News & Guides
The latest surf park news, guides, and reviews
NewsEl Segundo Approves a Surf Park Near LAX From Palm Springs Surf Club's Backers
El Segundo has approved the El Segundo Surf Club, a wave pool on a 9.3-acre lot beside the Metro K Line about a mile south of LAX, backed by a major investor in Palm Springs Surf Club. What was approved, what is planned and when it could open.
NewsGB Surfing Names Edinburgh's Lost Shore an Olympic Training Facility
GB Surfing, the body that picks Britain's Olympic surfers, has made Lost Shore near Edinburgh one of its National Performance Centres and Olympic Training Facilities. What the deal covers, who else trains there, and how Britain can qualify for LA 2028.
NewsWhen Will Orlando Surf Park Open? Where the Horizon West Plan Stands
Orlando Surf Park has no approval and no opening date. Orange County turned down the first plan in December 2025, and in September 2026 staff asked for a new layout, more public-facilities land and a road plan. Here is where it stands.
NewsPerfectSwell's Maker Sues Over Endless Surf: What It Means for The Point
American Wave Machines, the company behind PerfectSwell, has sued WhiteWater in Florida federal court, alleging its Endless Surf system infringes two patents. The suit concerns the system being installed at The Point in Fellsmere. Here is what is claimed and which parks use the technology.
GuidesThe Biggest Wave Pools in the World in 2026, Measured
Which wave pool is the biggest depends on what you measure: water area, length or number of wave modules. Kelly Slater's Surf Ranch and Surf Abu Dhabi lead on area and length. Here are the largest on each measure, and the bigger ones on the way.
GuidesThe Cheapest Wave Pools in the World in 2026
The cheapest lagoon sessions start around $27 for whitewater in Melbourne's Bays, and standing waves from about $11 for a 10-minute ride in France. Here are the lowest prices at every kind of park, what each actually buys you, and the cheapest hour on a main lagoon wave.
GuidesDSRT Surf vs Palm Springs Surf Club: Which Desert Wave Pool to Book
The Coachella Valley now has two public wave pools 20 minutes apart. DSRT Surf is a large Wavegarden Cove with sessions from $60; Palm Springs Surf Club is a SurfLoch pool inside a water park at $206.70 to $265. Here is how they compare on waves, price and who each suits.
GuidesSurf Parks in the UK 2026: The Wave, Lost Shore and What Is Coming
The UK has two open surf lagoons, The Wave near Bristol and Lost Shore near Edinburgh, both Wavegarden Coves, with Surf London in Enfield targeting 2028. Here is what each costs, how they compare and how to get there.
GuidesURBNSURF Melbourne vs Sydney: What Is the Difference?
URBNSURF runs the same wave menu at both of its Australian parks, so the choice comes down to price, location and what else is on site. Sydney costs about $5 to $15 more; Melbourne sits beside the airport with free parking.
GuidesIs There a Wave Pool in Dubai? The Nearest Surf Is in Abu Dhabi
Dubai has no surf wave pool open in 2026. The nearest is Surf Abu Dhabi, about an hour and a half from Dubai Marina. Here is what it costs, when it closes, and what has been proposed for Dubai itself.
GuidesWave Pool Glossary: Every Term Explained, From A-Frame to Wavegarden Cove
Cove, module, caisson, split peak, standing wave, slab: the words wave pools use to describe themselves, explained in plain English with an example of each from the parks we track.
GuidesWave Pool Levels Explained: Which Session Should You Book?
Every wave pool names its levels differently: Improver, Cruiser, Malibu, L3, The Runner. Here is what beginner, intermediate and advanced actually mean, and what each park calls them, with the price of each level.
GuidesWave Pools for Kids: Minimum Ages and Kids' Sessions at Every Park
How old does a child need to be to surf a wave pool? It ranges from 4 with a parent at The Wave to 12 at PopStroke's Surf Lounge. Here are the minimum ages, height and weight rules and kids' prices at every park that publishes them.
NewsAustin Surf Club's Liens Pass $16 Million as Developers Seek a $171 Million Tax District
Construction on Kelly Slater's private Austin surf community paused in April. By July, contractor liens had passed $16 million and the landowners had petitioned for a special tax district to help fund about $171 million of infrastructure. No restart date has been given.
NewsCabo Real Surf Club's Wave Pool Is Set to Open in December
The Endless Surf basin at Cabo Real Surf Club in Los Cabos began filling in September 2026, and on 20 October the developer said it is set to open in December, with the Surf Club to follow in early 2027. Access is for members, who must own property there, and their guests.
NewsWhen Does Cannon Beach Open? McKinney's Surf Resort, Late 2027
Cannon Beach, the $200 million surf and adventure resort in McKinney north of Dallas, broke ground in December 2025 and is targeting late 2027 for its first phase. Here is what is confirmed.
NewsWhen Does Gemswell Surf Madrid Open? Spring 2027, and 40% Built
Gemswell Surf Madrid, the Wavegarden lagoon going in beside Atlético de Madrid's Metropolitano stadium, was 40 percent built in July 2026 and is targeting a spring 2027 opening. Here is what is confirmed and what is not.
NewsWhen Does Jacksonville Surf Park Open? Targeting 2028
Jacksonville Surf Park, Aventuur's planned 56-module Wavegarden Cove in eTown, is targeting 2028. The land is bought and rezoned, and construction is due to start later in 2026. Here is what is confirmed.
NewsWhen Does Shell Point Surf Club Open? Panama City Beach's Wave Pool, 2027
Shell Point Beach & Surf Club, the Endless Surf wave pool approved for Pier Park in Panama City Beach, is targeting a 2027 opening. Construction was slated for early 2026 and has not been publicly confirmed. Here is what is known.
NewsWhen Does Surf London Open? 2028, With Planning Granted
Surf London, the planned Endless Surf lagoon in Enfield, has full planning permission after Greater London Authority approval, and its developer now targets 2028. Here is where it stands and what comes next.
NewsWhen Does Surfers Cove Open? Portugal's First Wave Pool, December 2026
Surfers Cove, the Wavegarden pool in Óbidos, is due to open in December 2026. Its early bird session packs were on sale until 15 October. Here is what is confirmed, what the packs cost, and what a December opening means for surfing it.
NewsWhen Does Zion Shores Open? Utah's Surf Community, 2027
Zion Shores, the $140 million surf club community in Washington, Utah, was about halfway built in May 2026, with opening expected about 16 months later. Here is what is confirmed.
NewsAlchemy Surf Resort Is Approved, and It Plans to Run Two Different Waves
The Placer County Planning Commission approved Alchemy Surf Resort on 24 September. A 5-acre Wavegarden lagoon and a Citywave standing wave on the same 25-acre site, north of Roseville, with a groundbreaking targeted for 2027.
NewsSouth Carolina Is Getting Its First Surf Park
A 5.5-acre Wavegarden Cove and a 150-room hotel are planned for Broadway at the Beach in Myrtle Beach. The city approved its incentive agreement on 22 September, Horry County took the first of three votes on its part on 20 October, and the target opening is March 2030.
NewsSurf Park Summit 2026: What Happened in Virginia Beach
About 400 people spent three days at Atlantic Park and the Virginia Beach oceanfront for what the organiser called the industry's biggest gathering yet. Utilization data, a helmet discussion among operators, four projects pitched live, and a World Surf League session on where competition goes next.
GuidesSurf Parks in Germany: Every Open Wave, What It Costs, and What Is Coming
Germany has seven open surf parks, more than any country except the United States. Six of them are standing waves you ride in place, and one is a lagoon you paddle into. Here is every venue, what a session actually costs, and the three big projects due after this.
NewsKoa Bay's Surf Park Is Off. The Site Is Now a Data Center Proposal.
Koa Bay was going to be a $595 million Wavegarden community in Fort Pierce, Florida. The developer could not raise the money, and the 200-acre site now has a rezoning application in front of the city to make way for an AI data center instead. The request was tabled at the Planning Board on Sept. 17.
NewsEndless Surf's New AI Tie-Up Gives Everyone in a Group Their Own Wave
Endless Surf and Flowstate's Mixtape lets each surfer in a group pick their own wave, with no wearables or tags. The Point in Florida, set to be the first US Endless Surf lagoon, is expected to open in January.
NewsSurfLoch Challenged Alameda's No-Bid Surf Pool Talks. The Council Wants a Workshop First.
Alameda has been negotiating with one developer over a $50 million surf pool at Alameda Point since October 2025. In July, SurfLoch's chief executive asked the council to open it to competing proposals. Days later the council directed staff to schedule a community workshop this fall, then return to closed session on a potential exclusive negotiating agreement.
GuidesBest Surf Parks in Asia: The 2026 Guide
Five wave pools are open across Asia and no two are alike: three surf lagoons in Korea, Japan and China, and two standing waves in Tokyo and Singapore. Prices for the four that publish them, and what each ticket includes.
GuidesBest Surf Parks in the Middle East: The 2026 Guide
Five surf parks are open across the Gulf and Israel, four lagoons and a standing wave, and another is under construction in Bahrain. Prices, what each costs to ride, and which is worth a trip.
NewsGilbert, Arizona's Surf Park Has Lost Its Third Developer
Cactus Surf Park has been seven years and three different developers in the making, and never broken ground. The town of Gilbert and WhiteWater West agreed in May 2026 to end their lease; Gilbert Sun News reported it in August, and the site's future may not include a wave at all.
GuidesBest Surf Parks in Australia: The 2026 Guide
Australia has two Wavegarden Coves open right now, one under construction in Perth, and five more in the pipeline. Real prices for the two you can book, plus the status of everything still coming.
NewsNewport Beach Approved a Surf Park, Then Took It Back
Snug Harbor Surf Park won Newport Beach City Council approval in October 2025 for a 5.06-acre Wavegarden lagoon on part of the Newport Beach Golf Course. Three months later a petition drive forced the council to repeal the General Plan Amendment it depended on, and residents have since sued the city.
NewsSurf Farm Will Bring a 62-Module Wavegarden Cove to Queensland's Sunshine Coast
Surf Farm, a planned wave park costing up to $60 million on a former pineapple farm at the Glass House Mountains, has chosen Wavegarden as its technology partner and switched from pneumatic to electromechanical wave-making. It would be Wavegarden's first project in Queensland.
GuidesSurf Parks in Brazil: Every Wave Pool, and the One You Can Actually Book
Brazil now has as many open surf lagoons as the United States, and seven of its eight pools are private clubs. Here is every one of them, what each wave is like, and the single park a visiting surfer can book a session at.
GuidesSurf Parks in Florida: Every Wave Pool Open and On the Way in 2026
Florida gave surfing Kelly Slater and Sebastian Inlet, and somehow never had a surf lagoon. That changes in 2026. Here is every Florida wave pool, from the standing wave you can ride today near Tampa to the first peeling lagoon, opening soon in Fellsmere.
GuidesHow Much Does It Cost to Build a Wave Pool?
A commercial wave pool runs from about 30 million dollars for a standalone lagoon to well over 100 million for a full resort. Here is where the money actually goes, what the wave machine itself costs, and why the biggest expense is not the wave.
GuidesEvery Wave Pool Technology, Compared: The 2026 Guide
Eighteen different machines are making waves across the 100 parks in our directory, and the one a park chose determines your ride length, how many waves you get, what it costs, and whether you will ever see a barrel. Here is how each system works and where to ride it.
GuidesBuying a Home at a Surf Park: What It Actually Costs in 2026
Sixteen surf-anchored communities are now selling or building homes around a private wave, from $1.6 million residences in Waco to apartments in Draper. Here is what is on the market, how the access models differ, and the recurring costs nobody puts in the brochure.
NewsPHX Surf Plans a 40-Acre Wave Pool Resort South of Phoenix
PHX Surf would put a 137,000 square foot Endless Surf lagoon, a spa, and about 100 3D-printed bungalows on 40 acres in Maricopa, Arizona. A March 2026 groundbreaking was announced; in April the city reworked the land deal under the project, and no construction start has been confirmed.
GuidesBest Surf Parks in the USA: The 2026 Guide
Eleven surf parks are open in the United States right now, and eight of them will sell you a session. Real prices from $40 to $320, which ones make peeling waves and which ones do not, and the catch at every one.
NewsA Wave Pool Will Host an ISA World Championship for the First Time
The ISA World Para Surfing Championship moves to DSRT Surf in Palm Desert from November 19 to 22, with 140 athletes from 24 national teams expected in a Wavegarden lagoon. It is the first world championship in ISA history held in a surf lagoon, and for para surfing the reasons go well beyond novelty.
NewsCanada's First Full-Size Surf Park Files Its Permits, With Waves Expected in 2029
A development permit application for the South Britannia surf park is under review by the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District, and site work began in late August. The Wavegarden lagoon on Howe Sound, between Vancouver and Whistler, is expected to open in 2029.
NewsBahrain Is Building the Middle East's First Wavegarden, and the Gulf Is Just Getting Started
Construction is underway on Bahrain Surf Park, the MENA region's first Wavegarden Cove. It joins Surf Abu Dhabi's Kelly Slater Wave Co pool to make the Gulf one of the most active wave pool markets anywhere. Here is what is being built and why the region keeps betting on artificial waves.
NewsThe Wave Bristol Campsite: Camping and Safari Tents at the Inland Surf Lake
The Wave near Bristol has two ways to stay on site: The Field campsite, with pitches from 30 pounds a night and bell tents at 80, and The Camp, with safari tents that sleep up to six. Here is what each offers and when they are open.
GuidesYour First Wave Pool Session: A Complete Beginner's Guide
Never surfed before? A wave pool is the best place on Earth to start. What to book, what to bring, what actually happens in a beginner session, and the mistakes everyone makes the first time.
GuidesHow Much It Costs to Surf a Wave Pool: The 2026 Price Guide
Session prices for the 41 open wave pools with a published, checkable rate, split into standing waves and surf lagoons, because the two are different products at different prices. Converted to US dollars at 9 October 2026 rates.
NewsTampa Is Getting a Surf Park, and It Uses a Wave Machine Nobody Else in America Has
Pasco County commissioners approved the Two Rivers expansion that includes Peak Surf Park on 9 September 2026. It would be one of the first commercial builds of Surf Lakes, the Australian-developed tech where a central plunger sends swell out in every direction at once.
NewsCompetitive Surfing Gets a Wave-Pool-Only Tour, Starting in the Swiss Alps
The new Wavepool Surf Tour skips the ocean entirely. You book a normal session, buy the footage, upload your two best waves, and a panel judges them. The first event opened at Alaia Bay on August 1, and entry starts at 30 dollars. Updated October 2026 with the tour's provisional 2026-2027 schedule.
GuidesBest Surf Parks in Europe: The 2026 Guide
Twenty-two wave pools are open across Europe: six surf lagoons and sixteen standing waves. Current prices, and which are worth the flight.
NewsKelly Slater's Surf Ranch Has New Owners, and the WSL Might Be Next
The World Surf League sold its stake in the Kelly Slater Wave Company earlier this year with no announcement. Here is what is known about the buyer, what it means for the pool in Lemoore, and why the League itself may be next.
GuidesEvery Surf Park Under Construction Right Now: The 2026 to 2028 Tracker
Forty-six wave pools are announced, in development, or under construction worldwide. Here are the twenty-seven with a stated 2026 to 2028 target, sorted by date, with a read on which dates will hold.
NewsVirginia Beach's Late-Summer Surf Run: ECSC, Surf Park Summit and Super Girl
Between August 23 and September 7, 2026, Virginia Beach hosted the 64th East Coast Surfing Championships, the Surf Park Summit and its first Super Girl Surf Festival. Here is what happened at each.
NewsPerth Gets Its Turn: Construction Underway on One of the World's Biggest Wave Pools
Aventuur has broken ground on Perth Surf Park in Jandakot, a 62-module Wavegarden Cove that Aventuur calls the equal largest in the world. First waves are expected in spring 2027.
NewsThe Point Surf Park Opening Date: Where Things Stand in October
The Point missed its September target, and CBS12 reported in September that it is expected to open in January. Bookings are not live yet. What is confirmed, what the first prices are, and the signal to watch.
NewsA Wave Pool Is Coming to Draper, and I Still Can't Quite Believe It
Draper approved an 8.8-acre surf park near the Point of the Mountain in June, and USA Surfing says it will become a national team training center. A landlocked Utah surfer takes a deep breath.
NewsDSRT Surf Is Selling Sessions, and the Price List Is Finally Public
DSRT Surf's Wavegarden lagoon in Palm Desert is selling public sessions on a live booking calendar, from $60 in the beginner Bay to $250 on the Reef and $320 for its Air Camp session, though the park's FAQ still answers late summer 2026 on a public opening.
GuidesHow Do Wave Pools Work? A Beginner's Guide
A plain explanation of how a machine makes a surfable wave, what the difference between a surf lagoon and a standing wave means for your session, and what an hour actually costs. Start here, then go deeper.
GuidesBest Surf Parks in California: 2026 Complete Guide
California's surf-park boom is happening inland, in the desert. A complete guide to Palm Springs Surf Club, Kelly Slater's Surf Ranch, and the newly bookable DSRT Surf, with wave tech, pricing, and trip tips.
GuidesBest Surf Parks in Texas: 2026 Complete Guide
Texas surfing runs through Waco, home of the PerfectSwell wave pool you may know as BSR Surf Resort, now Waco Surf. A complete guide to the wave, pricing, what's coming next, and how to plan your trip.