Carolina Salt Surf Lessons

🌊 If you’re thinking about booking surf lessons with Carolina Salt—stop thinking and just do it. 🌊 From the moment Kyle greeted us with his laid-back grin and a surfboard that might as well have been named “The Confidence Booster,” we knew we were in for a ride—literally. Within minutes, he had us standing on the beach doing our best Baywatch impressions (minus the slow-mo and dignity), walking us through technique with just the right balance of patience and playful jabs. Once we hit the waves, Kyle somehow made repeatedly getting bodyslammed by the Atlantic feel like the most hilarious part of our day. We lost count of how many times we got tumbled, but his constant encouragement and jokes had us popping up again like we were on a boogie-board-themed trampoline. By the end, we were saltier than a bag of pretzels, sore in places we didn’t know existed, and smiling like we’d just joined the cast of a surf movie. 10/10 recommend. Whether you’re a total beginner or just want to laugh your way through a lesson, Kyle’s the guy. Best surf therapy on the East Coast. 🏄‍♂️😄💥

Our 19- and 21-yeat old kids took their first-ever surfing leason at Carolina Salt Surf and absolutely loved it. Cali, their instructor, made it such an incredible experience and they learned so much from her. They rented boards the next day and are officially hooked! Kyle, the owner, truly cares about his customers and is really focused on hiring top-notch instructors. I can't recommend them enough!

Kyle is the man. I was looking for an instructor to teach my girlfriend and roommate to surf and we couldn’t have found anyone better. Kyle was so good with them that I decided to take a couple lessons myself (It’s not everyday you get the chance to learn from a pro surfer). I’ve had a handful of surf lessons from different instructors they usually tend to remind me of Paul Rudd in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Kyle is not that, he’s the real deal. Highly recommend taking a lesson from him, whether you’re a beginner or intermediate surfer, you’ll have an awesome experience.

Great surf lessons! My daughter wanted to learn how to surf for her birthday. We were not disappointed!! Tao (I know I didn’t spell that right) was awesome. Super friendly and had her up and surfing immediately. We plan on a few more lessons. Definitely a great place to learn :)

I'm a surfing beginner who's taken lessons a couple of times in surf spots around the world, and Kyle and his team at Carolina Salt were, without a doubt, the best instructors I've ever had. Kyle went out of his way to learn everyone's name (we were a fairly sizable group) quickly, was genuinely interested in learning about each of us, and combined technical instruction and feedback with encouragement, support, and overall positivity. He and his team took photos of us in the water and stayed out there for hours helping us identify waves and giving us some pushes into the waves until we had gained enough proficiency to do them on our own. Kyle's also just a fun, laid-back guy who's genuinely passionate about surfing and sharing what he knows with others. Despite some choppy weather, I had a great time and made far more progress as a beginner surfer than I expected. I hope I'll get a chance to hang out with and learn from Kyle again in the future!

We took our first surf lesson over the Thanksgiving holiday and it was so much fun! Kyle and Andrew were great instructors, very personable, knowledgeable, and helpful. We can't wait to come back for more lessons next summer! If you are looking for surf lessons in the Charleston area, check out this amazing company first. Very down-to-earth people who will answer all of your questions without making you feel like a novice. THE BEST!

Kyle was by far the best instructor I’ve ever had. I learned so much and corrected so many things that other surf schools had taught me wrong. Excited to book more lessons with Carolina Salt in the future!

Love this crew & 10/10 recommend! This was my second lesson with Kyle & Team (about a year apart) while visiting family in Charleston. Not only do they know what they're talking about, but they make it super fun. Surfing is definitely hard but Kyle is very encouraging and gives great feedback of how to improve your form / what you should be looking for in the waves, etc. Location is also key if you're looking to spend a beach day on Folly - they are centrally located to just chill on the beach after. Can't go wrong!

I booked the stand up paddle board lessons on Folly Beach for my sister's bachelorette. 7 of us met with Joe and it was such a great experience! I'm sure it depends on the weather, but for us, this is such an easy going activity. You can stand up or just sit the whole time and paddle along and bask in the sun. We were lucky enough to see some dolphins too. A word to the wise: Beware of the traffic going into Folly Beach, and be sure to read the reservation information and put your Uber to the meeting spot they list! I ended up putting in the directions from Google Maps, which was a few blocks away from our meeting location, so we had a bit of walking to do in the hot Charleston sun. This also caused us to be late for our reservation, but they were extremely understanding.

Hands DOWN THE BEST instruction in any sport I have ever got!! Got to the beach and Kyle was all set up for us! Instantly welcomed us and made us all feel welcome. Everyone in the group introduced them selves and made it super fun! Then worked basics with us over and over until we felt confident and comfortable! On the water looked over us and got the whole group of us good and up!! All and all was so welcoming and kind! I'm so impressed. There is no way anyone would book any other place because Kyle and his team are so incredible!

purchased a 90 minute private lesson for my two boys but due to weather we started late. After 45 minutes Kyle, the instructor, said he had to go to a dentist appointment. I asked for a 50% refund but no one responded to my text. I had to dispute the charge with my credit card company. UPDATE...Carolina Salt eventually provided the refund and the credit card dispute was closed.

Love this crew & 10/10 recommend! This was my second lesson with Kyle & Team (about a year apart) while visiting family in Charleston. Not only do they know what they're talking about, but they make it super fun. Surfing is definitely hard but Kyle is very encouraging and gives great feedback of how to improve your form / what you should be looking for in the waves, etc. Location is also key if you're looking to spend a beach day on Folly - they are centrally located to just chill on the beach after. Can't go wrong!

Very friendly and encouraging. Made sure everyone one had fun and worked hard at getting everyone up and surfing.

Kyle and his crew were amazing! Super nice and supportive of my kids surfing! This group is a class act. Very reasonable prices

I booked my husband and adult son and daughter for an hour and a half group surf lesson on Folly Beach. The instructor was very good, knowledgeable and energetic. He gave them a quick land lesson and got them out in the water quickly. He was very hands on and had them standing up very quickly. Unfortunately the rest of the group, 8+ more people, showed up 45 minutes into the lesson and ended up monopolizing the instructor and the waves for the rest of the time. I was under the impression they capped the groups at 8. So, I would recommend spending a few more dollars a person and having a private lesson.

I'm typing this on the beach after an incredible experience with Kyle and his crew. I had previously tried another company a week ago and it was ok, but more of a "push you into some waves for a good photo" thing than a "learn how to surf" thing. I wanted the latter and boy did I get it today! Kyle and all his crew are fantastic and deeply committed to teaching you the art of surfing. In my previous lesson with another group I "caught" and rode one good wave. By the end of this lesson I was paddling and catching my own waves and surfed until my arms were noodles. I still wipe out a lot - I'm still a tall 40-something novice and Kyle only has a surfboard, not a wand! But after today I feel like I've learned some genuine technique that will allow me to practice and improve even between lessons. This is place to go for real surf lessons in Charleston. I saw him successfully teaching everyone from little kids to middle aged dudes like me to senior citizens and he had everyone catching their own waves and having a great time.

Kyle was fantastic in every way!  His communication was top notch.  He answered all my questions to calm my nerves about my child's first lessons.  He was incredibly patient, supportive, and enthusiastic with my daughter!  He was extremely generous with his time, energy, equipment, and availability.  No wonder he's been voted and reviewed so highly!  After meeting Kyle, there's no way we'd ever go anywhere else for our surfing needs.  He also was so helpful with information about paddleboards.  We brought our own boards and he was happy to share tips and advice regarding great/safe spots to explore.

Kyle and his Carolina Salt Surf lessons are awesome. Kyle is super nice and funny guy and his instruction is top notch. The folks he has working for him (if you do group lessons) are similarly great. We've now taken lessons from him twice and we will be back again.

Folly beach surf lessons: the instruction was good; the waves were good, good environment for a first time surfer. Surfing is hard, be prepared to be warn out.

Awesome experience! The instructors there helped pick out where we weren't doing to well and constructively told us about it! They taught as though we would be back next week not just a "here's some tourists let's just get them a couple waves and make them happy". All of them were super nice and even in a larger group they knew all of our names and would cheer us on. There was even a kid there that they would get him a wave then bring him back out each time. Super sensitive to ensuring we had a great time and super pumped about sharing their knowledge!

My kids (age 6 and 8) had a perfect first surf experience with Carolina Salt Surf Lessons! Kyle and his Instructors had the kids up and surfing in no time. They did an excellent job providing the kids enough support that they were never intimidated, but simultaneously fostered their independence in the water, so by the end of our 90 minute lesson they were catching waves independently. Our 6 year old has asked about 1000 times if we can go surfing again....I think we have two surfers for life!

My fiancée and I were looking for our first lesson ever and thanks to yelps high ratings of Kyle and Maxie, we were able to find the best instruction in the area! Great teacher, great photos and fun to hangout with! By the time we were done, it was like hanging out on the beach with two friends! Kyle was nice and patient with us and his instruction allowed us to accelerate quickly! We can't wait to try our new skills in the fridges waters of lake Michigan!

Kyle was great- he was encouraging but gave us a lot of feedback and ways to improve as we went. I was so surprised to be able to actually stand and ride some waves my first lesson, without any prior experience. I think it's because of the location at folly beach and the great instruction by Kyle. Super fun and worth every penny!

I highly recommend NOT using this company - if you are local or a visitor!! The owner has absolutely zero respect for anyone's time other than his own time, with his baby at home and the 16 hours he spends on the water - as he made very clear to us. The staff - although they CAN NOT stick to the 3rd schedule change they provided us, we're friendly. The owner - who openly tells us he is the only company who can legally provide lessons has proven that he doesn't care about anyone else, the experience, or their time invested to support his company, with the lack of service received. We are still waiting for a refund after dealing with this rude individual for the no show on the lessons he was to provide my daughter. IOP is a new point to provide lessons, I can imagine with the way he handles customers on this side of the harbor - he won't be here long!!

We had a group of 5 friends who signed up for surf lessons with Kyle and Maxie. Everyone had an absolute blast! They are excellent teachers and so fun to hang out with. Maxie took a ton of really awesome free pictures for us to keep. We would all highly recommend taking lessons from them. We also contacted them a few days later for surf board rentals. They are very easy to get ahold of and communicate with. They deliver and pick up the rentals for you. They are also very flexible for scheduling lessons and arranging time and location that is convenient for everyone. We can't say enough good things about them! We all agree taking surf lessons was the best activity we took part in during our week long vacation!

Kyle and Maxie made sure my first lesson was a terrific experience! Kyle's instructions are clear and concise, and I felt confident by the time we headed out into the surf. By the end of the lesson, I was picking my own waves and riding them all the way back to the shore. And the free pictures included with the lesson are a big plus. The next time I'm back in SC, I'll definitely be contacting Carolina Salt for more lessons.

Having never surfed before, I was apprehensive prior to the lesson. Kyle's instruction was so simple and positive that he made it much easier than I could have ever expected. Not only is knowledgeable and encouraging, he makes things simple. Both my fiance and I had a blast and left the beach wanting to come back the next day. Maxie did a phenomenal job of capturing some great moments from the lesson as well that we've since framed in our home. Ultimately our experience was phenomenal because Kyle and Maxie are great instructors and great people!

Easy to see that this is your best choice for surf lessons! Hard to find more words that haven't already been said! My sons (13 & 9), husband and I took a lesson with Kyle and Maxie at Folly Beach and had a great time. We had a lot of fun and learned way more than we had imagined! Kyle is a great teacher and Maxie was a super helper with both kids! They run a very professional business and we highly recommend them and hope to use them again!

I was in Charleston during late August and decided to take a surf lesson on Folly. A local surf shop gave me some business cards for local instructors and told me Kyle was the best surfer on Folly. I had only taken surf lessons before in California and didn't really know what to expect, but it turned out to be great. Kyle was flexible about scheduling a time for a lesson during the weekend (even on short notice) and was able to recommend a good time based on the surf and weather reports. Kyle told me the spot to meet him and when we got there, he and Maxie were already set up and ready to get started. The lesson lasted for an hour and was tons of fun. He is a great instructor, really encouraging, and he and Maxie both have a great sense of humor. This surf lesson was just as good as my lesson in Santa Cruz, but only cost half as much. When I'm back in Charleston later this fall, I will definitely schedule another lesson with Kyle. I can't recommend Kyle and Maxie enough.

Kyle and Connor took our entire first-time Family for our SUP trip. 5 people- ages 11-46 -what an awesome experience!!! These guys are patient, super helpful and truly like going out with your friends for a paddle. Knowledgeable about the area, took us on the longest route - when other companies didn't make it against the wind and current - our whole group did!!! Great experience! Next time would do the sunset paddle.

I contacted Kyle to get a surf lesson for my husband for his birthday. He gave awesome instruction before they even got into the water. My husband jumped up on his first wave and rode it out without falling. Maxie caught some awesome action shots from the beach with her Canon and zoom lens. The photos were free and Kyle's been really helpful in trying to help my husband find a board to keep practicing with. Needless to say, he's hooked.

Kyle is an amazing instructor. He is a genuine person and you can really see his passion for what he does when you're out in the water with him. It's a professional experience from start to finish with these guys and I would highly recommend them to anyone visiting the Charleston area for both surf and paddle boarding lessons.

Year two with Kyle and his team. I can't say enough about his skills and temperament as an instructor. He's also a fabulous businessman who takes good care of his customers who really become friends. Every business should be run like his.

Last summer I was visiting my brother at boarding school in upstate SC. He had the weekend off, so I wanted to take him off of campus to do something fun. We found Carolina Salt Surf Lessons online and were so impressed with Kyle and Maxie. Although neither my brother nor I had surfed before, both of us were up and riding waves (with some assistance) by the end of the lesson. Kyle did a great job teaching about when to pop and how to stand on the board and Maxie took some great pictures. The whole experience was extremely positive. I would definitely recommend using Carolina Salt Surf Lessons, whether you are looking to get into surfing or just have a good time for the day!

Kyle and Maxie are absolutely fantastic! Kyle is a very precise, motivating and patient teacher. Maxie is a wonderful person and very helpful. They are both professionals in the field and passionate about what they do. Kyle was with us in the water the whole time, while Maxie took some cool photos of us. During the 90 min lesson my friend and I learned a lot, and experienced the ultimate fun part of surfing. We progressed a lot during our first lesson and despite the falls to the water we rocked the waves and had an awesome time. We are super excited about having our next class with them tomorrow!

We chose Carolina Salt based on the Yelp reviews and they did not disappoint.Kyle was very professional and patient with our group - me, who hasn't surfed in many years, my gf and kids aged 10, 12 and 19 who have never surfed. Kyle stresses safety at all times. That was very important to us. He also truly wants everyone to have fun and to catch waves!! After some instruction on the beach he had us in the water and riding waves in no time. Kyle coached us while letting us try (and sometimes fail) when he thought we were ready. What I enjoyed most was how he kept telling us what we were doing right or wrong, and when we were able to paddle and catch waves on our own I think he was just as happy as we were! Maxie, who works with Kyle, was also great - snapping photos and helping the kids get back out into the waves. They truly are a great team. We had so much fun we scheduled another lesson later in the week to improve our technique. If you want to learn to surf you should go with Carolina Salt. Kyle is not only a professional surfer, he really knows how to teach young and not so young people. We'll definitely come back next summer and get a refresher!!

Kyle and Maxie are great! The weather wasn't completely cooperative but the lesson was really good anyway. Kyle is so patient and is an awesome instructor.

Bussey or bust! If you're visiting Charleston and are looking for the right place to learn surfing - Kyle Bussey at Carolina Salt is your BEST bet :) I've traveled to Bali and Hawaii in an attempt to learn surfing and I have to say - Kyles 90 minute private lesson is one of the BEST I've ever had. He's warm, extremely knowledgeable and motivating to work with. I had experienced another surf school (not naming names here!) the day before and realized there's a lot of fakers out there. With Kyle - he takes you through the motions from land lessons to finding your feet on the board, paddling out and catching your own wave...All this and more in a short time and at a lovely stretch of beach. You may not realize it but you're getting so much first hand knowledge in such little time ! It's been great to meet him and his partner, Maxie here- they're genuine, good wholesome people who will hand hold someone like me (I'm confident but need a little push!) through everything you need to know about surfing for beginners. Two thumbs up. I hope to be back in Charleston just for this - soon.

It was the first time I had a surf lesson and it was great!! Kyle encouraged me all the time at the same time as he was instructing me on how get better and better. He is a great teacher and makes everything really simple to understand! The lesson was interrupted by a huge thunderstorm and he and Maxie not only waited until the storm passed to finish the lesson (more than one hour) but also gave me some extra time to get to know them a little better. You can see how Kyle loves surfing and that enthusiasm rubbed off on me. It is also a great idea that Maxie takes pictures during the lesson that way you can relive the experience at home! Even if he told me that with one class it was enough I've already scheduled a second lesson! :)

Our kids, ages 11, 14, and 14 -- two girls and a boy - had a BLAST today doing surf lessons with these guys. They are SO good with kids. I was thinking if they got up even once it would be a success, but they got up and rode those waves more times than I could count! My daughter came bounding out of the water begging me to move to the beach so she could be a surfer! None of us had ever surfed before and Kyle and Maxie were just absolutely amazing -- incredibly friendly, careful with the kids -- brought everything we needed -- all we did was show up on the beach. (and they came to us on the beach!) felt super safe with them in the water with my kids too. They did a short lesson on the beach and then were quickly in the water, first with the expert assistance of Kyle and Maxie and then quickly doing it on their own -- truly amazing. Kyle was really good at judging what waves were good for each kid so each kid had such a blast. Maxie has this amazing underwater camera so she's taking photos while they are out there, and then she does some from the shore too. And the photos are included in the price, amazing! If you have any interest in surfing I highly recommend Carolina Salt Surf Lessons -- they made our day today!