DSRT SURF Palm Desert: Development Progress Tracker
Follow DSRT SURF’s phased soft opening, live reservations, surf pricing and future resort phases, with Mark Miller’s original site photography.
DSRT SURF is open for public visits in Palm Desert’s Desert Willow area, following its September 26, 2026 phased launch. The operator’s current website offers surf sessions and day-pass access. The Surf Lagoon and Surf Center have reached their opening milestone; additional amenities, the hotel and villas follow separate schedules.
This living tracker follows that transition, along with the future hotel and villas. It records dated announcements, flags unresolved details, and includes original aerial photographs from September 10, 2026 to document the site before its announced public launch.
- Location: Palm Desert, beside Desert Willow Golf Resort.
- Public bookings: opened September 24, 2026; use the operator’s reservation portal.
- Open now: the Surf Lagoon and Surf Center have reached their public-opening milestone; Mark’s firsthand review is pending.
- Initial phase: Surf Lagoon and Surf Center; other amenities and experiences are being introduced separately.
- Longer-term plan: hotel and villas require their own milestones.
You can visit without surfing, but a day pass is required. The official FAQ says every guest needs an adult or child day pass. It covers full-day park access except the surf lagoon; surfing is booked separately. Parking is complimentary. Free walk-in sightseeing and permission for an editorial photo visit are not established by the posted FAQ; contact stoked@dsrtsurf.com before a photo-only stop.
The current activities page lists pickleball on a first-come basis and still marks the water slide, surf simulator and skate/pump track as coming soon. Mark’s on-site review will document the visitor experience. The photographs below remain a September 10 visual baseline.
DSRT SURF current status
Wavegarden documented on-site programming and test sessions in July 2026.
Supplier documentedThe operator’s website links to its reservation portal; the booking launch was reported September 24.
Booking pathway liveThe Surf Lagoon and Surf Center have reached their opening milestone. Mark’s on-site visit and firsthand review are still to come.
Public-opening milestone reachedEvery guest needs a day pass, including nonsurfers. Surf sessions are booked separately; parking is free. Contact the operator before a photo-only stop.
Nonsurfers welcome with admissionWavegarden’s project profile lists a 139-room hotel and 57 villas. Their completion and release dates remain unverified here.
PlannedSeven original aerial photographs document the lagoon, pool deck, courts, skate area and surrounding buildings. Explore the photo update.
Original DOI photographyOpening sources: KESQ, September 24 and the official booking portal. Resort baseline: Wavegarden project profile.
September 10, 2026: original photo update
The lagoon is filled, and the surrounding visitor areas are taking shape. These aerial views show the Wavegarden structure, pool deck, two pickleball courts, skate area and buildings, alongside paved routes and unpaved portions of the site. Together with the featured photograph above, they establish a visual baseline for future updates.
Photography by Mark Miller / Desert Oasis Insider · September 10, 2026. Click or tap any photograph to enlarge it, then use the arrows or swipe to browse all seven.
Follow the development milestones
Select a milestone to see the evidence behind it and what still needs to happen. Each part of the resort can progress on its own schedule.
A dated construction milestone
On April 29, 2026, Wavegarden described DSRT SURF as 90% complete and targeted summer 2026. That was the supplier’s assessment at that time; this tracker does not apply the percentage to today’s entire hotel-and-villa development.
The lagoon reached wave testing
Wavegarden’s July 9 report described tested wave programming and surfers riding the lagoon. That establishes a meaningful technical milestone. Invitations and testing do not establish the date ordinary visitors can purchase sessions.
Public reservations have launched
The September 24 booking announcement replaces the earlier notification-list stage. The official homepage now sends visitors to its booking portal. Choose a date and session there to confirm availability, requirements and final terms; DOI has not completed a test purchase.
Open now: first-phase opening milestone reached
The Surf Lagoon and Surf Center are open following the September 26 phased launch. The operator offers surf sessions and day passes. Mark’s firsthand review is pending, and additional amenities, the hotel and villas remain separate milestones.
Track lodging and residential progress separately
The published resort vision includes lodging and villas. The milestones to verify are a construction schedule, hotel operator and reservations, followed by any villa offering, pricing and ownership terms. A surf session announcement establishes none of those by itself.
Where is DSRT SURF?
DSRT SURF is in Palm Desert’s Desert Willow resort area. It is a separate destination from Palm Springs Surf Club. Use the project’s own location listing when checking access; parking or arriving at a neighboring golf facility does not establish entry to the surf venue.
Location reference only. Confirm visitor access and arrival instructions with DSRT SURF before planning a session.
The neighboring Desert Willow Golf Resort has two public courses, Firecliff and Mountain View, managed by KemperSports for the City of Palm Desert. Its existing golf operations have their own reservations and policies.
What is being developed?
The central attraction is a 5.5-acre surf lagoon. DSRT SURF’s technology overview identifies a 52-module Wavegarden Cove system. Programmable waves allow the operator to offer different sessions rather than treating every visitor as the same kind of surfer.
Open now, with more amenities to follow
The official FAQ lists pickleball, pool swimming, a jacuzzi and a cold plunge. The water slide, surf simulator and skate/pump track are still listed as coming soon. Confirm availability for your visit; the hotel and villas are tracked separately.
The wider resort vision
The supplier’s profile describes 139 hotel rooms and 57 villas. Treat those as planned quantities, with hotel operations and any residential sales tracked independently.
For a future villa buyer, the useful information will be the actual offering: ownership structure, permitted personal use, rental arrangements, recurring costs and surf privileges. This tracker has not verified a public price list or those terms. No investment return or included access should be assumed from the resort concept.
Pricing, passes and public access
Visiting without surfing: the official FAQ says every guest needs an adult or child day pass for full-day park access excluding the surf lagoon. Surfing is booked separately. Parking is complimentary. The posted FAQ does not confirm free sightseeing entry, same-day gate availability or permission for an editorial photo visit. For a photo-only stop, contact stoked@dsrtsurf.com first.
Historical launch pricing (September 24, 2026): KESQ lists the Learn-to-Surf Experience at $100 generally or $75 for Coachella Valley residents, combining 30 minutes of land instruction with 60 minutes of guided water time. These are prices for that specific lesson experience, not a universal hourly rate or an all-inclusive day pass.
The same report describes hourly surf-session starts. Use the official booking portal for current dates, session categories, equipment inclusions, resident-discount requirements, cancellation terms and the final checkout total. Availability is not guaranteed by this article.
Earlier price reference: the pre-opening page checked September 9 advertised individual sessions from $60 per hour. That historical starting-price notice has been replaced by the current reservation pathway; this tracker does not treat $60 as a verified current rate for every session. The operator now publishes day-pass requirements and complimentary parking in its FAQ. Check current admission prices and session terms before visiting.
Launch pricing source: KESQ, September 24, 2026. Prices and programs can change.
Explore the surf-session categories
The operator now uses named wave settings, including Malibu Beginner, Malibu Plus, Malibu Turbo and separate advanced, expert and pro options. Use the tabs to compare the starting points, then read the current operator description before choosing a session. Wave-menu descriptions checked October 26, 2026.
Separate your first lesson from independent surfing
If you have never surfed, start with the operator’s Learn to Surf information and confirm the instruction and equipment provided. Malibu Beginner is described as the gentlest Malibu setting for developing independent surfing fundamentals; do not assume every wave session includes a lesson.
Check before booking: whether you need an instructed introduction or an independent session, plus equipment and participant requirements.
Compare Malibu Plus and Malibu Turbo
The operator describes Malibu Plus for someone who has surfed a few times. Malibu Turbo is its larger Malibu setting, with steeper sections. Compare the current descriptions with your experience and ask the team which session fits before booking.
Check before booking: the wave setting, board choice, session format and whether coaching is included or separately available.
Match the wave to your experience
Advanced Turns is described as a chest-high, high-performance setting. Expert Barrels is aimed at experienced barrel riders. The wider menu also separates turn, barrel and air-focused sessions; these names are not interchangeable skill levels.
Check before booking: the exact named wave, the operator’s experience requirements and the session’s available dates.
Read about Advanced Turns · Read about Expert Barrels · Explore the full wave menu
Wave-production capacity is a property of the lagoon. It should not be read as the number of rides one person receives. Individual opportunities depend on the session format, group size and rotation.
Water use: what the claims mean
Wavegarden’s July 2026 report describes groundwater supply, recirculation and a Turf for Surf landscaping program intended to offset water demand. These are project-party claims; this tracker has not independently audited annual consumption or savings.
A useful future comparison would separate the initial lagoon fill, annual replacement water, resort landscaping, hotel use and measured irrigation savings. Reducing turf irrigation and drawing groundwater describe different parts of that water budget. Neither should be condensed into a claim that the resort uses no water.
What to watch next
First post-opening field review
Document what guests can actually access during a current visit, then separate the operating visitor experience from amenities and resort phases still ahead.
Additional amenities and visit terms
Track the availability of non-surfing passes, food service and other day-use amenities, along with session inclusions and cancellation terms.
The next photo comparison
The September 10 photographs establish a visual baseline. Repeat views of the lagoon, buildings and arrival area will show physical changes over time.
Resort and villa releases
Hotel reservations, building progress and documented ownership terms will clarify the larger development.
For the wider setting, use the Palm Desert city map. For a different surf destination, read Mark’s Palm Springs Surf Club experience; its prices, waves and access rules belong to that separate venue.
DSRT SURF update log
New entries will appear first. Earlier milestones retain their original dates so changing targets remain visible.
October 26, 2026 · Current wave menu and visitor access reviewed
Replaced the pre-opening session descriptions with the current Malibu, advanced and expert wave choices and direct operator links. Rechecked the FAQ’s day-pass and parking information. The operator still lists the water slide, surf simulator and skate/pump track as coming soon. The Surf Lagoon and Surf Center remain open; no new hotel or villa milestone is claimed. September 10 remains the original photo baseline, and Mark’s firsthand review is still pending.
October 19, 2026 · Open now; day-pass access confirmed
Checked the operator’s website, booking portal, FAQ and activities page. Added a green Open now marker for the Surf Lagoon and Surf Center, day-pass requirements for nonsurfers and complimentary parking. Mark’s on-site review is pending. The water slide, surf simulator and skate/pump track remain listed as coming soon; hotel and villa milestones remain separate.
September 27, 2026 · Soft-opening phase underway
The announced September 26 launch date has passed and the operator continues to offer a live reservation pathway. DOI now describes the visitor-facing status as a phased soft opening rather than a scheduled future opening. This is a source-based status update; opening-week operations have not yet been independently field-verified. The Surf Lagoon and Surf Center remain the identified initial phase, while additional amenities, hotel and villas are tracked separately.
September 25, 2026 · Bookings open; September 26 soft opening scheduled
Updated the status dashboard, milestones, access guidance and FAQs from the September 24 opening report and the operator’s current booking pathway. Added a specific, attributed lesson-price example without carrying forward the old starting rate as a current quote. Replaced the expired booking-notification link. The September 10 gallery remains historical field evidence; the hotel and villas remain separate future phases.
September 10, 2026 · First original photo update
Mark Miller photographed the site from above, documenting the filled lagoon, Wavegarden structure, pool and seating, two pickleball courts, skate area, buildings and surrounding grounds. Seven selected photographs, including the featured image, establish the first visual baseline for future comparisons. View the photographs.
September 9, 2026 · Tracker established
Reviewed the operator’s opening, booking and session pages alongside Wavegarden’s project updates. Public bookings remained unconfirmed. Original field photography had not yet been added.
July 9, 2026 · Wave testing documented
Wavegarden described on-site testing and programming, while retaining a late-summer opening target. The report is evidence of working waves ahead of a verified public launch.
April 29, 2026 · Supplier construction update
Wavegarden reported 90% completion and a summer target. That dated estimate is preserved here as a historical milestone, not a current completion measurement.
Explore the Coachella Valley Development Map or the Palm Desert City Map for the wider setting.
Put the project in its neighborhood context
Use Desert Oasis Insider’s buying resources to compare established communities while this resort’s future offering takes shape.
Frequently asked questions
Is DSRT SURF open yet?
Yes. The Surf Lagoon and Surf Center are open following the September 26, 2026 phased launch. The operator offers public surf sessions and day passes. Mark’s firsthand review is pending; the hotel, villas and additional amenities retain their own milestones.
Public access is available with admission. The operator’s FAQ says every guest needs a day pass, including nonsurfers, and surfing is booked separately. Check current pricing and availability with DSRT SURF.
Can I just stop in to look around or take photographs?
You can visit without booking a surf session, but the official FAQ requires every guest to have a day pass. It does not establish free walk-in sightseeing or editorial photography permission. Contact stoked@dsrtsurf.com before a photo-only visit. Parking is complimentary.
How much will surfing cost?
See the dated launch-price information above for the Learn-to-Surf Experience. Other sessions, equipment and add-ons may have different prices. The old pre-opening $60 starting-rate notice is not a verified current quote; the operator’s selected booking and checkout terms control.
Is this the Palm Springs Surf Club?
No. DSRT SURF is in Palm Desert beside Desert Willow. Palm Springs Surf Club is a separate attraction in Palm Springs. Use the correct operator’s booking page and directions.
Are the DSRT SURF hotel and villas open or for sale?
This tracker has not verified a hotel opening, villa sales launch or public ownership terms. The 139-room hotel and 57-villa figures describe the published development vision, not a confirmed release.
Sources and verification
- KESQ: DSRT Surf sets September 26 opening date — September 24, 2026 report; scheduled opening, phased launch, booking announcement and lesson-price example.
- DSRT SURF official website and official booking portal — reservation pathway rechecked October 26, 2026. DOI did not complete a purchase or verify inventory for every date.
- Original photography: Mark Miller / Desert Oasis Insider, September 10, 2026. Seven selected aerial photographs document visible site conditions in Palm Desert.
- Historical operator material: the FAQ, booking-notification page and beginner/intermediate/high-performance descriptions were reviewed September 9 for the initial tracker. The former booking-notification URL returned 404 on September 25; current visitor links now lead to the operator’s booking portal. Earlier targets and price notices remain historical, not current availability guarantees.
- DSRT SURF overview — project background.
- Wavegarden project profile — broader hotel and villa vision.
- Wavegarden, April 29, 2026 — dated construction assessment.
- Wavegarden, July 9, 2026 — wave testing, resort plans and water-management claims.
- Desert Willow Golf Resort — neighboring public golf operations.
Editorial approach: visitor access and the current wave menu were rechecked October 26, 2026. The operator FAQ continues to require a day pass for every guest, with surfing booked separately and parking complimentary. It still lists the water slide, surf simulator and skate/pump track as coming soon. Photographs and historical project claims retain their original dates. Mark has not yet completed a post-opening field visit; no new hotel, villa or remaining-amenity opening is claimed.
Current session and visitor sources — October 26, 2026: operator FAQ; Malibu Beginner; Malibu Plus; Malibu Turbo; Advanced Turns; Expert Barrels. These describe sessions, not a guarantee of availability on a particular day.
