Venice Beach Surf School, Venice

When instructor Matt Rosas compares surfing to "riding energy from the sun," his words evoke the freedom and carefree attitude that has come to be synonymous with the sport. He hopes to instill that same effervescent feeling in his students and customers at Venice Beach Surf School, where he draws from more than 25 years' experience teaching surfing and standup paddleboarding lessons. In the churning surf and on the white sand beaches of Santa Monica, Venice, Marina del Rey, and four other Southern California beaches, he coaches paddlers in the basics of catching waves, standing, and running over the biggest sand castle on shore. He also arranges rentals of water-sports equipment to let visitors explore the waters on their own.