Some we killed with the tombstone icon. Others earned the coveted construction cone. And then, as always, there was a flurry of pencil icons added to our rapidly expanding page. In this yearly update, we note what has changed on our Wave Pool Map and list several of the details. But before we journey into this rapidly shifting landscape, let’s first review how we catalog projects…
We rely on a variety of sources. These stem from connections with the developers, technology companies, and ideators (individuals creating the park). All have different reasons for reaching out to us.
Developers can either share lots of information about the project to generate interest and/or public support. However, developers can also be very tight-lipped when they want to reduce public scrutiny on an upcoming project.
Technology companies aim to generate local buzz and show the domination of their product in the space. Wave tech companies highlight partnerships in a very competitive and increasingly crowded market.
Ideators promote their concepts to build public interest, community approval, and attract investors. News outlets in those local markets with a surf park project will share in the dissemination of these promo stories as well.
Interactions with all of the above produce the locations you see on our Wave Pool Map. If the story is particularly interesting, it becomes long-form content in the way of a dedicated feature, podcast, or Friday Session video.
Icons and Listings Found On Our Wave Pool Map
Tombstone: Some project listings we note with the tombstone icon. This is done when the website link is dead and we haven’t heard anything for years. However, there were a few projects that had dead website links, and we didn’t announce them as dead. Why? In these cases, we held back due to a few insider messages saying the projects were in limbo but were a shoe-in once the financing came through or a new community council was elected.
So, why don’t we delete the project? There are two reasons. One is that the WavePoolMag Map is a working document that tells the surf park story of the last decade. We leave projects here to show that, yes, in 2018, the surf world collectively was ready to throw money at anyone who said, “The overall plan is to use a circular surfing pool as an anchor for a commercial mixed-use development.” This wouldn’t fly today, given the general consensus on circular pools. This page documents our collective history, so think of it as a unicorn zoo. Until someone says “this unicorn is officially dead,” we leave the listing up.
The other reason is that ANY project can go from pipe dream to turnstile with the right funding – no matter how far-fetched the concept. Technology and financing do catch up with dreams on occasion.
The Pencil Icon means that a project has been announced and shared with WavePoolMag. As mentioned above, we can be pretty loose with listing a project because so many projects are just one city council shy of a green light. And it also just takes one key investor seeing the light of surfing and writing a check. Legend has it that one of today’s most well-known and successful surf parks reached its funding goal after one non-surfing investor rode their first wave at the Wavegarden test facility. The story goes that the financier signed documents with fingers still dripping wet.
The Construction Cone means that shovels are in the ground and equipment is pushing dirt, crews are pouring concrete, and the staffing crunch has begun. During this phase, a project either announces each and every milestone with a press release, as was the case with Virginia Beach, or they go silent. Projects go silent when they don’t want to draw attention to themselves for whatever reason. The OceanKamp wave pool in Oceanside is a good example. Machines are moving dirt, but we have no official confirmation or timeline that surf is on the way. Basically, a construction cone means there will very likely be surf at this spot in the coming months or years.
The three lines of the WavePoolMag Logo signify that a park is open and welcoming guests. In the listing, you will be able to find wave pool prices, notes, or possibly one of our guide videos. The single-line wave logo denotes an open rapid wave or deepwater standing wave facility. We do not list every rapid wave pool on the planet, as they would crowd out our traveling wave focus on the map. Not to be confused with sheetwaves (Flowrider), the deepwater standing waves listed are only those with strong ties to surf culture.
How Many Operational Surf Parks Are There Today?
As of 2025, there are 33 open wave pools attracting customers. Currently, more than 20 companies are in various phases of generating artificial waves. And just under a dozen sites are in the thick of construction dust, making the next inland surf spot. But in case you missed our weekly news updates (which you can sign up for at the bottom of this page), WavePoolMag now presents a peek at where we are in surf parks today.
Several wave tanks became operational in late 2024 and 2025. Lost Shore Surf Resort, located near Edinburgh, Scotland, opened in November 2024 just ahead of Saö Paulo’s Beyond The Club. In Tel Aviv, SRF Wave Park launched in April, and just this month, the long-anticipated Atlantic Park launched. Surf Center Brazil will go live any day now.
These newbe parks joined the globe’s tried and true veterans of the space. And in case you missed it, here’s a recap of some of our favorite wave pools and the tech that powers them. These are artificial wave facilities that we’ve visited for the express purpose of bringing you interviews, insights, and guide videos.
o2 SURFTOWN MUC in Munich runs year-round on Endless Surf, with long summer hours and A-Frame/Point Break modes. The Wave in Bristol reopened after a change of ownership and an unexpected shutdown. Lost Shore in Edinburgh is Europe’s largest inland surf park using Cove tech. Alaïa Bay in Switzerland posts tiered pricing and multiple wave settings and continues to stoke the Swiss community.
Wave Park in South Korea is a large Wavegarden venue and a recent WSL QS/LQS host. Surf Stadium Japan at Shizunami runs PerfectSwell, a short walk from the Pacific, and once again welcomed Stab High. Palm Springs Surf Club, which uses Surf Loch technology, is now firing on all cylinders after a rough start. Waco Surf in Texas remains a PerfectSwell staple. In the Pacific, URBNSURF Melbourne and URBNSURF Sydney operate high-throughput Cove venues. The LineUp at Wai Kai on Oahu is the world’s largest rapid wave with expanding programs.
For a full breakdown and pricing, check our 2025 guide on all the places you can surf.
How Many Surf Parks Are Under Construction Today?
As of September 2025, WavePoolMag reported at least five lagoon-style surf parks that have broken ground. In Florida, The Point Surf Park (Endless Surf Technology) broke ground on May 15, 2025. They are in the midst of site grading, lagoon excavation, and eyeing a 2026 opening.
In the Middle East, Qiddiya in Saudi Arabia is nearly complete. The gigaproject surrounding the wave pool is coming along as well. Six hours by car to the east, construction has officially begun on Bahrain’s Club Hawaii Experience surf park, which is part of the Bilaj Al Jazayer waterfront development.
Portugal’s Surfers Cove (Óbidos) commenced construction on July 18, 2025. The €25 million project will deliver the country’s first Cove and is positioned within a broader tourism and sports complex and targeting a 2026 opening.
In Uruguay, heavy equipment is on site at El Nido (Punta del Este). Site images show the foundation for the central wave-making hub. Surrounding amenity plans include gyms, event spaces, and residential units.
In Mexico, Cabo Real Surf Club (Los Cabos), the private Endless Surf project within the 3,000-acre Cabo Real plan is under construction, with completion slated for 2026. The wave basin and residential infrastructure are progressing.
Brazil (Região dos Lagos): Brasil Surfe Clube has begun construction on an Endless Surf ES48 lagoon roughly 2.5 hours east of Rio. The project specifies a Myrtha Pools stainless-steel/PVC laminated liner, which they say will achieve clear-water aesthetics at a larger scale. A July 2026 opening is being targeted.
Which Surf Parks Are Standalone Attractions?
Standalone surf parks, those unaffiliated with residential or mixed-use developments, are finding the best ways to be profitable. It’s a process that evolves to reflect the local consumer demand for waves.
Atlantic Park in Virginia Beach is a hybrid – that is, it’s a turnstile facility that includes residences on site. Built as part of a $350 million entertainment complex, the surf lagoon anchors a destination that includes dining, retail, and event space while providing a variety of sessions. Surf pricing runs between $90 and $161, depending on wave difficulty and seasonal factors. Under the guidance of industry veteran Blake Hess, the wave pool is experiencing great throughput.
The Palm Springs Surf Club in California, which offers public advanced sessions from $200-$250, is seeing more private sessions this year. Groups of surfers choose to pool resources to have the hour to themselves, along with any wave on the menu. This is on the heels of the iconic Waco Surf, which has long held the gold standard for private surf sessions – much of it from surf-star groms banking clips at the expense of their parent/coaches. In Arizona, Revel Surf at the Cannon Beach development is finding its feet as the first surf park to have both a traveling wave and a standing wave.
In Australia, URBNSURF Melbourne continues to attract high throughput and focus even through the lean winter months. Their sister wave pool in Sydney offered a Winter Warrior pass to keep the pool filled during the colder months. O2 SURFTOWN MUC in Munich is most likely the busiest summer wave pool in the world, booking out sessions at least one week in advance.
Lost Shore Surf Resort opened in late 2024 and has bent the stand-alone model to include more resort-type amenities. The surf park includes beachfront lodging, surf school, wellness amenities like massage, saunas, and is drawing tourists and surfers year-round. Another financial bonus to this facility is its multi-restaurant on-site dining area, which draws a heavy, local lunch crowd.
Surf Parks Anchoring Residential & Mixed-Use Developments
An increasing number of surf parks are being developed as the centerpiece of real estate projects. They use surf pools as the anchor for large-scale, mixed-use real estate, and blend recreation, lifestyle, and investment into one single package. Here are several projects that highlight this model.
In Brazil, Praia da Grama set a precedent when property values within the gated community rose significantly after its Wavegarden Cove lagoon opened. Its successor, Beyond the Club, features an even larger lagoon alongside wellness facilities, tennis courts, skate parks, and branded surf coaching programs.
Cabo Real Surf Club in Los Cabos, Mexico, is planned around an Endless Surf lagoon, with residential, hospitality, and wellness amenities built into the design. The surf pool is positioned as the defining feature, marketed as a lifestyle investment for homeowners and an attraction for resort guests.
In the United States, Alchemy Surf Resort in California’s Placer One master plan includes a five-acre Wavegarden Cove at the center of a 2,000-acre residential zone. Zion Shores in Utah will feature a PerfectSwell lagoon with 65 homes built around direct water access. Aventuur’s Jacksonville Surf Park in Florida similarly integrates a Wavegarden Cove lagoon into a walkable community plan with housing, hotel, and retail.
Whether stand-alone or residential, the world’s wave pool projects keep learning from their predecessors. There are even a few dozen experts in the space now, where just 5 years ago it was mostly speculation. As one insider at the time put it,” building a surf park is like assembling an airplane while you’re flying it.” But as we boldly go where no one has gone before, it does appear to be getting easier.
For deep dives and insights with active players in the surf park industry, listen to our bi-weekly podcast.
