Shell Point Beach & Surf Club, the wave pool planned for Panama City Beach, is targeting a 2027 opening. Construction was slated to begin in early 2026, but no groundbreaking has been publicly announced, so 2027 is the developers' stated goal rather than a confirmed schedule. No exact date or prices have been published.
What has been approved
The site is 10.5 acres in Pier Park City Center, next door to Topgolf and a few blocks from the Gulf. Panama City Beach's city council approved the project unanimously, and in July 2025 the club announced that the lagoon would run Endless Surf. The project was first shown to the public in March 2025, when WJHG described it as a pool for teaching surfing to all ages rather than a water park.
The wave
The lagoon is an Endless Surf ES36, the same model being installed at The Point in Fellsmere; Endless Surf's pneumatic system already runs at O2 SurfTown near Munich. In Split Peak mode it runs lefts and rights at once, with an advanced Peak zone and a beginner Shore zone; in Single Peak mode it sends one wave down the full length of the lagoon. Founder Warren Smith told WJHG the waves would range from one-foot rollers to seven-foot waves.
What else is planned
Endless Surf's announcement lists a family beach, pools, spas and a kids' splash pad, a two-story clubhouse with a restaurant, bar and rooftop, a members' beach club with a swim-up bar, a surf centre with rentals and a surf academy. Co-founders Warren Smith and Cole Davis lead the project, and pro surfer Blair Conklin is its ambassador and a part owner.
Getting there
Pier Park is on Panama City Beach's main strip, about 15 miles by road from Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport. Destin is about 1 hour 5 minutes west by car.
Good to Know
The next milestone is a construction start; until one is announced, treat 2027 as a target. The club's website currently offers only an email signup. Florida's first lagoon, The Point, is due to open first, and Peak Surf Park near Tampa and Jacksonville Surf Park are further behind. The whole state is in our Florida guide.
