Portugal, Everything to know when Booking a Surf trip to Ericeira

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Alright, so you’re looking to book a surf trip to Europe, but might be unsure of where to go. Ericeira, a small coastal town west of Lisbon, the Capitol, has pristine coastlines, cool architecture, and of course plenty of waves. The area itself is pretty low key and somewhat small, which is what I liked most about Ericeira. There’s a central area with boutiques, surf shops, restaurants, and bakeries. A car helps, but isn’t necessary as you can still walk or rent a bike to get around.

If you’re new to surfing or have been doing it for a while there are a number of hostel style camps that offer cheap lodging as well as lessons if you need them, which I’ll go into more detail later. With that being said, in this post I’ll be going over how to get to Ericeria, where to stay, eat, and surf. Alright lets get into it..

Where is Ericiera

Ericiera is on the west coast of Portugal, pretty much in the middle of the country. A little over a half hour from Lisbon (close to 50 KM/31 miles), getting to the coast is pretty easy and scenic as you drive through towns to get there

What mode of transporation should I use to get there

If you take a shuttle or rent a car, it will be much quicker! I took the bus, which is the cheapest way, but also the longest (about 2.5 hours). If you are doing a surf camp they may offer a shuttle service and can pick you up right at the airport. The shuttle like I mentioned will be much quicker and they can drop you off right at the camp.

If you are looking to save a little bit of money, you can take a bus from the Campo Grande bus station to Ericiera. However, you will then have to walk or a take a taxi to your camp or where you are staying. A full day bus ticket is close to 6.5 Euros and you can buy your ticket and take a shuttle bus from the Lisbon Airport to Campo Grande bus station.

Do you need a car

You don’t need one, however getting to different surf spots will be easier with a car or a bike. Uber is inexpensive and a great way to get around as well.

Where to stay

Depending on how much time you have, I would recommend staying in a VRBO close to the center area (city center) and/or doing a surf camp. There’s a number of inexpensive VRBO’s close to the “city center”, but also walkable to different surf spots, depending on where you stay exactly. The architecture is pretty cool too with cobbled streets, red clay roofs, and the Portuguese tiles on the sides of buildings.

A surf camp is nice because you stay in dorm style housing, meet new people, and learn a lot about surfing. The only downside to some of the camps is depending on the time of year, groups can be large and everyone goes to the same surf spot for a lesson, which means more people and less waves. However, I stayed with Lapoint and the lodging was incredible, equipment included, and free breakfast every morning. They have great instructors for different ability levels from beginner all the way to advanced.

Lapoint also has a skate bowl on site that overlooks the Ericeira country side and ocean! If you only want to do the lodging without lessons, Lapoint offers that as well. Other surf camps include The Salty Pelican and the Ericeira Surf House. Some of the camps also offer yoga too.

Any good restaurants

Although there were a handful of restaurants that I felt were pretty bland, there’s a few that I recommend trying. For coffee, breakfast, or lunch my three favorite places were Dear Rose, Green is Good, and Sunset Bamboo Bar. The pancakes were pretty amazing at Green is Good.

For dinner, I really liked Jangada, about a 15 minute walk from the center area. Friendly staff and cool ambience were what made this my favorite restaurant in Ericiera. The menu was simple, but the food was incredible, including the seafood. Since your right on the coast, there are a lot of seafood restaurants through out the area. Another restaurant I really liked just north of town, outside of Ericiera was the Pizza Mobile. A hidden gem pizza restaurant in Sao Lourenco.

Is there any Night Life

If you stay at a surf camp they will have events through out your stay. Also, every Friday Boardriders, has a party with a DJ and bar on siter. In town the main bar for night life is Tubo.

Where can we rent surfboards and take lessons

If you’re not doing a camp, there’s a number of awesome surf rental shops that offer instruction from beginner to advanced. If you’re traveling solo and don’t know anyone in the area it’s good to go out with people who know the area and different breaks, where to paddle, what to avoid, and the best time to surf different spots. Shops such as Ericiera Surf School, Tiago Pires Surf School, and Surf Riders all offer lessons with rentals. My favorite place to take a surf lesson was the Surf Center in between Quiksilver and 58 surf. The instructors were incredible and the owner was really nice.

They offered private lessons as well as group lessons. There was also a place to keep your things when you were out surfing so you don’t have to leave them on the beach. If you rent, but don’t take a lesson, the owner still allowed me to store my things there when I was surfing. It’s the little things that make a difference when traveling.

If you’re looking to rent, but not take a lesson, the best place for that is Portugal Surf Rentals. They have a number of great performance, higher-end boards for an incredible price compared to a lot of shops in town. Book your reservation online and they deliver the board to your place, throw in a bar of wax, and give you a surf bag for the rental. You then drop the board off at Quiksilver or 58 when your done.

Are there any good surf shops

58 Surf on the north end of Ericeira has just about everything you need from wetsuits, to fins, shortboards, longboards, and hybrid shapes. There’s also Magic Quiver. It’s more of a boutique style shop, with locally shaped boards. Really cool spot that will premiere surf films sometimes.

Is the water cold

Yep, cold water in Portugal. You’ll want to wear a 3/2 wetsuit and then as you reach mid to late October a 5/4 wetsuit. These numbers are the thickness of the wetsuit. I would also recommend a hood and booties in the colder months too. Some of the breaks will be rocky as well so having booties to protect your feet from getting cut up, will be very helpful!

When is the best time of the year to surf in Portugal

Late September through April are when the waves will be the largest, but also most powerful. I went in October and there were some smaller days in the two weeks that I was there, but also some really heavy days, so keep that in mind when booking a trip. One of my instructors said that If you are looking for smaller waves, August will be the best month. Summers are nice as well because it doesn’t rain very much, but as you get into late fall, you will have more rainy days throughout the winter months.

Where can I check the Surf Forecast

The best website for checking the surf forecast in Portugal is MEO. A was recommended to use this site by a handful of locals and found that it provided the most accurate information!

What are the best places to surf

There’s a number of great surf breaks in Ericeira and below are the top five. The best time of day to surf Ericeira is MID TIDE, either when the tide is going from Low ->High or High->Low. If you surf during low tide the waves will close out early and if you surf during high tide the waves will be Flat. However, sometimes you can still surf these spots during low and high tide!

1. Foz Do LIzandro- This spot is on the south end of Ericeira and can be a little more low key. When the waves are good there will be people in the water, especially in the morning! There are mostly rights here with some lefts mixed in as well. Be careful surfing this spot during low tide as it does get shallow and rocky in some areas. Also because it is near surf schools, in the morning the water can get pretty crowded.

   There is a free parking lot at this beach as well as a boardwalk with restaurants and a surf rental shop. You can either surf in the middle of this break or farther down towards lookers right, depending on where it’s breaking that day!

2. Praia Do Matadouro- Lots of fun breaks here. It’s best to surf this beach with someone who knows exactly where to go. I would also recommend wearing surf booties to protect your feet as there is a rocky bottom. Mid Tide will be the best time to surf this spot and if you’re able to time that for an evening surf session it is pretty magical. There’s different peaks through out the break, lefts and rights.

There’s a parking lot across the street near Quiksilver if you are driving or if you want to walk and are staying near the city center its about a 20 minute walk.

3. Ribeira D’llhas- Located on the north end of Ericiera this break is one of the stops for the World Surf Tour and when it’s pumping, you will see a lot of people in the water. This will be a right hand point break, with different peaks through out. You can also surf this spot during high tide and the waves are a little smaller and more fun if you are an intermediate surfer. There is also some fun waves outside the main peak if you want to avoid a crowded lineup and increase your wave count.

There is a parking lot as well as a restaurant and public restrooms. This is also a rockier break so where booties if you don’t want to cut up your feet! This spot also has a nice beach to relax if you take breaks while surfing.

4. Praia do Sul- Probably my least favorite spot to surf, this break is only good to surf during mid tide with a farther paddle out to get to the peak. When it’s pumping this break can get pretty heavy and there will be some localism in the water as well. Just remember to be respectful in the water, even if someone gives you a hard time! There will be lefts and rights at this break, giving you more options and also sometimes there’s good waves on the shoulder of the main peak.

Be careful paddling back in as the shore break area can be pretty heavy too! This spot is right in town and there will be parking down towards the beach on the side of the road.

5. Praia de São Julião- My favorite spot in all of Ericiera, this mellow beach break doesn’t draw the crowds like the other breaks I surfed. Less crowds means more waves for you. I only surfed here once, but had wished I had rented a car for a few days to drive to this spot. If you can’t rent a car, take a lesson and discuss with your instructor about surfing this spot. The break has lefts and rights and the paddle out isn’t too bad either. Parking will be a big dirt lot right at the beach.

The other nice thing about this break is it is a sandy bottom, no rocks.

Last minute things to know when booking a surf trip to Portugal

• Make sure to bring warm clothing as it does get cold at night and even during the day sometimes.

• It can rain during your trip so make sure to pack a rain jacket! Burton makes my favorite rain jackets, especially anything with Gore-tex

• The sun is less intense, however, still pack zinc sunscreen

• You’ll need a passport to get into the country

• Make sure to bring an outlet adapter, a type C and F adapter work great

• If you bring a film camera, customs is strict and won’t do a hand check on your film. Buy a pouch that protects your film from X-Rays. They sell them on Amazon.

• You can rent wetsuits and booties, but having your own will be a plus. You can purchase these on Hansens and save 10% on your order. Size down a whole size for your surf booties.

• Know surf etiquette and be respectful in the water.

• Summer is a busier time so book your lodging ahead of time!

• There is a skatepark in Ericeira, it’s great for working on your surfing or if you just like to skate.

That’s it for a surf trip to Ericeira, if you have any questions or anything to add please leave a comment below! Also subscribe to our email list below for information on the latest travel and outdoor content. Thanks for reading the blog and I’ll see you on the next post.

Looking to spend some time in Lisbon? Check out top 7 things to do in Lisbon in 48 hours.

Top twenty One Early Season Snowboarding Tips

Disclosure: When you buy something through the Affiliate product links I have created below, I earn a small commission. I only promote products and companies I support as well as believe in

So you’ve been waiting for the season to start the past couple months, or maybe the whole summer lol. Snowboarding is quiet possibly one of the most fun activities to do and depending on where you live, you only get to enjoy it during the winter months (unless you live near an indoor snowpark). That’s what makes riding so special, and has most winter enthusiasts anticipating for colder temps, the newest board, and deep powder days.

Whether your a season veteran or this will be your first year riding a snowboard, there’s always advice or tips that could make the start of your season more enjoyable! In this post I came up with twenty tips to keep in mind for the start of your season. Alright, lets get started.

What is considered Preseason

Preseason is the portion of winter where not much terrain is open and depending on how much snow falls early on, a lot of the snow is man made. Meaning they blow snow onto the runs with a machine, once temperatures start to drop. There’s usually only a few runs open and sometimes at resorts, they have only one run open, nicknamed the white ribbon of death.

Early season is typically the first month and a half of the season, before snow starts to cover most of the resort. At higher elevations ski resorts typically open around Mid to Late November with some resorts open in October in places such as Colorado and even the midwest!

Which ski resorts open the earliest

There’s actually a number of resorts that start turning there lifts pretty early in the season. Because of the higher elevation in Colorado resorts such as Abasin, Wolfcreek, Loveland, and Keystone will be some of the first resorts to open in North America. Kind of crazy, but the midwest has resorts opening in October too. Wild Mountain in Minnesota and Troll Haugen in Wisconsin can open really early if the weather permits. Mammoth in California, Brighton in Utah, and Breckenridge also typically open early November.

Twenty early season tips

1. Tune your snowboard- If your board has been sitting in your garage or storage all summer long, give it a fresh wax, sharpen the edges, and fix any minor repairs. Tuning the board will allow you to ride smoother down the mountain and overall will increase the longevity of it. Also make sure to check all of your binding screws! For more info, check out our blog post on Waxing your snowboard, for a complete guide.

2. Repair your gear- There’s always a chance that you cut your jacket or pant on an edge, tree, or ice. Purchase Gear tape at your local outdoor store or REI and this stuff will prevent you from having to buy new outerwear. It’s also a good idea to check all of your binding straps and buckles. Keep extra parts on you when riding, as you never know when something will break. Local shops usually have spare parts, but sometimes they run out!

3. Sell your old Gear- If you want the latest gear yet still have great stuff from previous seasons take it into a consignment store or sell it on Ebay. Facebook groups are also great places to sell old gear. Consignment stores will take a percentage of the sale vs if you sell it on your own. However, the nice thing about consignment shops is sometimes they can give you cash on the spot. You also don’t have to deal with trying to sell the gear in your spare time.

4. Wear a helmet- I never use to wear a helmet, but the older I get, the more I realize how important it is to throw on a brain bucket. As the old saying goes, it’s cheaper then a cat scan. Helmets will all meet the same safety standard, so it’s going to come down to comfort and then style. Measure the largest part of your skull in cm, and that will tell you what helmet size you are. Helmets will all fit differently, so it’s best to go into a store to see what works best. However if you can’t do that, measure your head and then purchase one online with a good return policy.

5. Set up your board properly- If you’re new to snowboarding, it’s important to have a stance set up that is comfortable! Figure out if you are regular (left foot forward) or goofy (right foot forward) and then determine your stance width and angles. Everyone is different so therefore, choose what set up is best for you. Typically you want the width to be a little wider then shoulder width and your binding angles to be more open.

If you want to practice going switch (opposite of your natural stance) or like riding rails equal angles on both bindings works great. These angles can be 6 and -6 or 12 and -12. If you like to carve or want a stance that is more natural then angle your front foot out more then your back foot.

6. Talk to your local snowboard shop for the right gear- Your local snowboard shop will be able to point you in the right direction for the right gear. It’s important to get the right gear based on your size, riding style, ability level, and what terrain you’ll be snowboarding on. If you don’t have a local shop, wholesalers and snowboard shops have websites to purchase gear. You can reach out to them with any questions you might have on the latest product.

7. Start small in the Terrain Park- The terrain park is essentially a playground for snowboarding. If you’re new to the park or if you haven’t been on a snowboard for months, warm up on smaller features before you try more difficult tricks. Resorts will typically set up smaller features in an early season park that you can hike, to get the muscle memory back!

8. Ride the resort on weekdays- I know this isn’t possible for everyone, so if you do go on weekends, arrive as early as possible to find parking and get up the mountain quicker. What I have found when riding weekends is the base area gets very crowded, but once you take the lift up and ride different parts of the mountain, the lines aren’t as bad. The problem with early season is, not many trails are open yet, therefore weekdays will be the best time to ride and get the most laps!

9. Take it slow and watch out for other people- Because less runs are open there will be more people on one run. Just make sure to watch out for other people and avoid being reckless on the mountain. The person in front of you always has the right of way, regardless!

Remember snowboards are meant for turning, not straight lining down an icy run. It’s important to have good control of your board when riding. There’s no right way to turn your board, incorporate your own riding style and have fun with it.

10. Ride an older board and keep an eye out for rocks and exposed terrain- Early season isn’t a good time to whip out the new Burton Custom! Even though I have done that before lol. The best thing to do is ride an older board if you can because there is usually exposed terrain that can damage the base of your board pretty easily. Rocks, trees, and other peoples boards/skis are all things to watch out for during pre-season!

11. Have the right tires and a winter emergency kit in your car- October and November can sometimes bring winter storms. Colorado can start seeing snow as early as late September! Make sure to prep your car for winter towards the end of summer or beginning of fall. It’s important to have either snow tires or all weather tires when driving to the mountains. It’s also really helpful to have an AWD vehicle. In states such as Colorado and California, there are traction laws and failure to have the proper tires as well as traction can result in an expensive fine.

Another good tip is to have an emergency winter kit in your car, especially if you have to drive to the mountains from a major city or you plan on taking a trip somewhere far. Extra food, water, and blankets are just a few helpful items to have in your vehicle.

12. Pick up your pass early or have it mailed to you- Avoid the early season lines at the ticket office by having your pass mailed to you or by picking it up early in the morning. Also picking up your pass the night before can speed up getting to the chairlift sooner. Check the ticket office hours before you pick up your pass!

13. Stay Hydrated- As you get use to riding again, make sure to drink plenty of water while on the mountain. There’s drinking fountains at every restaurant bathroom area. I also like to carry a small Hydrapak when riding and throw it in the pocket of my jacket.

14. Bring Snacks- It’s always good to pack a few snacks when riding. Nothing wrong with grabbing a meal at the resort, but packing a couple Kind Bars will save you money for the day. Chairlift snacking is one of my favorite things to stay fueled for the day.

15. Sunscreen- It’s important to protect your skin and lips when riding! Especially at higher elevations, the suns rays will be more intense. I like Sun Bum out of California because their stuff isn’t greasy. Just apply to your skin 15-20 minutes before riding. Also don’t forget chapstick with SPF in it. Salt and Stone is my favorite right now.

16. Zip up your jacket before you get off the lift- Often overlooked, but with early season, temps can warm up and sometimes you unzip your jacket at the base. The key is to make sure you zip it up on the lift or before you get on the lift! Any loose gear can get caught on the chair which is not a fun experience when getting off at the top.

17. Double check and make sure you have everything before you drive to the mountain- Especially if you live far from the mountains, double and triple check that you have everything! I like to use the Burton Rider Bag to keep everything in one place. You can store your outerwear, gloves, and goggles in the top part of the bag and your boots in a separate compartment on the bottom.

18. Ride with friends and have fun-I ride solo a lot, but riding with friends will always be more fun. From the chairlift banter to learning new tricks from each other, it’s always a good time. I also recommend riding with people who are better then you because it allows you to progress much quicker and learn new tricks as well as improve your style.

19. Layer properly based on the temperatures and avoid Cotton if possible- This one is one of the most important tips, not just for early season but the entire season. Check the weather, but most importantly pack extra layers just in case. For really cold days down is the best because it is lightweight and packable. There is real down and synthetic down. Real Down is lighter and more packable. It loses it’s loft when it gets wet, but will last longer if taken care of. Synthetic down will still keep you warm if wet. If you run warm, a mid layer is a great option under a jacket or pant.

For warmer temps I would recommend lightweight base layers. Avoid cotton because it will not wick moisture or breathe which will end up trapping sweat and making you colder.

20. Know where to park your vehicle- Knowing where to park, especially the free lots, can save you wasted time driving around and more time spent riding. If you get on the resorts website there should be a link for parking. Some resorts don’t charge for parking at all, Some have a mixture of both, and some have a carpool rule where if you have multiple people in the vehicle, parking is free.

It also helps to review the public transportation which can typically be found on the towns website that the resort is in. Public transportation can take you to the mountain and is usually free.

21. Book your lodging early for trips- If you plan on taking a trip somewhere, especially a more popular destination such as Breckenridge Colorado, look into lodging options early! Lodging can book up quick, so in order to get the best room or place start planning and researching ahead of time. The only reason to really book your lodging last minute is if you are chasing a storm (looking to book a trip based on potentially a lot of snow).

So that’s it for early season snowboard tips. If you have anything to add or questions leave a comment below! Also, if you want the latest updates on outdoor content, subscribe to our email newsletter below. Thanks for reading the blog and I’ll see you all on the next post!