Capitola Surf and Paddle

A spur-​of-​moment decision to go boogie boarding led us here on a recent weekend. We needed all the gear — wetsuits and boards — and the summer special deal got outfitted for just $ 15 per person. Sweet! The suits themselves were of decent quality, but one of had a suit that had a thick line of glue across a rip on the front. They kept us reasonably warm for a period of time — long enough to get our fill of the ocean.
Service was friendly and efficient, and they didn’t require us to return the gear in super clean condition. One curious thing about the operation is that when I paid for our gear, they had automatically added a 15% gratuity to the bill. I don’t know if this is standard practice (I don’t recall encountering it in Hawaii or SoCal), but it didn’t really bug me and I didn’t question the added charge.

My friend and I took a private surfing lesson here and it was great! They provide the boards, wetsuits, and footwear. The instructor (Brian) was obviously a true expert, very hardworking, and really did everything to make sure we had an awesome time. We will be going back here as soon as possible!

I’m giving them an extra star because the staff was really nice… but the experience was fairly unorganized/​unpleasant and all in all I won’t be back.
I surprised my boyfriend with 2 hour SUP rentals. We got there and I gave my Groupon information (yay Groupon!) to the front desk. You get a major 5 minute warning not to ding up the boards… which sucked because we ended up not trying to take any waves for fear of wiping out and dinging the boards… I definitely think they should have more of an allowance for normal wear and tear of the boards (as someone who went to surf camp every summer growing up with rental boards… the minor dings they were pointing out are just a part of surfing!).
I’d never done a SUP rental before and I wish they’d included to bring a watch on the FAQ page, I asked the guy about how we were supposed to keep track of the time and he just told us not to worry about it… but when we got back we were told that we were going to be charged for an additional hour out on the water! (Which at $ 20 per hour per board after already paying for 2 hours for 2 boards is kind of a big deal for your typical broke college students.) After we changed I went to go see what happened, since we weren’t even sure what time we went out because we had to wait awhile for them to be ready to transfer the boards onto the beach (plus you «return» your boards by just leaving them out on the beach, and we went to shower and get ice cream before going back to Capitola Surf And Paddle to change and grab our stuff from the lockers… and since there was no one there to see when we left our boards on the beach, how could they even know what time we returned them?).
As it happened, we were actually early getting back to the shop even with our stops along the way but they had confused us with other customers… still definitely not something anyone would want to deal with, especially on a date :/​
Then they asked me to pay again but I had to remind them that I already paid with my Groupon and they had to look up the information again… just wasn’t a smooth transaction for what should have been a relaxing day at the beach.

1^st review… Just the worst. Went on Saturday of Labor Day Weekend, was informed by the stoner kid running the front that his «co-​worker» was a no show so no chance renting a SUP cause someone has to walk us to the water. Had us reserve for the next day at 11. Next day get there at 11:15, same kid is just opening the shop, an hour late and again no co-​worker, and no register. And again no SUP cause he has no co-​worker, who we found out is the owner, and no register to even pay. Felt bad for the kid with no support on the busiest weekend. Will rent elsewhere.

Being a first time paddle boarder I was nervous, but the skilled instructor put me at ease. My best friend and I took silly wetsuit selfies in the locker room and made loud jokes and the staff didn’t mind. The instructor could tell I wasn’t as experienced so he gave me some extra tips and help when I needed it. I had a blast, even after falling in countless times. It was a tough workout but, it was well worth it to see the sea creatures and peaceful waters. Walking back after the lesson was over I felt so accomplished and proud to try something new! Highly recommended to those seeking adventure and something to check off their bucket list.

I was very disappointed with the lack of professionalism. No one seemed to know that I had even scheduled a lesson nor did they care. After being told to wait 15 minutes my 7 year old was sad when they told her it would be 20 more minutes or even more because they didn’t know what time the instructor would be back. We ended up canceling. Never going there again.

First time surf lesson with my 12 year old son. Wonderful experience. The nicest staff.
The owner helped us pick out wetsuits and set us up with boards. The beach is a short 2 block walk, and the surf spot is just to the left of the band shell.
The wetsuits keep you perfectly warm, the boards are easy to handle (light and easy to balance). Our instructor was incredibly patient, and a very strong paddler (handy when he helped tow my son out when he got tired).
And he gave us both that key push to catch our first waves.
I can’t think of a better way to get introduced to surfing. I can’t guarantee you’ll stand up on your first day, but it was a blast.
We’ll be back.

Our Favorite Day! (Not counting our wonderful wedding day). Jason our teacher — guide — leader was OUTSTANDING! Alisa got an SUP Board for Christmas, but I’ve waited until this trip and this day to try it. Boy was it fun! We began with a lesson on the beach, and Jason was a thorough, patient instructor. Once on the water, the wonderful guidance continued. I was up and paddling after only one fall, and Jason was near by with coaching and encouragement. We paddled out past the pier (beyond my wildest dreams) to the kelp beds, and we could not have been having more fun. We saw an otter in the second kelp bed, which was amazing, and as we moved off the bed back into the open water, we were met by a group of dolphins… a dream come true. We paddle back to shore and each rode a wave to the beach. And to top it all off, Jason took pictures throughout the entire trip. A once in a lifetime experience. THANK YOU JASON AND CSP TEAM FOR GIVING US OUR FAVORITE DAY!

Friendliest staff, great selection of wetsuits, boards, etc. and they get you in and out of there quickly so you can get to the waves.
To top it off, I left my credit card there and they sent it back to me!

My boyfriend and I went there for a paddle boarding lesson and had the greatest time! Vince was our instructor, and he was super nice, patient and fun! We definitely recommend this place and look forward to going back soon.

Highly recommended! We stumbled upon this shop and they made a great first impression. The staff is responsive, professional and friendly. Jason provided a «first time» surfing lesson for my teenage daughters and both girls had a wonderful time. Jason was encouraging and fun — both girls can’t wait to go surfing again. Their equipment was in very good condition and the staff was very safety conscious. We will definitely be back!

Called this place on thursday to see about group lessons for the weekend. They set one up specifically for my boyfriend and me at the time that we wanted. It ended up being just the two of us, even though we had paid for a group lesson. Our instructor Roger was amazing, taught us everything we needed to know and was very easy to get a long with. He made sure the lesson was at our pace. The store had lockers for our use free and had a warm shower when we got back. Super close to the beach. I will definitely being going back to rent boards.

Highly recommended. Our group visited two other surf shops around Santa Cruz before being told to come to the surf shack in Capitola, because there were either no tides or too high for us first-​timers. The surf shack wasn’t open but we found this amazing place. The staff was knowledgeable — which was really helpful for a group of four beginners — and the prices were good.
Unfortunately my surfboard didn’t have a leash and when I returned to get that resolved, they were on break for quite some time. When they returned they gave me extra time to compensate for the lost surfing time which was amazing.
When we returned they had a hot shower and we didn’t have to clean the boards either. (I’ve previously had to clean the surfboard before returning it in LA.) We were freezing so the hot shower was the best thing ever. They also offered us free beer too!
One thing that does concern me is that we were required to write down our credit card numbers, but I’m sure that’s fine.

Awesome staff, reasonable prices. When we were finished surfing, they had a hot shower which felt like heaven and they were super nice, which was great especially since we were dead tired. Free beer was perfect after a day of surfing :)

Came here last week with my girlfriends and we had a two hour lesson with Roger. He was patient, kind, answered all of our questions, made us feel safe, and best of all — took lots of pictures for us! =) We had a great time.
I came back today with another group of friends. We were not disappointed. The staff wheeled and carried out all of the paddleboards to the beach for us and our only job was to get in the water and have fun =) Once we were done, we stayed with the boards on the beach while one of us walked back to the shop to let them know we were finished. Then all of us walked back together as a group — and all we had to carry were our paddles. It was all just so easy.
There are lockers to keep your stuff while you’re out on the water. There’s also a dressing room, restroom, and an outdoor shower to rinse off.
Thank you Capitola Surf and Paddle! I plan to come back many times. =)

These guys were great. Reasonable pricing and super helpful! The shop is well organized and has easy access to the beach. They give off a really accessible vibe– no «this is our beach, get out» attitude here! Thanks Capitola paddle and surf!

Saved our trip to the beach!
We booked our June 2014 trip to Capitola weeks in advance hoping for good weather. Unfortunately it was overcast and high 60’s. Our kids wanted so badly to swim and boogie board however the water was very cold (most likely 45 degrees!). Literally from the beach, I called Capitola Surf and Paddle and was able to walk to their storefront, rent wetsuits for the kids and return within 15 minutes! The staff is efficient and friendly (Stephanie helped me) and rental fees reasonable. The wetsuits kit perfectly and the kids has a blast! They saved the day. Thank you Capitola Surf and Paddle!!! 5 stars!!!

This place was awesome, a friend brought me and 2 other friends for our first time out. Rental for boards were $ 20.
We went out with no wetsuits today’s high were to be 73… no vests… both are avail however I’m not sure of they cost more. They had holders for our glasses but to be honest we didn’t need then (no charge).
The take flown the boards for you and then did a quick overview since 3 of us have never paddle boarded before… helped us in and away we went!
It was super easy and one of our friends isn’t even a fan if water (lol) but she enjoyed herself enough to say she would come out again!
You leave your boards and just bring your paddles with you to the short walk back to the shop… they have a rinse off spot there too with warm water.
I had such a blast and can’t wait to go back! !!