Camp Info
| Ages: | 6–14 |
| Type: | Day |
| Gender: | Co-Ed |
| Setting: | Coast |
| Water: | Water, Surfing |
[email protected]
Encinitas, CA, USA
Several days on the Encinitas coast give young surfers time to practice the core skills that make a surf session work. Hang Zen’s Kids Surf Camps focus on ages 6–14 and center the experience on ocean safety, paddling, pop-up fundamentals, and time in the waves. The camp sits within Hang Zen Surf + Sea’s broader Encinitas surf program, which uses on-land coaching before students enter the water with instructors.
Instruction starts with the basics that can be practiced on shore, including stance, paddling, pop-up technique, and getting fitted with appropriate surf gear. In the water, instructors guide students wave by wave. The official Encinitas program operates from Leucadia and surrounding local beaches, including Beacon’s, Stone Steps, Moonlight, D-Street, and Swami’s, so the setting is the open Pacific coast rather than a pool or indoor training space.
Hang Zen’s current surf-school team is led by founder Scott Hamrick, a former competitive surfer, licensed 100-Ton Master Captain, and EMT-certified instructor. The school describes its instruction as centered on safety and fundamentals, with seasoned local instructors. For families planning a summer camp, the legacy official lessons page also notes that morning and afternoon surf camps are available during summer and that boards and wetsuits are supplied for instruction when needed.
| Ages: | 6–14 |
| Type: | Day |
| Gender: | Co-Ed |
| Setting: | Coast |
| Water: | Water, Surfing |
You won’t be charged yet. The camp will contact you to confirm all terms first.
You can still submit a quick request to let the camp know you’re interested.
Hang Zen structures its surf instruction around a simple progression from shore to water. The current surf program begins by learning about the student’s experience and goals, then moves into on-land coaching. Students work on proper stance, paddling, and pop-up fundamentals and get fitted with surf gear before entering the ocean. Once in the water, instructors coach wave by wave. The Kids Surf Camps use the same core subject matter highlighted by the camp listing: ocean safety, paddling, popping up, and surfing.
The camp is described as a multi-day summer option for ages 6–14. An official legacy Hang Zen lessons page adds that morning and afternoon surf camps are offered throughout the summer, giving families more than one general daypart to consider. Hang Zen’s Encinitas program launches from Leucadia and surrounding beaches such as Beacon’s, Stone Steps, Moonlight, D-Street, and Swami’s. Because the program is ocean-based, instruction is tied to real surf conditions rather than a fixed indoor curriculum.
The school’s founder, Scott Hamrick, is a former competitive surfer, licensed 100-Ton Master Captain, and EMT-certified instructor, and the school describes its crew as seasoned local instructors. Across its surf program, Hang Zen emphasizes safety and fundamentals while helping students develop practical surfing technique in the water.
Morning and afternoon surf camp options are available during the summer. Families submit a preferred date through the booking form, and Hang Zen confirms availability after the request.
Hang Zen places safety and surf fundamentals at the center of its instruction. Founder Scott Hamrick is EMT certified, and the school describes its instructors as experienced local watermen. All participants must complete the program’s liability waiver before taking part; a parent or legal guardian must sign for anyone under 18. The waiver specifically identifies ocean and surfing hazards such as surfboards and fins, changing surf and weather conditions, undertow and tides, rocks and reefs, other water users, and unstable beach bluffs. It also collects emergency-contact information and requires the participant or guardian to confirm that the participant is in suitable health for surfing activities.
Hang Zen’s surf-school crew is led by founder Scott Hamrick, a former competitive surfer, licensed 100-Ton Master Captain, and EMT-certified instructor. Scott founded the school in Encinitas in 2005, and Hang Zen says it was one of the first three permitted surf schools in North County San Diego. The school describes its instructors and captains as seasoned locals, while the surf lessons page describes its Encinitas instructors as certified and focused on safety and fundamentals.
Booking requests are submitted with a preferred date, and Hang Zen says it confirms availability within 24 hours. Families can also use the public phone, text, or email channels listed by the program for questions; the site notes that the team usually responds between surf sets. The newsletter signup specifically mentions kids camp dates among the updates it shares with subscribers.
Families request a booking through the official form, including a preferred date and number of guests, and Hang Zen confirms availability. Every participant must complete a liability waiver before participating, with a parent or legal guardian signing for campers under 18. The Encinitas surf program launches from Leucadia and surrounding beaches, and the official legacy lessons page says boards and wetsuits are supplied for instruction when participants do not have their own.
Kids Surf Camps are listed from $295. Booking requests are confirmed for availability, and the official booking page offers several deposit amounts for securing a spot, plus a custom deposit option.
