Un Mar de Colores · Mission Beach, CA
Friday family showcase on the sand — your Mission Beach child performs, celebrates, and shares what they learned.
Un Mar de Colores runs free summer surf camps for Mission Beach youth ages 6–17. Each week-long Monday–Friday cohort combines morning surf instruction at Mission Beach with afternoons of marine ecology, cultural arts, and Kumeyaay coastal history. Priority enrollment goes to students of Mission Beach Elementary. Wetsuits, soft-top boards, daily lunch, and round-trip transportation are all included.
Summer (June–August), Monday–Friday cohorts · Completely free
Mission Beach's 2-mile peninsula gives our programs direct access to both open-ocean surf and the protected waters of Mission Bay for paddle fundamentals. We partner with Mission Beach Elementary and the Mission Bay Aquatic Center for water-comfort programming before open-ocean sessions. The South Mission Jetty area provides beginner-friendly protected waves on most swells.
Free youth surf camps in San Diego are rare because equipment, insurance, and food costs are real. Un Mar combines San Diego Foundation grants, community donors, and disciplined safety protocols — operating since 2018 without charging families.
Parents ask if surf camp in Mission Beach requires swimming ability. We build water comfort progressively in supervised zones — many beginners start with limited pool experience and gain confidence within the first two camp days.
Cross-border watershed work matters to Mission Beach because Tijuana River pollution and coastal health don't stop at a border fence. Our education modules name that reality honestly.
Safe, lifeguard-coordinated instruction is non-negotiable for Mission Beach youth. Every water session runs inside flagged zones with certified coaches — parents shouldn't have to choose between access and safety.
Used for intermediate progression; too exposed for first-time students on most days.
Mission Beach is home to the historic Belmont Park wooden roller coaster (1925), one of the oldest surviving seaside amusement parks in the United States.
In partnership with San Diego Unified School District and local community organizations, we recruit youth from 1+ 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.
Board and staff leadership is BIPOC-majority. Decisions about Mission Beach programming are made with community partners, not corporate sponsors.
“"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."”
Summer camps run June through August with Monday–Friday cohorts. Cohorts fill 3–4 weeks ahead — contact us early if you're enrolling from Mission Beach for a specific week. Priority goes to Title I referrals and partner org introductions.
Camp runs Monday through Friday, 8am–3pm. Mornings include up to four hours of in-water surf instruction. Afternoons cover marine ecology, Kumeyaay coastal history, cultural arts workshops, and nutrition education. Friday ends with a family showcase on the beach.
Yes — all programming is bilingual. In Mission Beach, where 19% of households are Spanish-speaking, bilingual coaches lead every session and parent communications arrive in both English and Spanish.
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs in Mission Beach are 100% free — including 3/2mm wetsuits, soft-top surfboards, transportation from partner schools like Mission Beach Elementary, and certified bilingual instruction. Funding comes from the San Diego Foundation, community grants, and individual donors. No Mission Beach family has ever paid for our programming.
Primary water sessions run at Mission Beach. Classroom components happen at Mission Bay Aquatic Center and other partner sites. All water activities happen within lifeguard-flag zones.
We serve youth ages 6–17. In Mission Beach specifically, our recruitment runs through San Diego Unified School District — with priority enrollment for students from Mission Beach Elementary. 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 Mission Beach, supervised by instructors certified by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Division. Water comfort is built progressively. In Mission Beach, 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 Mission Beach, where 19% 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 Mission Beach surf programs charge $50–$150 per lesson; (2) we are BIPOC-led and our coaches reflect the 37%-BIPOC Mission Beach 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 Mission Beach, not just those who can afford access.
Visit our sign-up page or contact us directly. Priority enrollment goes to students of Mission Beach Elementary and referrals from Mission Bay Aquatic Center and Mission Beach Elementary. Summer cohorts fill 3–4 weeks before start, so early contact is recommended.
Parents in Mission Beach: bilingual staff, certified lifeguard-trained coaches, and zero cost. Sign up now.
All Un Mar de Colores programs are free for Mission Beach 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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