Un Mar de Colores · Pacific Beach, CA
Five full days of surf instruction, marine ecology, cultural arts, and daily lunch — 100% free for Pacific Beach families.
Un Mar de Colores runs free summer surf camps for Pacific Beach youth ages 6–17. Each week-long Monday–Friday cohort combines morning surf instruction at Tourmaline Surfing Park, Crystal Pier with afternoons of marine ecology, cultural arts, and Kumeyaay coastal history. Priority enrollment goes to students of Pacific Beach Middle, Mission Bay High, Mission Beach Elementary. Wetsuits, soft-top boards, daily lunch, and round-trip transportation are all included.
Summer (June–August), Monday–Friday cohorts · Completely free
Pacific Beach sits between Mission Bay and the open Pacific, producing the mellowest learner waves in the city. Tourmaline Surfing Park — designated a surf-only beach in 1981 — is the safest and most instructor-friendly break in San Diego. Over 55% of students at Mission Beach Elementary, Pacific Beach Middle, and Mission Bay High qualify for free or reduced meals, making this one of our highest-impact urban partnerships.
BIPOC surf camp in Pacific Beach addresses a real access gap: 44% of local residents are BIPOC, yet summer camp marketing still centers a narrow demographic. Our coaching staff and alumni reflect the communities we serve.
Parents searching summer surf camp near Pacific Beach, CA find Yelp lists dominated by for-profit operators. Un Mar is different: a 501(c)(3) BIPOC-led nonprofit where enrollment prioritizes Title I students from San Diego Unified School District and community referrals. That structure changes who spends a full week in the water.
Pacific Beach's relationship to the Pacific is complicated by history and economics. Our curriculum weaves Kumeyaay coastal stewardship, environmental justice, and culturally grounded instruction into every session — not as an add-on, but as the foundation.
Parents in Pacific Beach often ask how a nonprofit can offer everything free. Answer: San Diego Foundation grants, community donors, and partners who believe Pacific Beach youth belong in the lineup — same as any other kid in San Diego.
Un Mar's primary Pacific Beach teaching location. Designated a surf-only beach in 1981 — the safest and most instructor-friendly break in San Diego.
Tourmaline was designated surf-only by San Diego City in 1981, making it the first formally protected teaching beach in Southern California.
South side of pier offers a sand-bottom peak ideal for graduating students from Tourmaline.
Crystal Pier was built in 1927 and is one of only two piers in California with an overnight hotel (Crystal Pier Hotel & Cottages).
In partnership with San Diego Unified School District and local community organizations, we recruit youth from 3+ 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 coaches include graduates of the Surf Athletic Scholarship program and bilingual educators who reflect the BIPOC communities we serve. We partner with 15+ Title I schools across North County and San Diego.
“"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."”
Friday is graduation on the sand — campers demonstrate surf skills, share cultural arts projects from the week, and celebrate with families. Grandparents, siblings, and neighbors from Pacific Beach are welcome. We provide a photo album documenting the week.
Round-trip shuttle transportation runs from partner Title I schools. If Pacific Beach 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 Tourmaline Surfing Park, Crystal Pier.
No swimming test is required. We begin in chest-deep whitewater under direct coach supervision and build water comfort progressively. Many Pacific Beach beginners start camp with limited pool experience and gain confidence within the first two days.
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs in Pacific Beach are 100% free — including 3/2mm wetsuits, soft-top surfboards, transportation from partner schools like Pacific Beach Middle, Mission Bay High, Mission Beach Elementary, and certified bilingual instruction. Funding comes from the San Diego Foundation, community grants, and individual donors. No Pacific Beach family has ever paid for our programming.
Primary water sessions run at Tourmaline Surfing Park. We also use Crystal Pier for skill progression. Classroom components happen at Kate Sessions Park & Rec Center and other partner sites. All water activities happen within lifeguard-flag zones.
We serve youth ages 6–17. In Pacific Beach specifically, our recruitment runs through San Diego Unified School District — with priority enrollment for students from Pacific Beach Middle, Mission Bay High, 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 Tourmaline Surfing Park, supervised by instructors certified by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Division. Water comfort is built progressively. In Pacific 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 Pacific Beach, where 28% 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 Pacific Beach surf programs charge $50–$150 per lesson; (2) we are BIPOC-led and our coaches reflect the 44%-BIPOC Pacific 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 Pacific Beach, not just those who can afford access.
Visit our sign-up page or contact us directly. Priority enrollment goes to students of Pacific Beach Middle, Mission Bay High, Mission Beach Elementary and referrals from Kate Sessions Park & Rec Center and San Diego Junior Lifeguards. Summer cohorts fill 3–4 weeks before start, so early contact is recommended.
Volunteer, donate, or enroll — however you join, you're helping Pacific Beach youth access the coast.
All Un Mar de Colores programs are free for Pacific 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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