Surfing means paddling out on a board, catching a wave and standing up to ride it toward shore. Bodyboarding is its easygoing cousin: you ride a short foam board lying on your stomach, usually wearing swim fins, and you can catch a wave on your very first try. Both need the same things, a beach where the waves break gently and steadily, and a little time to learn how the ocean moves.

The best way to start surfing is a lesson from a surf school. Instructors choose a beginner-friendly beach, supply a big soft-top board and a wetsuit, teach you to pop up on the sand, then help you into small broken waves until you stand. Plenty of people get to their feet in the first lesson, and the grin lasts for days.

The Date Activity

A surf lesson is a great active date. You're both beginners, you'll both fall a lot, and nobody looks cool, which takes the pressure right off. Book a lesson for two so you learn side by side and can cheer each other's first rides. If one of you already surfs, leave the teaching to a pro anyway; coaching a date through the whitewater is harder than it looks.

If surfing sounds like too much, rent bodyboards and play in small waves near shore, which is pure fun with no lesson needed. Either way, make a day of it with a sunset walk on the beach and dinner by the water. Still have energy? Find a net and play a game of beach volleyball while your suits dry.

On Your Own / With Friends

Group surf lessons are a popular birthday or team outing, and many schools run camps for kids and adults alike. With a mix of abilities, put the newcomers on bodyboards while the surfers paddle out, and meet back on the sand. Surfing alone is part of the culture, but newer surfers should stay at lifeguarded beaches and learn the basic etiquette: the surfer closest to where the wave is breaking has priority, and you never drop in on someone already riding.

Good to Know

You should be able to swim comfortably in the ocean before you surf. Obey lifeguard flags, which can close a stretch of beach to boards or warn of dangerous conditions, and ask the lifeguard about the day's surf. Learn to spot a rip current, a darker, calmer-looking channel where waves aren't breaking. If one pulls you out, don't fight it: swim parallel to shore until you're free, then head in. Check the surf report and learn on small days. Wear a wetsuit if the water is cool, plus waterproof sunscreen and a rash guard to save your skin from the board. Always use a leash, and when you fall, come up with your arms over your head.