Learn to Surf on Oʻahu's Famous North Shore with a Local Pro
At North Shore Oahu Surf School, students catch their first waves with local professionals.
If Waikīkī was where surfing was born, the North Shore is where it was perfected. Every year, surfers from around the world travel to Oʻahu to surf and compete on the North Shore. To learn how to surf here is like learning how to play baseball at Fenway Park. You're stepping into the mecca of surfing, a place where surfers carry a deep cultural reverence for the ocean, so selecting the right teacher matters.
In 2017, local competitive surfer Kala Grace founded North Shore Oahu Surf School. Along with his older brother, stepdad and a few select friends, he teaches both first-timers and advanced surfers how to navigate the waves of the North Shore.
"Any surf school can get you a wave and you could have fun," Grace said. "But I think you just get a whole different aspect being with us."
By us, Grace means a small crew of Hawaiian watermen who have spent their whole lives surfing North Shore. These guys have a firm understanding of its ocean, currents and waves. Grace was born and raised here by a family of surfers. His uncles on his mom's side are Michael and Derek Ho — legendary Native Hawaiian competitive surfers. "I've been surfing since, like, before I could walk," Grace said.
At 15, Grace began working with Montgomery Ernest Thomas Kaluhiokalani, another legendary North Shore surfer known locally as Buttons. A few years before Buttons passed away, he taught Grace how to teach people to surf. Grace worked as an instructor for multiple Oʻahu surf schools before deciding to open his own. One of the things that sets his school apart is the wisdom he and the other instructors pass on. They not only teach their students how to surf, but also about where they are surfing — including the rich surfing history of the North Shore. Grace said he sees surfing as a gift from Hawaiʻi that he feels lucky to share.
What Beginner Students Can Expect
For beginners, North Shore Oahu Surf School takes students to Chun's Reef in the summer and Puaʻena Point in the winter. At Chun's, waves are knee-to-chest-high, long and not too powerful — perfect for practicing, Grace said. One thing to know about North Shore surf breaks is that they are all positioned over reefs. At Chun's, there is about six feet between your board and the reef. The rule of thumb is to not jump straight down off your board if you fall off. "Part of our land briefing before we go out is telling people how to fall," Grace said. "You can't really choose how you fall, but you can definitely not purposely dive in face-first or feet-first."
Falling is less scary than most first-timers may think. Since you're attached to your board — in this case a 9- to 12-foot soft-top longboard — by a leash, your board is always near and can be used as a flotation device. "Just tread water, grab your board, get back on and we'll be right there," Grace said.
Students are in good hands. Everyone at North Shore Oahu Surf School is CPR-, AED- and lifeguard-certified. "You'll be surfing with a lot of talented watermen all around you," Grace said. "You're essentially surfing with a lifeguard."
The beach at Chun's is spacious and sandy. Students vacationing with their families often bring them along, so they can hang out on the beach and watch. "It's a great place for everyone," Grace said. "The people who aren't surfing can snorkel, can cruise on the beach. There's turtles where we surf. It's really nice. It's the ideal setup for a family day at the beach."
Puaʻena Point, a five-minute drive south from Chun's, is where Grace and his instructors take beginners during the winter months when Chun's gets too big. The water here is protected by the monster waves North Shore sees during this season. Like Chun's, Puaʻena has long rides perfect for beginner and intermediate surfers and a nice big beach for families to watch from. "You can even walk out on the point and, like, kind of sit right next to where we're surfing, to take pictures and watch," Grace said. "Lots of turtles at Puaʻena. You'll see turtles almost every session there."
For Advanced Surfers
For those who can already surf, but are first-time visitors to the North Shore, getting in the water with Grace or one of his instructors can be a game-changer. The North Shore is a territorial place. Most locals have been surfing here their whole lives. During one of these sessions, visiting surfers learn where the currents are, where to sit and not sit in the lineup and when to go for a wave. There is surf etiquette and then there is Hawaiʻi surf etiquette — to break etiquette, even by accident, could end your time in the water. "I'll get funny looks when I bring somebody to Sunset or V-Land," Grace said. "But those are my spots, so I don't really care. I'm just trying to feed my family."
Book a Lesson
The Logistics
Students meet their instructor on the beach. The day before their lesson, Grace sends either an email or a text notifying each student who their instructor will be and where exactly to meet. The next day, the instructors call each student 10 minutes before their scheduled meeting time to find them on the beach. The school provides each student with a board, leash, rash guard and reef-safe sunscreen. The 24-hour cancellation policy allows students to reschedule or get a refund, as long as they call at least 24 hours in advance.
In the unlikely event that North Shore Oahu Surf School has to cancel a lesson due to weather, students have the option for a full refund or to reschedule for another date. During the Kona Low storms of 2026, Grace had to shut down operations for the entire month of March due to major flooding throughout the North Shore.
Additionally, the school offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If anyone is unhappy with their lesson at any time, students can get a full refund. Grace said that in the nine years he's been in business, he's never had to do that. He said his main goal is that his students have a safe, fun time. "The smile on people's faces every day, it's what keeps us coming back," Grace said. "We get reminded every day by people how lucky we really are."
North Shore Oahu Surf School
Duration: 2 hours
Cost: $225/person
About the Founder
Kala Grace is a Native Hawaiian professional surfer from the North Shore of Oʻahu. He is sponsored by clothing brand Tenōre and local surfboard shaper Bret Boards and competes in local competitions such as the Vans Pipe Masters and Da Hui Backdoor Shootout. When he's not teaching, Grace is still in the water. "I'm in the ocean all day," he said. "I'm fishing or surfing or diving or at the beach with my daughter."
About the Locations
Puaʻena Point Beach Park is at the end of Kahalewai Place, off Kamehameha Highway next to Haleʻiwa Beach Park. It has free parking, restrooms, showers and a lifeguard station.
Chun's Reef is about 2 miles north of Puaʻena Point Beach Park and Haleʻiwa Beach Park along Kamehameha Highway just before you get to Waimea Beach Park. There is free street parking, but no public bathrooms or lifeguards.