Palm Desert, CA

After years of development, DSRT Surf officially opened to the public on Saturday, Sept. 26, bringing surf sessions to the desert for the first time.

The destination opened its online booking calendar on Sept. 24, allowing guests to reserve sessions ahead of opening day. The launch is a phased soft opening. The Surf Lagoon and Surf Center are available now, while additional amenities and experiences will roll out over the coming weeks and months, and some offerings and capacities will stay limited as the team refines operations.

Surf sessions begin every hour, Friday through Sunday. First-time surfers can book a Learn-to-Surf Experience, which pairs 30 minutes of land instruction with a 60-minute guided session in the water.

The lagoon

DSRT Surf is a 17-acre development built around a 5.5-acre, 52-module Wavegarden Cove lagoon, designed to produce right- and left-breaking waves for up to 70 surfers at a time. The operators bill it as the largest Wavegarden Cove lagoon in North America. It is California’s first Wavegarden facility.

The resort sits between the golf courses at Desert Willow Golf Resort. Its address is 105 Wave Drive in Palm Desert.

Sustainability

DSRT Surf describes itself as the world’s first surf lagoon to earn International Dark Sky Certification. It also operates a “turf-for-surf” program aimed at net-zero water use. Under that program, 30 acres of adjacent golf course turf were converted to drought-tolerant and native landscaping.

City officials have welcomed the project. “We’re proud to welcome DSRT Surf to Palm Desert,” Mayor Evan Trubee said in a May announcement.

The opening comes ahead of the ISA World Para Surfing Championship in November, when DSRT Surf will host athletes and guests from around the world.

For reservations and updates, visit dsrtsurf.com.