Update Sep 26, 2026: DSRT Surf is now open. Public sessions start at $180.
The short answer: if your event is in the next six months, Palm Springs Surf Club is the only one you can actually book, and its 7.6 WPP Corporate Score is the highest we have published. DSRT Surf is the bigger technological swing, a 5.5-acre Wavegarden Cove rated for up to 1,000 waves per hour, targeted to open in 2026 with a preliminary 7.5 score. Book PSSC now; watch DSRT for late 2026 and beyond.
Head to head: 17 categories
| Category | Palm Springs Surf Club | DSRT Surf |
|---|---|---|
| Current status | Open and operating | Opening targeted for 2026 |
| Surf technology | Surf Loch pneumatic | Wavegarden Cove |
| Beginner friendly | Yes, dedicated mellow settings | Yes, Cove scales from rollers up (projected) |
| Private surf | Buyouts and private sessions available | Planned; corporate pricing not yet published |
| Group surf capacity | Buyouts scale to large resort events | Built for high throughput, up to 1,000 waves/hr |
| Non-surfer experience | Lazy river, cabanas, pool deck, full F&B | Resort district setting; details still emerging |
| Meeting space | Event space on-site | Planned within the larger resort project |
| Food and beverage | Full restaurant and bar program | Announced; not yet operating |
| Event capacity | Proven with brand events and buyouts | Unproven until open |
| Closest airport | PSP, about 10 minutes | PSP, about 25 minutes |
| Hotels | Dense resort inventory across Palm Springs | On-site and nearby inventory planned in Palm Desert |
| Advertised starting price | Multi-session packages from $700 | From $60/hr plus taxes and fees |
| Full rate card available? | Packages published; private pricing quoted | No, starting price only |
| Private pricing | Quoted per event | Not yet published |
| Pricing verification | WPP verified packages, August 2026 | Advertised floor only |
| WPP Corporate Score | 7.6 (published) | 7.5 (preliminary) |
| Best for | Bookable, polished corporate events now | Large-scale events once open |
Our take
These venues are less rivals than sequels. PSSC proved the Palm Springs corporate surf market with resort hospitality around a pneumatic pool. DSRT is betting the Cove's throughput and wave variety raise the ceiling for big groups. If DSRT opens on schedule and publishes competitive group pricing, Palm Springs becomes the only market in the world with two corporate-grade wave pools 25 minutes apart.
For planners, the decision tree is simple: dates before mid-2026 means PSSC. Dates in late 2026 or beyond means PSSC as the bookable option with DSRT as the watch item, and we will rescore the moment it operates.
Event planner questions, answered
Which is better for total beginners?
PSSC today, because it is operating with proven beginner settings and coaching. The Cove platform is excellent for beginners at other operating venues, but DSRT's version is unproven until it opens.
Which handles a 150-person event?
PSSC has run large buyouts. DSRT's 5.5-acre footprint and 1,000-wave-per-hour rating suggest even more headroom once open.
What about the rest of Palm Springs?
Both venues sit inside the strongest retreat ecosystem in the desert: PSP airport, hundreds of hotels, golf, Joshua Tree and the tramway. Our Palm Springs destination hub maps the full picture.
Where do we get DSRT updates?
The DSRT venue page and corporate guide are updated the week anything changes: opening date, rate card, corporate products.
See both venues in the Palm Springs corporate hub, with live scores.
Palm Springs corporate hub →Written and hand-verified by Wave Pool Party.
