travel, food, and outdoor recreation for newspapers, magazines, and online travel sites. She has contributed to several guidebooks for Fodor’s, Michelin, Lonely Planet, and Frommer’s. A global traveler, Bair admits she is “besotted” with Virginia Beach. Her favorite things to do there include paddling with dolphins in Rudee Inlet and loading up on taffy at Forbes Candies.
