The Wave - Bristol

Kevin G.

Shared an afternoon with a friend at the Wave. I have to say it's a lot of effort for very little reward. The staff are very energetic and get you motivated. Great atmosphere in the restaurant/bar with nice music. The food was very good. Good quality equipment, ask for boots at the counter when you collect your wetsuit. On the whole a great hang out place but the BIGGEST let down is the car park surface. Huge pot holes and puddles making it very difficult to navigate. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed but plan ahead.

Chrysanthos G. M. (.

I visited Wave for the first time on a clear blue skies day and sunny! Their premises are really nice and definitely contain a massive man-made wave area. They also have a canteen and a store that sells numerous products.

I had booked the beginners class and the first 45 minutes of the class were really nice and my trainer Jack showed us quite a few things while also being funny. Unfortunately when we got to the stage of getting into the waves, I was asked to leave my group and join the other group on the other side with two different coaches due to having too many people, although we were split before we started the training.

And unfortunately, this meant that I joined the other group while they were getting into the water so I felt like I had a lack of attention from the coaches on that team. I did try a couple of times to catch a wave and it was fun but I can definitely say I did not have a £75 training experience and coaching. It’s sad that they put so many people into groups which means the coaches can’t help everybody. I would understand that if this was a £20 here is a board and here is a wave make the most of it session but this is not how it’s sold on the website and the price that you pay for I was expecting more help from the coaches and attention.

It’s unlikely I will be visiting again, but if you want to try with a friend definitely do so, but don’t expect much from the coaches if they are overbooked.

Daniel B.

I absolutely love this place. Beside surfing, you also can enjoy the local kitchen and some nice drinks. Especially in the summer, if you want to feel like on holiday just come here for a few hours on a sunny day and your day mood will go up for the whole week. They also live music sometimes, so definitely recommend this place if you want to surf or just to chill and look how people are practicing their hobby.

T09K P.

Love this place, really feels like your by the beach and there’s a lovely walk around the pool that you can get some great photos ! There’s a nice Cafe that also sells food that’s not too badly priced. The only problem we find with The Wave is that the car park is really muddy and needs tarmac, it could really damage your car. There are pot wholes everywhere and massive speed bumps.

Aseel A.

My first time surfing at the wave and oh my god I’ll def be back again very soon! Surfing lesson was a 5/5; however had to take one star down for the parking. Horrible car park! Ubered to and from the place but was glad to have someone accept both rides, as drivers also found the car parking area really bad. Booked a one night camp there, was fine and clean but won’t book an accommodation there next time as I found it hard to sleep with all the rain and wind sounds. A great experience overall, hope they open up in London soon!

Leo M.

I took my daughter here for her first surf a few days before her tenth birthday, the perfect place to learn and the coaches are amazing. She loved it. The two coaches that were absolutely amazing were Sunny and Billy, they made it sooo fun for the kids and you could really tell they loved the job too. Lots of great advice!
If your kids are small best to go for little rippers as in beginner lesson they’ll need to be able to walk out into the bay to the coaches, the coaches help out course but say there’s suddenly loads of small kids in a group it gets very hectic so best to go for little rippers session.

Gilford S.

This facility is fantastic, especially for surfing enthusiasts wanting to hone their skill through accessing a range of consistent conditions. Despite the busy surf lessons, the staff made sure to provide everyone with the right support and guidance before, during, and after the session.

Beyond surfing, the facility caters to a range of abilities with friendly and supportive staff. The food was excellent, accommodating various diets including plant-based, vegan, and coeliac-friendly options, which are often challenging to find. The coffee was also great.

There are numerous play areas, obstacle courses for children, bodyboard surf sessions, and even a skatepark/pump track on site. The walk from the car park to the center is about 10 minutes, but it's perfect for those looking to practice skateboarding on a safe, smooth, and wide path.

The facility's commitment to green energy is impressive, featuring automated flower-style solar panels and electric car hook-ups. The on-site shop offers a wide range of high-quality goods. Although not cheap, the items are priced in line with other similar outlets and cover everything you might need for the day if you've forgotten something.

Overall, this is an excellent facility which I highly recommend.

Nicholas M.

As someone who normally surfs in the ocean (and have coached surfing) I think this is a Fantastic experience. Staff friendly and helpful. Lifeguards were on the ball and it felt very safe. Water quality excellent.

At the minute it's not cheap but I think it's worth the money. Hopefully as more open the price will come down and it will really open up this fantastic sport to more people. Surfing shouldn't be exclusive to people who are lucky to live near the coast.

If there was one in N Ireland I'd be a regular!