Witch's Rock Surf Camp
Tamarindo, Costa Rica
Tamarindo is located just a 40-minute drive away from the Liberia International airport. You can easily book a shuttle to pick you up from the airport, so you don't need to worry about renting a car. Witch's Rock Surf Camp offers surf camps for all levels of surfers from Saturday to Saturday. You will receive both land and water-based instruction, as well as video analysis. The best part about attending this week-long camp is that you get to meet and interact with other families and participants. At the end of the week, they organize an awards ceremony and show a video highlighting the week's events. Since there are other children around, you can easily sneak in some adult time, relax in the restaurant, and let the kids play foosball or swim in the pool with their new friends. The rooms at Witch's Rock are basic but have everything you need for the week. You won't be spending much time inside them anyway, as there are plenty of activities to enjoy after your morning surf session. You can take a tour of the estuary to see crocodiles, go snorkeling and watch the sunset on a boat, go fishing, or go on a zip-line adventure. You can find everything from local cuisine to international food options within walking distance, as well as grocery shops and souvenir stores.
Beach Break Surf Camp
Playa Venao, Panama
Beach Break Surf Camp is located on a cove, making it an ideal location for beginner and intermediate surfers who are learning to catch their own waves. Although it takes about 5 hours to reach Playa Venao from Panama City by bus, it's worth the journey. It's best to spend a night in Panama City and take a shuttle to Venao the next day. There are several nice convenience stores on the way down, including one with a playground to burn off some energy. Since Playa Venao is a little off the beaten path, you won't find hordes of tourists there. As soon as you arrive at Beach Break, you can feel the sense of community. The rooms are all situated around a large green space with ocean views. This area is perfect for children to play soccer or other games with their new friends, while you sip coffee or cocktails and watch. The rooms are well-designed and can comfortably sleep up to five people. Every detail has been carefully thought out, from the number of hooks for your wet clothes to the ledge for your toiletries in the bathroom. The restaurant and pool are just a short distance from the rooms and serve as a gathering place for everyone staying at the camp. In addition to surf lessons, Beach Break also offers fitness and jiu-jitsu classes for both children and adults, as well as an ice bath. If you're looking to explore off the property, you can go in-shore or off-shore fishing, zip lining, snorkeling, or even try SUP through the mangroves. Across the street, there is a well-stocked grocery store, as well as several restaurants within walking distance. The community kitchen with a refrigerator is the cherry on top, allowing you to save any leftovers from mealtime. For an even greater family experience at the camp, coordinate your trip with a family adventure retreat hosted by Life is Recess.
Casa Oro
San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua
There are two options for getting to San Juan Del Sur. You can either fly to Managua and take a 2-hour shuttle to SJDS or fly to the Liberia International Airport in Costa Rica and take a 2-hour shuttle to SJDS. The second option involves walking across the border between the two countries, but it is much safer than it sounds. I recommend staying in an Airbnb in Nicaragua and using Casa Oro for surf lessons. Casa Oro is not an organized surf camp, but they do have fantastic instructors who will pick up your group from your accommodation for surf lessons. The beach in San Juan Del Sur is more of a cove, and not great for surfing. You will need to head about 20 minutes outside of town for surfing. There are two main beaches for beginner surfers: Playa El Remanso and Playa Maderas. Both places have restaurants on the beach where you can leave your belongings while you surf. The benefit of having private instructors is that you can be more flexible with the time of day that you are surfing and how you group the kids and adults for the lessons. It's a great setup for families. The kids can surf and then burn energy on the beach while the adults surf. Afterward, everyone can come back, eat fries and play in the sand. You can stay and hang out as long as you like, and then your instructors will give you a ride back to your accommodation. As long as you are staying close to town in SJDS, you can walk to all of the restaurants. Most of them feature beachfront dining and well-priced menus. You will need to hire a taxi to go to the grocery store, but they will gladly wait for you while you shop. If you want to take a break from surfing, you can go fishing, hike to the Mirador del Cristo de la Miseracordia, check out the turtles nesting at playa la flor, or visit the Parque de Aventura Las Nubes for a canopy tour.
Happy Surfing!
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