Un Mar de Colores · La Jolla, CA
Parents in La Jolla get bilingual updates, clear safety protocols, and a real community — not a transaction.
Un Mar de Colores offers free surf lessons for La Jolla youth ages 6–17, right on the La Jolla coast. Serving one of San Diego County's 35%-BIPOC communities (46,781 residents), our instruction happens at La Jolla Shores, Windansea Beach, with certified bilingual coaches and all gear provided. Priority enrollment goes to students of Kate Sessions Elementary, Bird Rock Elementary.
Year-round weekly sessions · Completely free
La Jolla Shores has the gentlest beginner waves in San Diego County — a gradual sandbar bottom, 500 yards of lifeguarded beach, and consistent waist-high surf. Our cohorts come from San Diego Unified's Muirlands Middle, Kate Sessions Elementary, and Mission Bay High, with curriculum support from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Windansea serves only our advanced Surf Athletic Scholarship athletes.
After-school overlap matters in La Jolla: families juggling work and childcare need predictable schedules. We publish cohort calendars early and coordinate with San Diego Unified School District partners so enrollment isn't a guessing game.
Ocean equity in La Jolla means more than one free beach day a year. It means consistent mentorship, culturally grounded curriculum, and pathways from first paddle to Ocean Stewards after-school programming or Surf Athletic Scholarships.
Cross-border watershed work matters to La Jolla because Tijuana River pollution and coastal health don't stop at a border fence. Our education modules name that reality honestly.
Recruitment in La Jolla runs through counselors, teachers, and community partners who know which students need this most. We don't run open enrollment chaos — we build intentional cohorts.
The safest beginner break in San Diego County. Gradual sandbar, 500 yards of lifeguarded beach, consistent waist-high surf.
La Jolla Shores is home to Scripps Institution of Oceanography, our partner for marine ecology curriculum. The beach is protected by the La Jolla Underwater Park & Ecological Reserve.
Advanced-only break used exclusively for our Surf Athletic Scholarship cohort. Never used for beginner instruction.
Windansea is one of California's most historic surf spots, famously chronicled in Tom Wolfe's 'The Pump House Gang.' The iconic palm-frond shack dates to the 1940s.
In partnership with San Diego Unified School District and local community organizations, we recruit youth from 2+ Title I schools.
Un Mar de Colores offers free surf lessons year-round for youth ages 6–17 across Oceanside, Carlsbad, Encinitas, Cardiff, Del Mar, La Jolla, Pacific Beach, and partner cities. Our coaches are certified by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Division and many are graduates of our own Surf Athletic Scholarship program. Lessons prioritize water-safety fundamentals first: students start in chest-deep whitewater under direct instructor supervision and progress to unbroken waves only after demonstrating paddle control and ocean awareness. Every session is fully equipped — wetsuit, board, rashguard — and transportation is provided from our partner Title I schools across San Diego County.
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."”
Coaches hold CPR and First Aid credentials and train with San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Division protocols. Many are alumni of our Surf Athletic Scholarship program. Safety documentation is available to La Jolla parents on request.
If La Jolla is inland, we provide shuttle transportation from partner Title I schools to our nearest teaching beaches — distance is on us, not your family. Coastal La Jolla cohorts meet directly at local breaks. Confirm your cohort pickup location when you enroll.
We run year-round weekly sessions plus expanded summer programming. Cohorts fill 3–4 weeks ahead — contact us early if you're enrolling from La Jolla for a specific season.
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs in La Jolla are 100% free — including 3/2mm wetsuits, soft-top surfboards, transportation from partner schools like Kate Sessions Elementary, Bird Rock Elementary, and certified bilingual instruction. Funding comes from the San Diego Foundation, community grants, and individual donors. No La Jolla family has ever paid for our programming.
Primary water sessions run at La Jolla Shores. We also use Windansea Beach for skill progression. Classroom components happen at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and other partner sites. All water activities happen within lifeguard-flag zones.
We serve youth ages 6–17. In La Jolla specifically, our recruitment runs through San Diego Unified School District — with priority enrollment for students from Kate Sessions Elementary, Bird Rock 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 La Jolla Shores, supervised by instructors certified by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Division. Water comfort is built progressively. In La Jolla, 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 La Jolla, where 22% 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 La Jolla surf programs charge $50–$150 per lesson; (2) we are BIPOC-led and our coaches reflect the 35%-BIPOC La Jolla 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 La Jolla, not just those who can afford access.
Visit our sign-up page or contact us directly. Priority enrollment goes to students of Kate Sessions Elementary, Bird Rock Elementary and referrals from Scripps Institution of Oceanography and La Jolla Recreation Center. Summer cohorts fill 3–4 weeks before start, so early contact is recommended.
Support the movement or enroll your youth — Un Mar de Colores is building coastal access for La Jolla families.
All Un Mar de Colores programs are free for La Jolla 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.
Web platform architecture and development by Codinito.