With the first frost on the windshields and school calendars posted on the refrigerator, many Middle Tennessee families are already sketching out where to go when spring break arrives.
For households with children who have spent summers on Center Hill Lake, a surf lesson has become a popular idea for that trip. From ocean beaches along the Atlantic and the Gulf to a wave pool in Fellsmere FLorida, the places where a family can try surfing have widened, and planning now gives everyone time to get ready.
Reader’s guide
- What: Surf parks and ocean surf lessons are options for families planning a spring trip south.
- Who it affects: Families with school-age children who swim well and want a new kind of water trip.
- When to act: Over the winter, while spring break dates are set and lessons can still be booked.
- Who to call: The surf park or surf school directly for age limits, lesson levels and swimming requirements, and a family doctor if a child has health concerns.
Swimming comes first
Surf instructors generally agree on one thing before a board ever touches the water: a student needs to be a confident swimmer.
Children who have grown up jumping off docks and pontoon boats often have a head start, but lake swimming and surf swimming are not quite the same. Waves knock a swimmer down and pull a board away, and a child has to stay calm while surfacing and paddling back.
The winter months are a good time to build that comfort. Many families sign children up for swimming lessons at an indoor pool, where they can practice treading water, swimming without touching the bottom and getting back up after a tumble. Parents who are unsure whether a child is ready can ask an instructor at the pool for an honest opinion.
Before booking anything, a family may want to talk through a short list together:
- Can every child who plans to surf swim comfortably in deep water?
- Does the park or school set age or height limits for lessons?
- Are lessons offered by level, from first-timers to returning surfers?
- What equipment is provided, and what should the family bring?
- What is the policy if weather or illness changes the plan?
How a wave pool differs from the beach
A surf park builds waves by machine in a large pool, rather than waiting on the ocean. For beginners, that generally means waves that arrive on a predictable rhythm, in a setting where instructors can see every student.
The ocean has its own rewards. There is sand, salt air and the chance to watch dolphins or pelicans, and many families make a beach day the center of their trip. But ocean surf changes with the tide and the wind, and a beginner can spend a long morning waiting for the right waves.
Some families plan for both: a lesson at a surf park to learn the basics, then a few days at the beach to try what they learned. Others choose one and keep the rest of the trip simple. Either way, the decision usually comes down to the ages of the children, how much driving the family can stand and what else everyone wants to do.
A first lesson, wherever it happens, tends to follow a familiar pattern. Instructors usually start on dry land, showing students how to lie on the board, paddle and pop up to their feet. Only then do students head into the water, often catching small waves while lying down before they try to stand. Parents who know that ahead of time can tell children not to expect to ride a wave on the first try.
Florida has long drawn Tennessee families in the spring, and inland surf parks give those trips another stop to consider. Checking a park’s own pages for lesson types, ages and booking rules is the surest way to know what to expect.
Packing for a day on the water
Spring sun in Florida feels stronger than it does in Middle Tennessee, and a day in the water adds to the exposure. Reef-safe sunscreen, applied often, and a long-sleeved rash guard help protect shoulders and backs that have spent the winter under flannel.
Water shoes, a wide-brimmed hat for the hours out of the water and plenty of drinking water belong in the bag. Snacks matter more than many parents expect, since surfing is hard work for small arms and legs.
Families driving down should plan the road time with care. The trip from Middle Tennessee is a long day or two in the car, and arriving rested makes the first lesson more enjoyable. Some households break the drive with an overnight stop and save the surfing for the second or third day of the trip.
Budgets deserve a frank talk at the kitchen table, too. Lessons, park admission, lodging, fuel and meals all add up, and the spring break crowds tend to push demand higher. Families who book early often have more choices about dates and lesson times, and those who keep a day open for rest or bad weather tend to come home less frazzled.
Parents of children with asthma, heart conditions or other health concerns should talk with a family doctor before any strenuous new sport. That conversation is easy to have during a winter checkup, well before the bags are packed.
How spring trips used to look
A generation ago, a spring trip south for many DeKalb County families meant loading a station wagon, driving through the night and spending the week on a crowded beach with a cooler and a few rented umbrellas. Surfing was something most Tennessee children saw only on television.
Boogie boards and inflatable rafts were as close as many came. Those who wanted to stand up on a real board had to find a surf shop near the ocean, rent one and hope for good waves, often without any instruction at all.
Today, structured lessons and purpose-built surf parks have made the sport more approachable for beginners of all ages. Parents who never surfed themselves can watch their children learn in a supervised setting, and some sign up for a lesson of their own.
The appeal for lake families is easy to see. Children who already love the water get a new challenge, and the family comes home with a story that has nothing to do with screens.
The days are short now and the lake is quiet, but spring break will come around faster than the calendar suggests. A few months of swim practice this winter, a list of questions and an early look at lesson schedules can have the whole family ready for warm water when the dogwoods bloom.