Stand up paddle boarding is one of the fastest-growing sports in the country, and paddle boarding San Diego will give you one of the best paddle boarding experiences you could hope for. San Diego’s combination of breathtaking coastline and SUP-friendly bays makes it one of the best destinations in the world for paddle boarders of all types.
Are you new to stand up paddle boarding? The best way to learn to SUP is to take a lesson in a bay where the water is smooth and flat and relatively protected from open ocean winds. Many companies offer lessons and rentals for newbies. Some companies like SUP San Diego, offer SUP tours and SUP yoga classes. In addition to rentals and classes, the Mission Bay Aquatic Center even offers a Moonlight Standup Paddling Excursion, where the moon and the stars light your way. In Coronado Bay, Seaforth Boat Rental, SUP Coronado, and Bike and Kayak Tours, Inc. offer rentals and lessons.
Once you’ve developed your sea legs, you’ll be ready to venture out into the open ocean. Open ocean SUP’ing gives you a whole new perspective on paddle boarding San Diego, and you’ll get a great workout in the process! There, if you time it right, you’ll encounter not only the exquisite beauty and tranquility of a calm ocean on a warm sunny day, but the abundant sea life that abounds.
More and more surfers are adding SUP boards to their quivers, and many even give up prone surfing entirely for SUP surfing. Why? Because it’s an entirely new way to surf, requiring new skills, and while it’s a better workout, it can also be easier on the body. If you are a traditional surfer curious about SUP surfing, many of the gentler breaks in San Diego are a good place to start. SUP surfers are allowed at all the breaks traditional surfers are allowed at, with one exception. San Onofre Surf Beach in North San Diego County is a great place to learn SUP surfing, but SUP boards are confined to only one section of the mile long park. But the long soft waves are ideal for learning.