Safari Town Surf - A Lincoln City Surf Shop

(Image Copyright Safari Town Surf Shop)

If you’re a surfer on the central Oregon coast, where do you get your supplies or rentals?

  Between Lincoln City and Newport, a 25-mile radius on the Oregon coast, exist an abundance of surf shops to meet the needs of regulars and one-timers alike. 

However there is one shop that meets all those needs – Safari Town Surf in Lincoln City.

Surfing rental availability always comes into play. A typical surf day requires a surfboard, wetsuit, hood, boots, and gloves and if applicable, a rack for the board to travel on top of your car. 

Safari Town is good at having popular brands in stock, such as O’Neill, Xcel, Rip Curl, Dakine, Channel Islands. 

They have any wetsuits from kids to adult sizes. However, sometimes there might be a case where their rental gear is out of stock during surfing competitions, or a busy time on the coast. 

Ensuring a proper fit is also a must. Safari Town triple checks to make sure everything fits correctly, while giving you some Channel Islands shortboards or Nature Surfing Products longboards to choose from, which are pretty good boards to use for anything. If needed, they also include the “racks” for the top of your car in case there's no space on the inside or if you have a truck bed.

A full rental Surfboard Package usually costs around $50 for 24 hours. They offer also a few other packages as well, such as a Bodyboard Package that is $40 (includes bodyboard, wetsuit, hood, boots, and gloves), Skimboard Package that is $25 (includes board and booties), Wetsuit Package that is $35 (includes wetsuit, hood and boots) and a stand-up Paddleboard Package that is $65 that must be returned by closing time (includes SUP board, wetsuit, hood, boots).

They also offer individual options as well from racks to wetsuits that range from $5 to $30 and boards that range from $15 to $60 for a 24-hour timeframe. SUP Boards that have to be returned by closing.

 Safari Town also offers the option of being taught by pro-league Oregon surfers, which is worth the money if you’re a newbie to the sport. Prices usually range from $99 to $175 per person, available in groups, private, advanced, or in a surfing camp. 

“They have been offering surfing lessons in the surrounding area beaches for over 30 years,” according to their website. “Experienced and certified Oregon coast surfing instructors prioritize your safety and fun. They teach beginners the proper techniques, helping you avoid bad habits while surfing. Their First Aid & CPR training ensures a secure and rewarding learning experience.”

One of the reviews on their website by Anna Hansmeyer states, “Great shop. They were super down to earth; they worked with me and helped me with every little thing that I needed. Deklyn is an awesome instructor, we had tons of fun surfing!”

Another one by Jenny Graham on Google states, “We booked a 2-hour private kayak tour for the final day of our two week vacation and it was easily THE BEST nature experience we had all trip! The Salmon River is incredibly beautiful and full of wildlife. Tony was an excellent guide. We felt very very safe at all times. Don't miss out on this experience!”

Not a big surfing fan? No worries! Safari Town also offers kayak rentals, a guided kayak tour, fat tire bike rental or tours. All of them range in price from $20 to $130. Travel Oregon–using TripAdvisor, rates these rentals, tours and lessons as five-star!

As for parking, being along Highway 101, it's pretty tough to park a car sometimes during peak tourist season, let alone a 40-foot bus in a narrow parking lot.

If they don’t have something in stock, they can get it! When it came time to order wetsuits for my entire family, they were out of stock in-store, however the owner ordered directly from Xcel and had our wetsuits there within a few days. 

Usually seasonal sales are where you can get some pretty good new stuff at a pretty good discount. Mostly prices vary, however there was at least one time that Safari Town had a Channel Island shortboard for less that $250–pretty good price for one that averages around $579 or more! I personally take advantage of their wax sales that are BOGO or some percentage off if you buy 2 or more, usually cost me less than $20.

But for last-minute things, such as wax, a leash, or whatever, it's a great place to stop. I have used their rental program plenty of times in the past, and Safari Town seldom falls short.

At a Glance:

Safari Town Surf Shop

Address: 3026 NE Highway 101, Suite 3, Lincoln City, Oregon

Hours: Wednesday-Friday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday noon-5 p.m.; Monday 1-5 p.m.

Phone: (541) 996-6335

Website: www.safaritownsurf.com

Rating: 8/10

Rating is based on the general availability of items–including rentals, customer service, and parking.