Summer Sessions Surf Shop

Our daughter had such an awesome first time surfing! She forgot her instructor’s name, but she said he started a surf club at PHS. She said he was super nice & a great teacher! She got up multiple times & had so much fun. Thank you Summer Sessions….she’ll be back!😊

I cannot say enough good things about this shop. We visited the Rye location. The staff are so welcoming. The young gun running the store that day, Wilson, was awesome and he told us all about the area. Great selection of boards, apparel, sundries like sunscreen, and more. They offer group and private lessons. The coffee shop in the same storefront (Sandpiper Cafe) had some of the best coffee I've ever had and they made me a cup even though they were closed. I'd give this place 6 stars if I could.

My kids love surf camp. It’s the one summer activity they get really exited for. The Summer Sessions coaches do a great job making sure the kids are having a great time. As a parent it is really rewarding seeing my kids progress at surfing, and loving their time in the ocean.

We love Summer Sessions. We had so much fun doing the surf lesson, our coaches were very helpful, understanding, and made the experience so fun!!! We always enjoy healthy treats from the cafe (really appreciate vegan/gluten free options for our family) and cool clothing items from the shop as well.

Awesome shop. We've gone here for lessons when we first started and now for our surf gear. Tyler just hooked us up at the end of year board sale with some awesome stuff. Everyone has been super nice there every time I've interacted with them. We travel to this shop over others in the area for the service and prices.

Great place! I got my board for the Summer Sessions. Super friendly shop with a lot of nice deals. Come check it out

Had my first surf lesson today, bucket list item @57 years old and it was AWESOME! Nick was great, super knowledgeable, very patient and helpful. Ryan and team in the shop were very helpful, had a great smoothie afterward. Can’t wait for my next lesson.Highly recommend!!!

I took two lessons at Summer Sessions this month and can’t recommend them enough. Top tier experience.

Moved here from California! Was worried there'd not be much surfing in the New England area. Came to Rye and was delightfully surprised! Felt right at home and the staff was so nice and kind! Board Swap weekends are the smartest thing I have ever heard of! Can't wait to come up and sell two of my boards and buy a new long board from these guys! Definitely come here!

LOVE LOVE LOVE this place. Chill and professional vibe. Great surf instructors. Knowledgeable but not pushy staff. Sandpiper cafe was great for a smoothie or panini. So thrilled they exist in Rye and we got to visit daily during our surf trip.

Appreciated that the staff was wearing masks and gloves, however this might be the saddest açaí bowl I have ever seen. There is barely 1/2 inch of açaí as you can see from the photo when using the spoon for reference. The açaí itself was very subpar and tasted like it was a blend of other fruit juices, certainly not pure açaí.

Excellent place to get your surf gear and a coffee. Wetsuits. Sunglasses galore. Swim trunks, board trunks, all the accessories. Most important: BEER. Sandwiches, coffee, grain bowls and panini round out this semi surf bar that's a cafe that's a sandwich joint that's on the beach. Schwing!

Just spent a week in rye while my daughter was in surf camp. First off the camp. My 8 year old daughter is extremely cautious and wouldn't even attempt a water slide. I watched her get knocked around by waves and wipeout repeatedly. I was expecting her to throw in the towel. However thanks to the positive attitudes and enthusiasm of the coaches she was completely stoked. So stoked I figured I should get in on the fun. Your 40's are a great time to start surfing right? I got a private lesson with Andrew and learned a lot. He taught me the basics and gave me the confidence to just rent a board the rest of the week and "get my reps". THANK YOU! I also had a few conversations with Luke in the shop, he is on point and an incredible resource for anyone looking to break into surfing. The cafe offered up tasty morsels, killer smoothies, solid coffee and anything you might need to fuel your sessions. Every interaction with the crew at the shop/camp/cafe was charged with positivity. My daughter was sad to have camp end, but I am grateful for the experience and that we are close enough to get back soon. Keep up the good work! Can't wait to check out the new shop/cafe in Portsmouth. Lastly seeing my daughter ride a wave to the beach and the smile on her face was priceless.

Love this place. The beach is a perfect place to set up for the day and the location of the ship is ideal. The shop is very accommodating and helpful with surf questions and tips for beginners. The owners are very easy to work with for groups as well. I highly recommend this shop for groups as well as beginners looking for lessons.

good place to stop by and grab a refreshing drink. the vibes can get kinda hectic here. the merchandise they sell is obvi super overpriced, but conveniently so.

I don't surf but I have a super rad shirt from this shop. So does my man-toy, he looks amazing in his "Live Free or Die" tank. My inability to surf has nothing to do with this shop, it has to do with my feelings toward the ocean. I'm a pool gal, or Caribbean gal. However, I have been known to stand on a long board in the safety of a lagoon but I digress. The owner was very helpful and passionate. It's refreshing to see people who care so much about their shop. Support local!

This is long overdue, but I felt the need to share. The shop seems fine, but I bought one of their Summer Sessions label surfboards a few years back, the SS Mayor. The board rides fine and was a solid price, but what I didn't realize was that it had no fin boxes; rather they had just cut holes into the board for fins to go in. The fins that came with it fit tight enough, but they were cheap plastic and eventually broke, and when they did, replacement fins fit very loosely, and because the screws to keep the fins in were just in holes drilled in the foam, the holes stripped quickly. I've officially bailed on this board now because it can't keep a fin, I lose at least one per session. The board is otherwise in perfect shape, so it's a real bummer and a total waste. I dunno if this was just a cost-saving decision or what, but it was a terrible one and I would not buy another board from SS.

Amazing! My sister and I took the kids (5 of them) up last weekend and it was Awesome! All of them had perma grins coming out of the water and now love surfing! They ALL got up on the boards and learned a lot! I could've watched them surf all day! I wanted to jump in, maybe next time! Someone had to take the vids tho! Ages were 7-13 for reference (I live off reviews) the instructors ( Felix, coach James) were fun and obv good at what they do! It reminded me of all the cool parts about California minus the crazies hope that helps anyone! Oh and also I live at the beach, 5 min walk, close to cape and near plenty of surf camps and I'd go back here alllll day!

Eye candy galore. What can I say? And not only surfing stuff but surf gurus. Not to mention there's an awesome cafe on the side and the surf beach just across the street. My favorite hang out.

My 8 year old son and I took our first surf lessons today. Every employee we worked with was helpful, from the person who took our reservation over the phone, to the person who signed us in, to the guy who gave us our gear, and our instructor was SO great. We also got some delicious paninis and then ice cream next door to power up after our lesson for some more water time. We'll be back for board rental in the future! Quick note: as one previous reviewer said, parking is a challenge, but we ended up paying $20 to park in the lot behind the shop, which we thought was worth it. If you wanted to park for free on a busy beach day be prepared to walk much further...

I cannot say enough good things about this place. First, the owners and staff are incredible! They are very knowledgeable, but more importantly, very kind and generous. The selection of surfing, beach items and clothing is super cool, too. The food is healthy and delish. Now, if you are in town for just a day or live here, you should definitely take a surf lesson or join one of the evening groups they always have going on. Not only will you learn how to surf, you will have a blast. The positive energy just flows here. Lastly, if you are thinking about signing your kids up for the camp, do it! It's really the most fun and kids get so much out of it. I have personally witnessed not only my own son love the camp, but we have introduced it to many friends and kids. ALL of them loved it and will return every year for years to come. This is a very special place.

Some of the best people running the best surf shop in the area. You're taken care of from the moment you walk in, to the second you dive headfirst in the ocean across the road. Whatever you need they've got you covered, lessons, rentals, camps, they have it all. You won't find a better beachside surf shop anywhere else in NH.

On a beautiful New England beach, I agreed to surf - for the first time - for a friend's bachelorette party. We were an unruly albeit slightly timid bunch of novices. The instructors were fun, passionate and most importantly, safety conscious. They didn't make us feel quite as silly as we undoubtedly were. But they did play along. Some of us were standing by the end of the affordable $40/person hour-long lesson. Others (like myself) were content to paddle and enjoy the water. I had so much fun and would definitely do it again...baby steps. None of us purchased boards but we did buy some hip tanks that we wore out for our after-surfing drinks.

This place is the best!!! A week and a half before I was leaving on a trip I had my board stolen. I called every shop within 100 miles looking for the same model and size and came up empty handed. Summer sessions went above and beyond and called the manufacturer and was able to get the same board for me and in time for my trip!! By far the best experience I've had buying a surf board

Very disappointed. When I went a few years back the folks seemed interested in surfing, now the focus is on money. Booked a lesson (it's been a while) and then I find out there is no parking, only 15 Minute Only spots. So I had to cancel the lesson due to no parking within a mile walk of the shop. Bad planning on there part

My son and I had a one hour lesson with Cam and it was great. He spends about 15 minutes getting you ready and you have about 45 minutes in the ocean. I wish they offered the option for a 90 minute lesson because that would have been better for us. Still it was a great experience. Remember that even after the instructor leaves, you can keep your wetsuit and board to practice for a couple of hours.

I have been coming here for years and absolutely love this place! I dealt with Brian recently who was a pleasure to work with. I highly highly suggest Summer Sessions. Recently tried out their new hats, which not only look sweeet BUT FLOAT! Thanks guys for running a great shop :-)

Not a bad place to shop or for lessons but beware of the bait and switch pricing. Their website still shows that after 5 PM you can rent a board and wetsuit for $20. But if you go to the store suddenly the price is $30. When I inquired as to why they said "well we haven't updated the website yet". It's been months. This should really be reported to the Better Business Bureau but I'll let someone else do that. Also the rental boards can be sketchy. Quality is not fantastic.

Love the location and it's great having a dank bagel after a good sesh. I won't give it a 5 though because Cinnamon Rainbows takes that one.

My girls LOVED SS kids surf camp! The instructors were friendly, fun, and helpful. They took a number of private lessons last summer and couldn't wait to join kids camp this year. It lived up to their expectations and they are already excited about doing it again next summer. In fact, on the last day of camp the first thing they asked me was "can we do it again next year?!" I also took a lesson with my girls this summer and I was very impressed with the instructor's professionalism and expertise. They do a great job breaking down the steps and providing feedback during the lesson.

For the past 3 summers, either one, or both of my children have participated in the surf camp. This is a fantastic camp with fun, energetic, and personable staff! We have been pleased with what they learn over the week, and they have completley enjoyed it.

Their bathing suits are very cute! And great candy for great prices! Staff is very welcoming and nice:)

Summer Sessions is great! My wife, my friend, and I took a beginners surf lesson from Cam in in April and we all had a blast. Cam was great in the water, gave a lot of useful tips and had a positive attitude throughout the lesson. Everybody at the shop is super helpful and supportive even though we were not experienced surfers. I liked the lesson so much that I have now taken my sister and I have rented equipment from the store on several occasions. All of the prices are quite reasonable and they have a lot of clothing, equipment, and accessories to make almost anybody happy. I would recommend this shop to anybody in the New England area who wants to try out surfing.

Summer Sessions has been my go to surf shop for years since they were in their old store. Currently loving my new SS gear that my cousin got me for Christmas..SS shirts, sweats, and a winter beanie. The staff has always been super helpful each time I've been. Best place on the beach to grab your gear and go. Looking forward to hitting up the shop on my next trip to the coast!

Rip it people....this place rocks. Superb breakfast and coffee and amazing drug culture clothing and accessories....owners are superb people.

Words fail me -- these guys are the best. Took care of me and my son, set us up with wetsuits and boards and sent us out for a lesson in the cold Atlantic on a beautiful September day . . . the rest was history. Seriously, they are fun and laid back but super professiona and organized. A good combination. And anyone who can fit my forty-something frame for a wetsuit (!) at a glance is okay in my book! If you're at all inclined to hit the surf, call Summer Sessions.

Our boys ages 8 and 10 were lucky enough to attend Summer Sessions for a week. It was AMAZING! The instructors are very kind and supportive. I'm not sure who was cheering louder when my kids got up on the boards - me or their instructors! It was the highlight of my kids summer and they have both asked to do it again next year but for multiple sessions!!

Love the SS Surf Camp. Our 9 yr old had a fantastic experience. The counselors are knowledgeable, fun, and very encouraging. They were very aware of each kids needs and safety conscious. All the kids were upright within a few runs. It was great to watch kids as young as 6 shredding. They have new boards this year. Light weight foam making it safe and easy to learn. Can't wait to go myself! Camp was $200 for 2 hrs/day for 5 days including use of a board and wetsuit, daily snacks, and a tshirt and water bottle at the end

The folks at Summer Sessions consistently take awesome care of us. My kiddos have been the enthusiastic participants of their surf camp for 3 consecutive summers and they're crazy about it. Their surf instructors are both fun and professional and their love of surfing and the ocean is infectious. I'm the proud new owner of a summer sessions board and I'm loving it.

Had a great lesson--instructor (Jack) had me up and riding pretty much from the get-go. He was super chill but very professional and helpful with timing and everything. I asked him a ton of questions and he was patient and knowledgeable, and I think that made a huge difference in getting me up on the board. Would highly recommend for lessons. Everyone in the shop was friendly and the location can't be beat. Parking can be tricky on a Saturday in July, but it is what it is. Will definitely be back for rentals, etc.

Great surf shop in a great location. Be sure to check out the surf cam to see a live shot of Jenness Beach. I bought my stand-up paddle board here. Very knowledgeable staff. They also have high quality clothing and bathing suits, plus there's a coffee shop inside.

When I went to check out lessons for my kids, I found that the class sizes were far larger than other local shops, and the instructors are not certified. In addition, friends who have gone in to rent boards have gotten service that is too "laid back" and waterlogged boards. Granted, they have a great location, but I think they believe that having a captive audience is all they need. Now we go to Cinnamon Rainbows in North Hampton for better service and merchandise.

Dishonest. There are far better and more ethical shops in the area. I was told a long board I was looking at was "a florida board". In fact, it was made in china... really? Another new board with a big pressure ding on the rail was for sale (again, really?) I was told that is common, and happens in shipping. If you want honest answers, go elsewhere.

You can't beat the location - it's across from at Jenness Beach which is a great spot for beginners to learn to surf. I've visited Summer Sessions on two occasions and was disappointed twice. Both times, I arrived at the shop shortly after opening hours only to have to wait 30-35 minutes with 3-4 other customers for the manager to "check out the surf." The rental equipment was acceptable, but the service, definitely not.

Ty, Ry and the crew at SS are an awesome group of human beings. My son attended two sessions of surf camp and loved it each time...his only complaint is that he wishes it were longer. The instructors give kids such confidence to get out in the ocean and ride the waves. Noah is already looking forward to next summer

Summer Sessions is fantastic! As the previous reviewer mentioned the employees are a good combo of laid-back and professional. My friends and I scheduled a lesson and the instructors were ready right on time. They didn't seem bored at having to deal with a bunch of beginners. We were all fitted for wetsuits and practiced some of the motions on sand before heading into the water. I can't swim and was super nervous but the instructors put me at ease and I had a great time, even though (as I'd suspected) surfing isn't really my thing. My girlfriend loved the lesson so much that she took a second lesson a few weeks later and has come to love surfing so much that she has since bought her own board and goes every weekend. She credits the great experience we had at Summer Sessions with sparking her love of surfing. Oh, and it doesn't hurt that everyone who works at Surf Sessions is freakishly good looking. ;) If you visit Surf Sessions during the height of summer be prepared to park on the street as far as a mile away. This area is packed much of the time during the summer.

Luv them. Great atmosphere. Have used them for kids surf camps & individual surf lessons. Always a great experience! This ur we had Noah. Great instructor. Store has good selection of everything you need for the beach/surfing. Check it out!

I am a new surfer and everyone in the shop was helpful and gave their honest opinion even if the opinions varied slightly. I also took a lesson with my new board and it was great. The owners and staff are very friendly and even let me know when the surf was not so great. I really apreciate the honesty, since I have two young kids and I have to find a sitter or bargin with my wife to stay home with them. Thanks.

Great customer service. Exceeds expectation. One Stop Shopping for all your surfing and beach needs. If you need advice or just have questions on the surf or what you want to ride, the McGill brothers will listen intently and then lead you along a great tour of options. You won't get confused by the details, just stoked to get out and try the surf.

My kids had a blast at Surf Camp!! The instructors are great with the kids and make it really fun! The Moms on the beach also had a blast hanging out on the sand, boogie boarding, and taking our own surf lessons while the kids took theirs. Everyone at Summer Sessions is so positive, we've had nothing but great experiences here!

Big kudos to the surf camp instructors! Patient and fun-loving, they gave my 8-year-old daughter the opportunity to discover she loves surfing. The atmosphere is relaxed but earnest and the instructors really give the kids individual attention. We will definitely sign up again next year!

i have lived in Rye Beach for 63 years and i know what a very special place it is. because we are residents this allows us special parking privileges but if we look back our forefathers wanted the beach to be for everyone, hence ocean blvd is directly on the coastline in front of most homes for all to enjoy the scenery. In the 1920's there were public bath houses where anyone could come and pay a small fee to enjoy the beach and salt water baths. This is now the Rye Beach Club. i think that summer sessions has shown all of us just another way to enjoy our spectacular beach.

Both my kids, now 8 and 10, have done the Summer Sessions surf camp for the last two summers. It's a great opportunity for us on the east coast to get the kids outside enjoying our beautiful coastline and learning a new activity. The staff is AWESOME. They have an easy, fun way with the kids. And it's run like a very tight ship. Love this camp for the kids and highly recommend it.

I cannot say enough about this surf shop! My kids have been in the surf camp for 3 years and hands down it is their favorite camp they participate in all summer. The counselors are extremely enthusiastic and patient. After watching my children enjoy their camp so much, I started going to the Ladies Night clinic. I remember being so nervous, but I had no reason to be - it was fantastic! I have been attending regularly for 3 years. I am always amazed that the same instructors who taught camp all day, still are completely pumped and ready to teach at 7 at night. I have bought my own board (which I love and they walked me through the whole board selection process) and go out on my own often, but still join the clinic to learn as much as I can. I will always be so appreciative that Summer Sessions and the staff taught my family and I to become surfers!