You must teach your water type it and then go to options under the Pokemon and select "surf". You must be near the water too.
You need the correct gym badge(s) for your Pokemon to use Surf out of battle.
The gym in Petalburg.
To get Surf, go to Celestic Town and go into the ruins and Cynthia's grandma will give you surf. Then go and beat gym leader Fantina, so that you can use Surf outside of battle.
You use surf to access certain dungeons that are located in the ocean. You can also use it in battle to hit Pokemon using dive for double damage.
you use surf after pallet town and reach cinbar and then use surf an go left an go on the walk way with a few battles an use surf a again and the battle the camper ango in side.
go to the battle area and go up battle a few people then go up to the lake use surf get through the maze and you will eventually find another lake use surf on that and you will find it
Fantina gives you shadow claw after beating her, then you can use surf out of battle
Go to the island in leaf of battle area,to get their you need to use surf in the leaf of battle park then if you see the island use your pokeradar on the island
When using Surf outside of battle, and if there is a waterfall and you are at the bottom, you can travel up the waterfall by using Waterfall.
To beat the elite four easy you have to find is find a Pokemon that knows surf and outrage,such as dragonite.Then you use surf on the first 3 people. Then use outrage on the fourth person and Cynthia. REQUIREMENTS SWAMPERT LEVEL 85-100 MOVES EARTHQUAKE ICE BEAM SURF MUDDY WATER/HYDRO PUMP ACCESS TO THE ELITE FOUR 5+ FULL RESTORES STEPS 1. ENTER THE ELITE FOUR 2. MOVE SWAMPERT TO THE FRONT OF THE PARTY 3. BATTLE SYDNEY 4. FOR HIS POKÉMON USE THESE MOVES: MIGHTYENA - SURF CACTURNE - ICEBEAM SHARPEDO - EARTHQUAKE ABSOL - SURF SHIFTRY - ICEBEAM 5. BATTLE PHEOBE 6. FOR HER POKÉMON USE THESE MOVES: DUSCLOPS - MUDDY WATER DUSCLOPS - MUDDY WATER BANNETTE - SURF BANNETTE - SURF SABLEYE - SURF 7. BATTLE GLACIA 8. FOR HER POKÉMON USE THESE MOVES: ALL - EARTHQUAKE 9. BATTLE DRAKE 10. FOR HIS POKÉMON USE THESE MOVES: ALL - ICE BEAM 11. BATTLE STEVEN 12. FOR HIS POKÉMON USE THESE MOVES: CLAYDOL - SURF AGGRON - SURF ARMALDO - SURF METAGROSS - SURF/EARTHQUAKE CRADILLY - ICE BEAM SKARMORY - ICE BEAM 1 HIT KOs ON ALL POKÉMON
thee is someone out side of dragonspiral tower that has a galvantula. but to get there use surf
as soon as you can use surf out side of battle you go to lake acuity, surf to the middle of the lake go inside the cave then you can battle it (it is at lv 50) Hope this helped :D