Before women’s skateboarding was a global phenomenon or an Olympic event, Amy Caron was already carving her name into the concrete — not just as a competitor, but as a culture shifter. Raised in a California surf town, Amy first picked up a surfboard at nine, but it was the street that stole her heart. With no roadmap to show her the way, she pushed into skateparks and onto podiums on her own terms.
Today, Amy’s world blends the flow of surfing, the grit of skateboarding, the freedom of van life, and the soul of music. From skating gnarly hills to resetting in the waves with her dogMax by her side, she’s become a multi-hyphenate creative force finding home in a love for the simple things.
We caught up with Amy to talk about the roots that shaped her, the crossover between surf and skate, and how she’s continuing to chart her own path — on wheels, waves, and six strings.
Photos by HEIDI ZUMBRUN
Roots in Skateboarding
Q: What first pulled you onto a skateboard, and what lessons did those early years — from contests to X Games podiums — teach you about grit and self-expression?
A: I grew up in a surf town where skating and surfing were both accessible, and I just naturally gravitated toward skateboarding. People always assume I had a brother who skated, but I didn’t — it was just me, and mostly guys at that time. As a girl, you had to carve your own path and earn respect.
Skating in San Francisco shaped me a lot — the streets are gnarly, and the people on them unpredictable. It taught me street smarts early on: how to read situations, how to get out of them, how to be aware. Even driving a car — all my skate friends are great drivers because we understand the physics of four wheels. And of course, skating itself teaches you about consequences — it’s “body to street” with no padding. That resilience and awareness shaped who I am.
Q: How do you see parallels between skateboarding and other boardriding cultures, especially surfing?
A: Skating is the most accessible. If you have cement and a board, you can do it — in a city, suburb, or small town. Surfing is exclusive to the coast, and it takes gear, a car, and higher costs. That makes skateboarding culture more diverse, which I love, and I’d like to see surfing get there someday, though geography makes it harder.
Snowboarding feels the most exclusive — the gear, the lift tickets, the travel. It’s an affluent scene. So in many ways, skating is the most democratic, and it gave me community and street smarts that I wouldn’t trade.
Connection to Surfing
Q: Was there a moment when the crossover between skating and surfing clicked for you?
A: I actually surfed before I skated — my dad was a surfer from Huntington Beach and taught me when I was nine. He fueled that addiction with boards and wetsuits, and later even skated with me a little. But from 15 to 28, skating took over because I was competing full-time. Surfing was more of an occasional reset.
When I came back to surfing, it was about freedom. No pressure, no contests — just my yoga, my meditation. Surfing is flow, beauty, and rhythm. Falling doesn’t hurt the same way, and you’re communing with nature in a way skating can’t match. The variables — waves never being the same — keep it humbling and alive.
Q: How does surfing serve you in your life today?
A: Any day I surf is a good day. It’s a reset, an active meditation. It never feels like wasted time. Surfing is my therapy — concentrating, being in nature, staying engaged. It keeps me balanced physically, mentally, and creatively.
Van Life & Max
Q: You’ve spent time living on the road. What does van life give you that feels aligned with skating, surfing, or music?
A: I built out my van in 2019 without plans to live in it, but once it was done I thought, why am I paying rent when I want to be here more? So I went for it. Van life makes you inventory what you really need — water, power, comfort — and that’s freeing. I run on solar, and it feels good to know I’m charging my life from the sun.
It also deepened my connections. I’d drive to see friends I hadn’t seen in years, spend more time outdoors, stay ready for surf or skate sessions. Downsizing made life more present, and richer.
Q: And Max — tell us about your dog as a travel companion.
A: Max is my 15-year-old Chihuahua. I’ve had him for 13 years, and he’s been with me through everything. He loved the van from the beginning — he wouldn’t leave it, like “this is my mansion now.” I’ve set it up with fans and windows so he’s comfortable while I surf. He’s a true road dog and even hits the surf, always down for the adventure, and just the best little buddy.
Music & Creative Expression
Q: Music and skating have always been connected through edits and culture. What role does music play in your life?
A: Music’s been there as long as skating. My dad taught me guitar, and I played piano, drums, anything I could get my hands on. But I never leaned into it seriously because I thought, I’m a skater, skaters don’t sing.
About five years ago I pushed myself to perform live, and it opened a new outlet. Playing in front of people, singing, engaging in that performance — it was something I never thought I’d do, but it’s therapeutic. Like surfing, music is meditation.
Q: Do you prefer covers or originals?
A: Both. I love interpreting covers in my own way, but I also write and record originals — even one about Max. I’ve put some of my songs on Spotify, and it feels good to share them.
Check out the Playlist Amy curated for Seea featuring some of her original music!
Community & Culture
Q: You’ve helped shape women’s skateboarding. Do you see the same kind of sisterhood in surf or music?
A: Absolutely. Some of my closest friendships from skating are still my closest today. Surfing and skating came together when I started hanging out with longboarder Jen Smith — she’s a pillar in the surf world, and through her I met so many others. That overlap helped me lean back into surf culture the right way.
Q: Who are the women (in skating, surfing, or music) that inspire you most right now?
I’m inspired by the younger skaters — Nora Vasconcellos, Bryce Wettstein, Poppy Starr, Alexis Sablone — and proud to see women in the Olympics, giving kids role models and opening financial opportunities.
In surfing, Jen remains one of my biggest influences, and I love watching Mele — she's got one of my favorite styles, graceful. It also doesn’t hurt that she's such a rad person. And in music, even just jamming with friends feels like magic.
Looking Ahead
Q: What message would you want to pass on to the next generation of skaters, surfers, and musicians?
A: Don’t force it. Skating was fun for me because it was never forced — it was the alternative sport, something you chose for yourself. My message is as much for parents as kids: don’t pressure your children into something. Let them find what they love and support that, without turning it into a job.
Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
A: Don’t be so hard on yourself. My friend Meghan McGuire, who I started Bigfoot Skate Magazine with, told me that once and it stuck. Whether it’s after a bad skate slam, a night out, or just life, self-criticism only drags you deeper. Treat yourself like you would a friend. It’s simple, but it’s the best advice I’ve ever gotten — and I pass it on all the time.
Thank you so much to Amy for being such an inspiration and wonderful member of our community!
