This summer, a new luxury resort will open a surfing oasis in the center of a California desert.
DSRT Surf will open an innovative surf lagoon to give adrenaline junkies and surfing newbies the opportunity to ride ocean waves in a sea of suburban sprawl in the Coachella Valley.
The company’s Wavegarden surf lagoon and leisure pool will utilize state-of-the-art technology to create up to 1,000 waves per hour in a variety of styles that will satisfy advanced surfers while giving beginners a taste of the ocean surf.
The lagoon will have “ocean-like” waves of different types running simultaneously so all levels of experience can catch a wave across multiple sections of the 5.5-acre body of water, officials said. The waves will be running from morning to night, giving surfers the opportunity to ride under the bright stars of California’s low desert.
The surf lagoon will utilize technology from Wavegarden, which uses paddles positioned in the water in “a synchronized and harmonious sequence to produce perfect swells.”
Wavegarden has built several surf parks around the globe, including in Atlantic Park in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The company’s completed other projects in Brazil and Australia, among other nations. Development is underway on additional parks in the U.S. and beyond.
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While the focus of the surf lagoon is on the high-tech wavemaking, it will also provide some water relief to the region.
DSRT Surf says the new lagoon will be a “net-zero” water use property through the conversion of existing nearby golf course land into drought-tolerant and native landscaping.
“This landscape conversion is expected to save 34.8 million gallons of water annually, more than the surf lagoon’s projected annual use of 23.8 million gallons, resulting in a net savings of 11 million gallons of water each year,” DSRT Surf said in a news release. “The project’s sustainability efforts center on water conservation, native landscaping, and long-term resource stewardship.”
DSRT Surf will be more than just a surf park
The new resort, located between the two courses that make up Desert Willow Golf Resort in Palm Desert, will also feature a “139-key barefoot luxury hotel” with private villas, restaurants, pickleball courts and yoga studio. The hotel and villas are part of the second phase of the project, which will launch following the surf lagoon’s debut this summer.
Palm Desert Mayor Evan Trubee said this ambitious addition to the city will be a major boon to the region’s tourism industry.
“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,” Trubee said. “DSRT Surf adds something you won’t find just anywhere, and it gives people from across Southern California and around the world another great reason to spend time in Palm Desert and enjoy everything our community has to offer.”
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Professional surfer Josh Kerr is recognized as a project partner of DSRT Surf. He says he’s excited to use it himself and bring his daughter to the lagoon to train as well.
“What excites me most is the opportunity it creates for so many surfers to experience consistent, high-quality waves in a destination setting,” Kerr said. “I think it’s going to be a tremendous asset for surfers of all levels and a special addition to the region.”
DSRT Surf says more announcements, including opening dates, will be released later this year.
