Herbert Hoover won Americans’ hearts and votes when he promised a college-educated chicken in every pot and a kayak in every garage. Get a taste of the American dream with today's Groupon: for $35, you get a two-hour kayak or paddle-board coastal tour plus $5 toward a future rental from Malibu Surf Shack (a $74.95 value) in Malibu Beach.
Once they’ve decided which appendages they want to exercise, prospective oceanographers will get to behold the sights, sounds, and underwater empire of super-intelligent sea turtles along Malibu's Surfrider Beach. A professional, buoyant tour guide will lead the way and provide a steady flow of fun facts, pointing out the gorgeous houses that dot the Santa Monica Mountain hillsides and helping you spot the dolphins and seals that occasionally peek out of the water to check their Qualcomm stock on waterproof laptops. Novice paddle-boarders can join one of the beginner tours, so they don't have to worry about slowing down a group with their constant cries to “Abandon ship!”
A 2009 CityVoter nominee for Best Surf Shop, Malibu Surf Shack has been renting boogie boards, kayaks, wetsuits, and stand-up paddle boards to experienced wave-rodeo enthusiasts and fledgling boogie boarders since 1972. A friendly, down-to-earth staff exemplifies the region's passion for surfing, particularly in the patient way they smile through endless Point Break references. With a shop overlooking scenic Surfrider Beach, it’s a bodacious place to start learning the basics of surfery or to commence on an arduous 11-month voyage to Japan via your cardboard submarine. Malibu Surf Shack offers multiple tours each week, so call ahead to check out the tour schedule and to reserve your spot.
Tours are subject to availability.
Malibu Surf Shack
Overlooking Surfrider Beach and the famous Malibu Pier, Malibu Surf Shack has been a destination for ocean activities since it first began as surf shop in 1972. Crashing waves and surfboard migratory patterns lure instructors to the point-break beach. Here, the pros teach small classes how to shred and duck atop waves. Students can rent boards and other watercraft including kayaks and standup paddleboards to join in on the fun.
Inside the retail shop, boards from brands such as Walden, McTavish and Channel Islands await their next wave-riding excursions. Malibu Surf Shack's staff demos all of the new and used gear, letting customers try boards or take them to a romantic dinner before making long-term commitments.