Un Mar de Colores · Carlsbad, CA
Every camper gets a wetsuit, soft-top board, rashguard, transportation, lunch, and snacks for the full week.
Un Mar de Colores runs free summer surf camps for Carlsbad youth ages 6–17. Each week-long Monday–Friday cohort combines morning surf instruction at Tamarack State Beach, South Ponto State Beach with afternoons of marine ecology, cultural arts, and Kumeyaay coastal history. Priority enrollment goes to students of Jefferson Elementary, Buena Vista Elementary, Magnolia Elementary and other Title I schools in Carlsbad Unified School District. Wetsuits, soft-top boards, daily lunch, and round-trip transportation are all included.
Summer (June–August), Monday–Friday cohorts · Completely free
Carlsbad's 7-mile coastline — from Agua Hedionda Lagoon to Batiquitos — is one of North County's most accessible learn-to-surf corridors. We run programs at Tamarack State Beach in the Village and at South Ponto, partnering with Carlsbad Unified's 11,000+ students, especially from Jefferson, Buena Vista, and Magnolia Elementary schools serving the city's inland barrio communities.
Where do Carlsbad youth surf during summer camp? We teach at breaks chosen for sandy bottoms, lifeguard coverage, and manageable whitewater — sites like Tamarack State Beach, South Ponto State Beach appear in cohort-specific plans, not generic coast language.
Summer surf camps near Carlsbad run June through August with Monday–Friday cohorts. Inland families rely on shuttles (on the coast) so distance never becomes the reason a student misses camp week.
When we say free for Carlsbad youth, we mean wetsuits, soft-tops, rashguards, sunscreen, transportation, and instruction — the full stack commercial programs charge $50–$150 per session for.
From Carlsbad's Title I schools to the sand, our pipeline is built on real partnerships — not generic 'serving the area' language. Every cohort names the schools, beaches, and community orgs involved.
Un Mar's primary Carlsbad teaching location. Full year-round lifeguard coverage, sand bottom, and mellow inside reform.
Tamarack sits in the heart of Carlsbad Village, with direct access to the Carlsbad Library and downtown. Named after the native tamarack trees that once lined the coastline.
Progression break for Carlsbad cohorts graduating from Tamarack. Wide sandbar accommodates group lessons with plenty of paddle-out room.
South Ponto borders the Batiquitos Lagoon ecological reserve, giving our cohorts direct access to watershed ecology programming alongside surf instruction.
In partnership with Carlsbad Unified School District and local community organizations, we recruit youth from 4+ Title I schools.
Our summer surf camps run Monday through Friday across North County and San Diego, serving BIPOC youth ages 6–17. Each one-week cohort combines four mornings of in-water surf instruction with afternoon programming in marine ecology, Kumeyaay coastal history, and cultural arts. Camps are capped at 18 students per cohort to maintain a 4:1 student-to-instructor ratio, and every camp ends with a Friday family showcase on the beach. Camps are entirely free — wetsuits, boards, transportation, daily lunch, and all materials included.
Our impact is measured in youth served, school partnerships, and watershed stewardship hours — published annually in our impact reports at mar-de-colores.org.
“"He used to approach new activities with extreme anxiety — to the point where sometimes we couldn't even get out of the car. Now he goes much deeper into the water."”
Afternoons include marine ecology modules aligned with watershed science, Kumeyaay coastal history, cultural arts workshops (painting, poetry, storytelling), and nutrition education for young athletes. Surf is the anchor — ecology and culture are the depth.
Round-trip shuttle transportation runs from partner Title I schools. If Carlsbad is inland (on the coast from the coast), we solve the daily commute — not your family. Coastal cohorts meet directly at local teaching beaches near Tamarack State Beach, South Ponto State Beach.
Yes — camp graduates connect to year-round free surf lessons, Ocean Stewards after-school for teens, and the Surf Athletic Scholarship pathway. Camp is an entry point, not a dead end for Carlsbad youth.
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs in Carlsbad are 100% free — including 3/2mm wetsuits, soft-top surfboards, transportation from partner schools like Jefferson Elementary, Buena Vista Elementary, Magnolia Elementary, and certified bilingual instruction. Funding comes from the San Diego Foundation, community grants, and individual donors. No Carlsbad family has ever paid for our programming.
Primary water sessions run at Tamarack State Beach. We also use South Ponto State Beach for skill progression. Classroom components happen at Boys & Girls Club of Carlsbad and other partner sites. All water activities happen within lifeguard-flag zones.
We serve youth ages 6–17. In Carlsbad specifically, our recruitment runs through Carlsbad Unified School District — with priority enrollment for students from Jefferson Elementary, Buena Vista Elementary, Magnolia Elementary and 1 other Title I schools. Cohorts are age-appropriate (One Ocean for 6–12, Ocean Stewards for 13–17).
No. We begin every cohort with ocean-safety fundamentals in chest-deep whitewater at Tamarack State Beach, supervised by instructors certified by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Division. Water comfort is built progressively. In Carlsbad, we also run pre-cohort pool-familiarization sessions at local community pools for students who request extra comfort-building.
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs are bilingual — and in Carlsbad, where 18% of households are Spanish-speaking, we intentionally pair at least one bilingual coach to every session. Cultural programming is delivered in both languages, and parent communications are always sent in Spanish and English.
Three ways: (1) everything is free, while most Carlsbad surf programs charge $50–$150 per lesson; (2) we are BIPOC-led and our coaches reflect the 41%-BIPOC Carlsbad community we serve; (3) our curriculum includes environmental justice, Kumeyaay coastal history, and cultural arts — not just surf skills. We exist because the ocean should belong to everyone in Carlsbad, not just those who can afford access.
Visit our sign-up page or contact us directly. Priority enrollment goes to students of Jefferson Elementary, Buena Vista Elementary, Magnolia Elementary and referrals from Boys & Girls Club of Carlsbad and Carlsbad Library (Cole & Dove branches). Summer cohorts fill 3–4 weeks before start, so early contact is recommended.
Volunteer, donate, or enroll — however you join, you're helping Carlsbad youth access the coast.
All Un Mar de Colores programs are free for Carlsbad youth. Reach out to enroll, volunteer, or support the movement.
Un Mar de Colores is a BIPOC-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Oceanside, California. We provide free surf, ocean, and environmental programming for youth across San Diego and Tijuana — bridging cultures, coasts, and communities since 2018.
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