Southern California’s first wave pool set to open in Palm Springs on Jan. 1
The Palm Springs Surf Club announced will open its new wave pool in the Southern California desert to the public on Jan. 1, with reservations open now for the first of several artificial waves planned for region, creating a surf experience hours away from the ocean.
The Palm Springs Surf Club is “set to introduce world-class surfing to Southern California’s most frequented and unexpected destination – the desert,” its developers said in a Wednesday, Dec. 13, announcement.
The machine-generated waves will range from 2- to 7-feet and the 21-acre property will also feature waterslides, lounge pools and a lazy river. There will also be indoor and outdoor event venues, a restaurant and a social club with bottle service and a complete viewing deck, according to the announcement.
Prices will range from $100 for beginners, with a Waikiki-style wave expected to be ready by spring. Intermediate waves will cost $150, with the first week already booked up hours after the opening announcement. Advanced, barreling waves will cost $200.
Artificial wave pools have created a buzz in the surf world in recent years, offering wave-riding in unexpected places far from the ocean.
Machine-made waves have popped up around the country and overseas, including Kelly Slater’s exclusive Surf Ranch in Fresno and Waco Surf in Texas, as well in Japan, Brazil and Australia.
Surf industry leaders say wave pools are the future of the sport – offering the chance to bring in new surf fans and a way to fuel the sport among people who don’t have access to the coast.
There are ocean surfers who say the lure of the sport is the unpredictability and serenity of nature, which can’t be replicated by a machine. But in recent years, places like Waco Surf have become popular surf destinations even among ocean-loving surfers who want a different experience in fresh water and the repetition of predictable waves to fine-tune their surf skills.
Also in the works for Coachella Valley is DSRT Surf planned in Palm Desert. While there’s no official word on when that park will open, developers are hoping to break ground in January, according to Blake Hess, COO and partner at Beach Street Surf, developer of the project.
The DSRT Surf Resort will occupy 17 acres within the Desert Willow Golf Resort, which is city-owned land developed in 1998. It will have a 92-room luxury hotel, 83 residential villas and a 5.5-acre surfing lagoon.
That wave will be able to hold 60 to 80 people in the water at any given time, spread between five or six different peaks using Wavegarden Cove technology for barrels, long intermediate rides or soft beginner waves.
Another project, the Thermal Beach Club, is also in the works, using a 22-acre lagoon. Coral Mountain, which would have been a private pool using Kelly Slater’s technology, was squashed following public opposition to the project.
The idea of man-made waves 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.
In California, prior to the Palm Springs Surf Club, the only wave-pool open is Kelly Slater’s Surf Ranch, which has a price tag in the tens of thousands and is difficult to get into.
The Palm Springs Surf Club has been years in the making, transforming the shuttered Wet ‘N’ Wild waterpark that was once a popular destination for desert visitors escaping the heat.
Cheyne Magnusson, who was among the original wave curators at the artificial built in Waco, and San Clemente surfer Kalani Robb partnered with James Dunlop to build the prototype in 2018.
The following year, a test pool was successfully brought to life, with tech executive Vinny Smith brought to experience the wave, signing on as an investor.
“Opening The Palm Springs Surf Club marks the realization of a dream that was once unimaginable – catching waves in the desert. We have assembled a passionate team to create an extraordinary space that will provide world-class entertainment and bring together people from within and beyond the surf community,” Smith said in a statement. “Much appreciation goes out to the hundreds of people who worked on the site over the past couple of years.”
The “dilapidated” waterpark was built in the late ’70s and it took investors more than $80 million to transform the property into a “top-tier entertainment destination,” said Tim O’Byrne, a developer of The Palm Springs Surf Club.
Transforming the park was made even more challenging during the pandemic, said Smith.
The wave pool has something for everyone – avid surfers, beginners and even spectators who simply love to watch, he said. “Surfing is a mesmerizing sport to watch, and at PSSC, the experience of observing surfers ride world-class waves against the stunning backdrop of the Palm Springs Mountains is unparalleled.”
Pro surfer Dylan Grave gave a sneak peek at the wave on a YouTube video during a test run.
“Obviously pools will never replace the ocean, but I think they will play a big part in making surfing accessible to more people,” he wrote.
The technology used for the wave was pioneered by Tom Lochtefeld, founder of Surfloch Wave Systems. It allows for on-demand, customizable waves to cater to varying skill levels.
Up to 25 surfers can ride waves during a session. Entrance to the park will be $20. The waterslides will be open in late 2024.
The on-sight restaurant, Amala, will offer sustainable eating options and there’s also three full bars with custom cocktails and beers on draft. A retail store will also have wetsuits, clothing and accessories.
For more information, visit palmspringssurfclub.com.