California's Giant Surf Park Resort Opening Summer 2026 Brings Waves To Palm Desert

With places like Malibu and Mavericks, California is a renowned surfing destination. Places like Palm Desert, in the Coachella Valley southeast of Palm Springs, don't often make that list. But that could be changing with DSRT Surf opening in the summer of 2026. The project has been in the works for years, and along with the massive wave pool, there are plans for a luxury boutique hotel and dozens of residential villas with additional amenities like pickleball courts, a pump track, spa, and more.

The 5.5-acre pool was designed by Wavegarden Cove, and it can produce 1,000 waves in an hour, according to a press release on PR Newswire. Waves can be set to break to the right or left, and there will be options for surfers of all abilities. There may also be the option to surf at night. Specifics like opening hours, costs, and schedule have yet to be confirmed; keep an eye on the website for details.

The DSRT Surf pool is a part of the Desert Willow Golf Resort in Palm Desert, where you can also find two 18-hole golf courses. After the wave pool opens, the second stage of the project includes the resort's luxury hotel and villas, along with amenities like swimming pools and onsite eateries, so you'll be able to vacation and live by the water, nearly 100 miles from the coast. As Palm Desert mayor Evan Trubee noted: "It's the kind of project that reflects who we are as a city, open to new ideas and always looking for ways to create unique experiences for the people who live here and the folks who come to visit," via PR Newswire.

For those who are questioning why you'd spend money to surf on an artificial wave when the ocean provides swell for free, there are a couple of good reasons to consider. One, the waves at the park are inherently predictable, so you're able to focus on perfecting your technique. Two, you don't actually have to get to the ocean. A place like Santa Cruz, where surfing first came to America, is beautiful and well worth a visit, but this surf park lets you enjoy the desert and the waves without having to drive to the coast.

For more Coachella Valley surfing, you can visit the Palm Springs Surf Club. If you're on the East Coast and looking for some predictable waves, Atlantic Park Surf in Virginia Beach was North America's first Wavegarden Cove lagoon. Over in Europe, Scotland is home to the largest wave pools on the continent: the Lost Shore Surf Resort; however, that is going to change in 2027 when a Wavegarden Cove pool opens in Madrid.