What Waco Surf does

Waco Surf (legal entity: Waco Surf Park) is a privately held inland surf resort and water sports facility operating on a 450-acre site in Waco, Texas, approximately 90 minutes from both Dallas and Austin. The company generates over 2,000 waves daily using proprietary pneumatic wave technology that sequences waves in 3- or 4-wave sets and offers more than 50 distinct wave types — from gentle beginner waves (The Coaster) through intermediate (The Runner) and advanced (The Peak) to pro-level slab barrel and air waves — plus a separate deep-water stationary wave (the Shredmill) for carving and shredding. Sessions are sold by the hour to public surfers (Learn to Surf from $75, Beginner from $129, Intermediate from $139, Advanced from $159) and by private wave-pool rental at $1,250–$3,500/hr for up to 15 surfers, with 30–50 waves per hour and customizable music.

The business is a multi-revenue-stream resort: lodging across hotel rooms, suites, seven cabins, two houses, and RV hookups (all subject to a $20 nightly resort fee); a seasonal Water Park featuring a 70-foot, four-lane mega waterslide (The Wedge) and a one-mile Lazy River (May–September); five on-site F&B outlets (Surf Cafe, Surfside Shack, Dive Bar, Saloon, Wedge Grill); a broad activity stack including horseback riding via Brazos Bluffs Ranch, fishing, biking, UTV rentals, pickleball, skate park, massage, custom cowboy hats via Standard Hat Works, lemur encounters, and live music; group and corporate packages for 10–50 guests through dedicated concierge teams; and a recurring event calendar anchored by Swatch Nines (action sports spectacle, third year in 2026) and Salty Crew (bass tournament + air show). Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the company website (booking on OnAgilysys) and on-site sales; the company has 51–100 employees and operates from a single headquarters at 5347 Old Mexia Road, Waco, TX.

The company is pursuing a major capital expansion through its sub-brand The Desperado — an 88-lot luxury inland surf community featuring two additional surf lagoons, a golf course, and a 25-acre lake on the existing 450-acre footprint, with homes starting at $1.6M, groundbreaking scheduled for Summer 2026, and first deliveries in Summer 2027. Media recognition spans The New York Times, Texas Monthly ("some of the best waves in the world"), Playboy ("the Maui of man-made waves," "most impressive park so far"), Southern Living, Time Out, and Texas Highways. The company is private, has no disclosed parent, subsidiaries, or funding rounds, and does not report revenue or financial statements.

Name

Waco Surf

Legal name

Waco Surf Park

Website

https://wacosurf.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Waco Surf is a privately held 450-acre inland surf resort in Waco, Texas (90 minutes from Dallas and Austin) that uses proprietary pneumatic wave technology to generate 2,000+ perfect waves daily across all skill levels, complemented by lodging, a seasonal water park, dining, and a broad activity stack for families, pro surfers, corporate groups, and event visitors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Surf Resort and Water Park

NAICS

Recreational Goods Rental (532284)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Surf Schools & Surf Camps (THAAAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Surfing & Kitesurfing Experiences (Lessons, Camps) (THAJAJAJ), Surf & Beach Sports Retail (Surfboards, Bodyboards, Skimboards) (CRAMAIAE), Water & Marine Guiding Services (Kayak, Canoe, Raft, SUP, Sailing) (THAAALAB)

Keywords

• Surf resort
• Wave pool
• Water park recreation
• Surf lessons
• Hospitality lodging

Headquarters

HQ city

Waco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Surf Sessions: Per-hour surf session fees ranging from $75 (Learn to Surf) to $159+ (Advanced). Private sessions range from $1,250-$3,500/hour. Core revenue driver with sessions for beginners through pro levels.
2. Lodging Accommodations: On-site lodging including hotel rooms (sleeps 2-4), suites (sleeps 4-6), cabins (sleeps 2-14), houses (sleeps 10-12), and RV hookups. Includes $20 nightly resort fee. Revenue from overnight stays with priority surf booking access.
3. Water Park Access: Day passes and season passes for water park including Wedge waterslides and Lazy River. Lodging guests receive 50% off. Additional revenue from cabana rentals.
4. Food & Beverage: Multiple on-site dining: Surf Cafe (7am-8pm), Surfside Shack, Dive Bar, Saloon, Wedge Grill. Snow cones from Kona Ice Truck. Custom dining experiences for groups.
5. Activities & Rentals: Additional activities including fishing, horseback riding (via Brazos Bluffs Ranch), UTV rentals, biking, pickleball, massage services, and custom experiences (cowboy hats, boots). Revenue from activity fees and equipment rentals.
6. Group Packages: Bundled Stay & Surf packages and Corporate Retreat bundles combining lodging, surf sessions, dining, and activities. Premium pricing for group bookings.
7. Merchandise & Retail: Surf shop in lobby selling apparel, towels, swimsuits, wax, branded merchandise, surf gear. Board and wetsuit rentals.
8. Events & Competitions: Major events including Swatch Nines (action sports spectacle) and Salty Crew (bass tournament + air show). Events drive ticket sales, lodging, and media attention.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Waco Surf operates a 450-acre inland surf resort in central Texas featuring a pneumatic wave pool that generates over 2,000 perfect waves daily across multiple skill levels (beginner to pro). The resort combines surf sessions, a seasonal water park with waterslides and lazy river, on-site lodging (hotel rooms, cabins, houses, RV hookups), multiple dining venues, and diverse activities (horseback riding, fishing, UTV rentals, pickleball, massage). It also offers corporate retreat packages, group events like Swatch Nines, and is developing The Desperado luxury surf-anchored real estate community.

Product overview

Waco Surf is a surf resort offering a comprehensive water-based entertainment ecosystem centered around wave pool surfing. The core product portfolio includes surf sessions at multiple skill levels (Learn to Surf, Beginner/Coaster, Intermediate/Runner, Advanced/Peak, Pro Barrel Wave, and Pro Air Wave), the Shredmill standing wave experience, and private session bookings. The resort operates a seasonal Water Park featuring The Wedge mega waterslide and one-mile Lazy River. Accommodations span the Waco Surf Hotel (Wave View and Garden View Standard Rooms, Malibu Suite, Trestles Suite), cabins (Cabins 1-7 ranging from 2 to 14 guests), vacation houses (Lake House, Road House), and RV hookups. On-site dining includes The Surf Cafe, The Dive Bar, The Saloon, The Wedge Grill, and Surfside Shack. Activities beyond surfing include fishing, horseback riding, biking, UTV rentals, skate park, pickleball, massage, game room, lemur encounters, live music, custom dining, and cabana rentals. The company is developing The Desperado, a luxury surf-anchored real estate community with homes starting at $1.6M, breaking ground Summer 2026 with first homes ready Summer 2027.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Desperado: America's premier inland surf community featuring 88 luxury homes with private surf lagoons, a golf course, hot springs, and more. Breaking ground Summer 2026 with homes ready Summer 2027. Luxury real estate starting from $1.6M.

Products and services

• Learn to Surf
• Beginner Surf Session (The Coaster)
• Intermediate Surf Session (The Runner)
• Advanced Surf Session (The Peak)
• Pro - Slab Barrel Wave
• Pro - Air Wave
• Shredmill (Standing Wave)
• Private Surf Sessions
• Water Park (The Wedge & Lazy River)
• Waco Surf Lodging (Hotel, Suites, Cabins, Houses, RV Hookups)
• Surf Cafe and On-Site Dining Venues
• Horseback Riding (Brazos Bluffs Ranch)
• Custom Cowboy Hat Experience
• Fishing
• Biking and UTV Rentals
• Skate Park
• Pickleball Courts
• Massage Services
• Golf (Partner Course Access)
• Stay & Surf Group Package
• Corporate Surf Retreat Package
• Wedge Cabana Rentals
• The Desperado Luxury Surf Community
• Swatch Nines Action Sports Event
• Salty Crew Event (Bass Tournament + Air Show)

Quantifiable outcome

• Average 10-20 waves per hour for intermediate surfers
• +6 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Brazos Bluffs RanchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for guided horseback tours through ridges, pastures, and Brazos River views. Offers 90-minute trail rides and overnight experiences. Bookings made through Brazos Bluffs Ranch website or Waco Surf concierge.
• Standard Hat WorksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with one of Texas's oldest and most iconic hat makers. Offers 2-4 hour custom cowboy hat experiences where guests design and build handcrafted hats. Bookings made through Standard Hat Works website.
• FlowstatecoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides professional photo and video capture of all surf sessions. Films every wave in the pool. Guests can view footage on TVs in lounge and purchase downloads. FlowRider technology mentioned for FlowSurf wave system.
• Pinewood RoastersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal Waco coffee supplier for Surf Cafe. Fresh beans served at the cafe for breakfast and coffee drinks. Supports local business positioning.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• URBNSURF: Australian inland surf park operator using Wavegarden Cove technology, offering sessions, lessons, food & beverage, and events at multiple sites. Directly comparable business model to Waco Surf: artificial wave sessions, multi-skill-level offerings, F&B, retail, and group programming.
• Palm Springs Surf Club: Inland surf resort in Palm Springs, California using Wavegarden Cove technology, with surf sessions, food & beverage, and event programming. Closest U.S. geographic direct competitor to Waco Surf, operating a comparable business model.
• Lost Shore Surf Resort: New inland surf resort near Edinburgh, Scotland using Wavegarden Cove technology with overnight accommodation, restaurant, and surf sessions. Closely mirrors Waco Surf's destination-resort positioning around an artificial wave pool.
• The Wave Bristol: Inland surfing lake in Bristol, UK using Wavegarden technology. Offers beginner-to-pro sessions, lessons, food & beverage, and a learn-to-surf academy. Comparable as a dedicated inland surf destination with tiered wave offerings and a destination-experience positioning.
• Aventura Surf Club: Members-focused inland surf club in Miami offering wave sessions via Wavegarden technology. Comparable in core surf-session product though more membership-centric than Waco's destination-resort model.

Broad incumbents

• Kelly Slater Wave Company: Wave technology licensor behind the Surf Ranch and licensed surf lake systems globally. Comparable as the broader wave-tech ecosystem in which Waco Surf operates, though its business is technology licensing rather than resort operation.
• Wavegarden: Spanish wave technology company whose Cove and Lagoon systems power many of Waco Surf's global competitors (URBNSURF, The Wave, Palm Springs Surf Club). Relevant as both a competitive threat and as an indicator of category supply expansion.
• Kalahari Resorts: U.S. indoor/outdoor water park resort chain with on-site lodging, F&B, and activities. Comparable as a destination resort combining water attractions, lodging, and multi-stream revenue.
• Schlitterbahn: Iconic Texas water park resort operator with multiple locations, lodging, and seasonal water-based attractions. Comparable as a regional water park + lodging destination experience, though without the artificial surf component.

Regional players

• BSR Surf Resort: Former inland surf resort in Waco, Texas using Wavegarden technology. Closest same-market historical peer — its closure illustrates both the demand potential in the Waco market and the operational fragility of single-site inland surf resorts.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/wacosurf
• Facebookfacebook.com/wacosurf
• Xx.com/WacoSurf
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/waco-surf-tx

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Waco Surf