DSRT Surf wave pool in Palm Desert to open mid-July, bookings available in a month
A surf pool set in the desert that will deliver 1,000 waves per hour will open to the public by mid-July, if all goes as planned; a project anticipated to be the largest of its kind in North America.
DSRT Surf, in the making for more than a decade, is 90% complete with final touches happening in the coming months, General Manager Michael Gerano said this week as a two-day hiring event got underway at the Palm Desert property.
“We’re calling it ‘where the desert meets the waves,’” he said. “We’re unbelievably stoked to get this running … we’re ready to turn the engine on. We couldn’t be more excited to bring this to life for Southern California locals and beyond.”
DSRT Surf is one of several wave pool projects popping up across the country and in Southern California, already known for its wave-rich coastline.
Similar Wavegarden Cove technology is being used in Virginia Beach, led by Beach Street Operations, the same group behind the Palm Desert project.
“First and foremost, they are incredible waves,” said Gerano. “Crystal-clear water, consistent waves creating a more year-round destination, welcoming families, surfers and non-surfers.”
The best part is, unlike the ocean, there are no sharks, he half-jokingly noted. “You’re not going to have to worry about what’s lurking below.”
The project is the latest evolution in Southern California’s surf landscape, where changing technology and a desire among surfers for consistent, uncrowded waves have made man-made waves more attractive. For novices, wave pools offer a controlled setting before hitting the beach.
The DSRT Surf project follows the opening of the Palm Springs Surf Club in 2024, a smaller operation built in a former Wet ‘n Wild water park. Another private wave pool in nearby La Quinta at Coral Mountain Desert Club, called Thermal Beach Club, broke ground last month and is expected to open in 2028.
Ocean Kamp is under construction in Oceanside and the Snug Harbor Surf Park has been proposed in Newport Beach - though that project has been met with resistance from golfers wanting to preserve their favorite course.
By the end of the month, the DSRT Surf operators expect to be filling the 9 million-gallon lagoon, Gerano said, then a few weeks will be spent doing the “wet commissioning,” mastering the wave pool’s programming to make sure everything is running correctly.
The entire project site is 17.8 acres nestled between the two iconic Desert Willow golf courses. One important aspect of the project is its “surf for turf” program, Gerano said, where 30 acres of course turf were converted to drought-tolerant landscaping to offset the water usage, making the project “net zero.”
“Our park will use less water than one hole on a golf course,” he added.
The weeks leading up to opening will also be spent training staff, including lifeguards and surf instructors, said Gerano. The job fair was held to fill 120 jobs.
“This is the exciting phase for us, that we are so close,” Gerano said.
The Wavegarden Cove technology being used has settings for barrels, long intermediate rides or soft beginner waves. Size, shape, height of the wave, length, frequency, power and speed can all be customized.
Wavegarden has been a leader in creating man-made waves, with its first project, Surf Snowdonia, opening in the United Kingdom in 2015. Since then, it has built pools around the world, including in Australia, Switzerland and Brazil.
The idea of man-made wave pools is not a new concept, with attempts as far back as the ’80s. But instead of mimicking the ocean, early waves rushed like a river toward a surfer, making them more novelty waves. It was only in recent years that technology caught up to provide surf-worthy rides.
The wave pool has the capacity to hold 70 surfers in the water at the same time. There will be a learn-to-surf program with rolling, mellow waves available, and the main wave that will draw more experienced surfers. The waves will be ordered from a menu before the session.
Another interesting feature will be AI technology that will use facial recognition and film a person’s surf journey, Gerano said, from the first wave to when they can ride a barrel.
“When I heard about this technology, I was blown away that it was available this early on for wave pools,” Gerano said.
The surf park will also have the ability to open at night, with 80-foot light poles shining down directly on the pool to avoid light pollution, one of the details of the project that allowed it to be certified by the International Dark Skies Association, Gerano said.
The hope is DSRT Surf will attract people heading to the desert for quick getaways. A working professional who is limited with time may want to surf the park because they won’t have time to wait for waves or fight the crowds at the beach, Gerano said.
The wave pool will also be able to host private events, whether for a few hours or the full day, for a large birthday party or corporate convention, for example.
Its restaurants will have indoor and outdoor areas, and there are cabanas and lounges on an event lawn.
The entire space can accommodate 3,500 people.
A second phase is expected to add a 139-room resort hotel and 57 villas, seven of which will be built this summer to test the market, Gerano said.
So when can surfers start booking their sessions?
“The booking calendar,” Gerano said, “is about 30 days out from going live.”
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This story was originally published May 8, 2026 at 5:04 PM.