Summer of Surf: Adventure Tours

For over a decade, Summer of Surf has been providing a first class surf and camp experience for thousands of awesome campers, and we are now taking our program overseas.

We are so excited to announce that after years of research and planning (and maybe a few delays), we are officially launching Summer of Surf: Adventure Tours!

Our Adventure Tours will be curated, chaperoned, weeklong excursions to some of the most exciting surf locales in the world. Aside from the world class surf, these trips will be chock full of fun, thrilling and educational outings that will make for a truly unforgettable experience.

Adventure Tour: Costa Rica
Our inaugural adventure will take 10-12 campers to surf mecca Tamarindo, Costa Rica in the Spring of 2024. We'll spend our mornings surfing the 80 degree waves with local instructors, and our afternoons going on jungle excursions, nature tours, and enjoying the incredible culture and community, all while accompanied by your favorite Summer of Surf staff members.

Surfing in Costa Rica
We are very happy to announce that we have partnered with Costa Rican surf camp Iguana Surf, located beachside in the heart of Tamarindo. Operating since 1989, Iguana Surf is one of the premier surf experiences in Costa Rica, whose mission is to share our knowledge of Costa Rica waves and instill a healthy respect and awareness of the ocean with travelers from all around the globe!
That sounds kinda familiar ;)

Over the course of the week campers will have first rate instruction by local instructors. We'll primarily be surfing the beginner friendly waves of Playa Tamarindo, as well as taking at least one "Field Trip" where they will be able to surf one of the other nearby waves (e.g. Playa Grande, Playa Avellanas, Mar Bella). The weeklong package includes 5 surf sessions, surfboard rentals, video analysis for targeted and specific feedback, as well as surf photos and a rash guard to keep.

Other Adventures
While this trip will be heavily focused on surfing, we have put together an amazing schedule of additional adventures to fill the trip to the brim with unforgettable experiences.
Here are a few of them!

Discovery Scuba Dive
As surfers, most of our focus is on the ocean surface, but what lies beneath is a whole new world and adventure, and there is no better way to experience this world than Scuba diving. This trip will take us on a "no certification necessary" beginner dive that is designed for the most novice divers to experience the underwater magic before committing to the expensive certification process. After a thorough overview and in pool training session. We will travel by boat to the Santa Catalina Islands of Guanacaste, where we'll have an up close and personal swim sesh with an amazing variety of local wildlife all while closely supervised by dive instructors. Common sightings include Reef Sharks, Rays, Parrot Fish and Puffer Fish, as well as many other stunning tropical fish. Less common (but still possible) sightings include Manta Rays, Leatherback Turtles and Whale Sharks.

Rincon De La Vieja Volcano Adventure
To give us all a little break from the waves, we'll take a full day trip into the jungle to visit the Rincon De La Vieja National Park. At over 34,000 acres, Rincón de la Vieja is the home of two volcanoes, 32 rivers and streams, and an incredible variety of flora and fauna. At the park, we'll partake in the Guachipelin Adventure Package. This includes an exciting zipline tour, horseback riding through epic landscapes, and tubing down a spectacular river. We'll finish the day with a therapeutic mud bath and a dip in the natural hot springs.

Tamarindo Estuary Boat Safari
This boat ride through the Tamarindo National Wildlife Refuge Las Baulas National Park offers a chance to see an incredible variety of watering birds, Crocodiles, Monkeys, Iguanas and five different species of Mangrove growth.

Food and Fun
One of the great joys of any trip should be eating great food, of which Costa Rica has no shortage. We will be experiencing some fantastic local cuisines as well as eating at some of the best restaurants in town. Offerings in Tamarindo range from humble but mouth watering street food to fine dining restaurants serving delicious seafood caught fresh just that day. We'll start each day with breakfast at the hotel restaurant, where we can choose between delicious options such as Breakfast sandwiches, pancakes, or local staple Gallo Pinto. For lunch and dinner we'll be dining as a group at different restaurants around town, enjoying some of Tamarindo's best beach side fine dining and other incredible local favorites. For the less adventurous eaters, just about every restaurant also offers kid friendly hamburgers and chicken fingers. Vegetarian and vegan options are widely available, as well as other diet conscious options (gluten free, allergies, etc.).

During our trip we will also spend some time exploring the town of Tamarindo allowing the kids the experience the local culture, do some souvenir shopping, and explore.


Dates, Cost, Chaperones, and Camper Requirements
We are planning this trip for Spring 2024, exact dates to be determined based on school spring break schedules. We will be flying from LAX to Liberia Airport (LIR). Depending on interest, we may also be adding additional weeks.

The cost of the trip is $2750.
The price includes all lodging, food, and surfing, as well as all local transportation. Adventure trips can be added as desired for additional costs, and range from $50-$200. This does NOT include the cost of airfare. All campers will be required to purchase their own flights. We decided to do this to allow parents the option to use any miles or flight credits they may have. Payment plans will be available, but an initial deposit of $1000 will be required.

All activities on the itinerary will be closely supervised by at least two of the three adult chaperones accompanying the campers on the trip. Planned chaperones at this time are Summer of Surf Owner/ General Manager Zach James, Beach Captain Isa Mercado, and Head Counselor Oscar Bortz (who spent 3 months working at Iguana Surf in Tamarindo last year).

All interested campers need to fill out and return an application by September 30, 2023.
We are limiting this trip to former Summer of Surf campers that are at least 12 years old, and will be choosing the best candidates based on our history with that camper how we feel they would enhance the experience for all involved.