Big Surf

Last updated
Big Surf
LocationTempe, Arizona, United States
Coordinates 33°26′45″N111°54′45″W / 33.4457°N 111.9126°W / 33.4457; -111.9126
Opened1969
Closed2019

Big Surf was a waterpark located in Tempe, Arizona. Opened in 1969 and financed by the Clairol Company, it boasted the first wave pool in the United States. The wave pool was designed by Phil Dexter. [1] [2] At a ceremony on August 17, 2013 the Waikiki Beach Wave pool was designated as an ASME Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark. The recognition is for being the "first inland surfing facility in North America". [3] The Big Surf Water park became the first amusement park or waterpark to receive such an ASME landmark status.

Contents

History

As one of the claimants of the first and oldest wave pool in the United States, it at one point featured surfing exhibitions and competitions, as well as regular use by patrons of the park. This was largely discontinued in the late 1980s and early 1990s due to safety and liability concerns. Daily surf sessions are held before the park opens to the general public and between 5pm-6pm. Since its opening, Big Surf has added several attractions and replaced its original sand beach with a concrete bottom.

The park celebrated their 40th year anniversary in 2009. [4] However, on September 2, 2009, it was reported that Big Surf will close indefinitely at the end of the day on Monday, September 7, 2009. [5] Later that week on September 5, the Arizona Republic reported that Big Surf would open again in Summer 2010 under the Inland Oceans LLC rather than the Golfland Entertainment, Inc. banner. [6]

Big Surf closed for the season in 2019, but did not reopen for the 2020 season due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The 2020 season had Big Surf's parking lot turned into a temporary drive in movie theater, and after staying closed in 2021, assets from the park, including the rental boogie boards, were auctioned off in the winter of 2022, indicating that the park would not reopen again.

Additional attractions

Pink Floyd performed here in 1972 as part of their Dark Side of the Moon Tour.

A popular teen disco known as The Rock Hop operated at Big Surf on Friday nights between 1977 and 1980.

Waterslides were added to the park in 1979.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Water park</span> Amusement park that features pools with water play areas

A water park is an amusement park that features water play areas such as swimming pools, water slides, splash pads, water playgrounds, and lazy rivers, as well as areas for floating, bathing, swimming, and other barefoot environments. Modern water parks may also be equipped with some type of artificial surfing or bodyboarding environment, such as a wave pool or flowrider.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wave pool</span> Swimming pool with artificial waves

A wave pool is a swimming pool in which there are artificially generated, large waves, similar to those of the ocean. Wave pools are often a major feature of water parks, both indoors and outdoors, as well as some leisure centres.

Alabama Adventure & Splash Adventure is a water park and amusement park in Bessemer, Alabama. It is owned by Koch Family Parks, which consists of members of the family who formerly had minority ownership in Holiday World & Splashin' Safari.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World Waterpark</span> Water park in Alberta, Canada

World Waterpark is a water park located within the West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Opened to the public in 1986, it is the second largest indoor water park in North America after American Dream's DreamWorks Water Park which opened on October 1, 2020. It has a maximum capacity of 5,000 guests, an average air temperature of 31 °C (88 °F) and contains the world's largest indoor wave pool with a capacity of 12.5 million liters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disney's Typhoon Lagoon</span> One of two water parks at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida

Disney's Typhoon Lagoon is a water theme park located at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida near Orlando, and is one of two operating water parks at the resort. It is the second water park to open at the resort, preceded by Disney's River Country which closed in November 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Noah's Ark Water Park</span> Outdoor water park in Wisconsin, United States

Noah's Ark Family Park Inc. is the largest outdoor water park in the United States. It features 51 water slides and dozens of various attractions. The park is located in the village of Lake Delton, Wisconsin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hawaiian Falls</span> Water park franchise in Texas, United States

Hawaiian Falls Waterparks is a chain of waterparks operated by ProParks Management Company. The five locations Hawaiian Falls operates are located across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex area and Central Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wet'n'Wild Gold Coast</span> Water park on the Gold Coast, Australia

Wet'n'Wild Gold Coast is a water park situated in Oxenford, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, owned and operated by Village Roadshow Theme Parks. In 2019, the park received 1,120,000 visitors making it the most visited water park in Australia and the 19th most visited water park in the world. Wet'n'Wild Gold Coast is located adjacent to Warner Bros. Movie World, a movie-related park also owned by Village Roadshow Theme Parks. The park remains open all year with some seasonal ride closures and maintenance periods in winter. It is one of several water parks operating under the Wet'n'Wild brand globally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Water Country USA</span> Water park in York County, Virginia, United States

Water Country USA is a water park in York County, Virginia, United States, near Williamsburg, Virginia. It is the Mid-Atlantic's largest water park, and it offers live entertainment, shops and restaurants, water rides, and other family attractions, all of which have a 1950s or 1960s surf theme. It is owned by United Parks & Resorts. The park is just a few miles away from Busch Gardens Williamsburg, with which it shares clientele. Multi-park passes are available, and a parking pass at Water Country USA is valid for same-day entry to Busch Gardens Williamsburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wet'n'Wild Toronto</span> Water park in Brampton, Ontario, Canada

Wet'n'Wild Toronto is a water park in Brampton, Ontario, Canada, a city in the Greater Toronto Area. Opened in 1986, the 100-acre (0.40 km2) complex hosts a variety of attractions, including numerous water slides, a wave pool, a lazy river, a four lane zip-line and two kid's splash areas. Since becoming Wet'n'Wild Toronto, the park has established a stronger family-focus and has eliminated a number of bars and food vendors within the park confines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park</span> Amusement park in Wisconsin

Mt. Olympus Water and Theme Park Resort is a theme park and water park resort complex in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. The resort is themed after Ancient Greece, particularly its mythology and gods, and is named after the mountain in Greece where those gods were said to live. Mt. Olympus features an indoor and outdoor water park and amusement park rides, and the complex includes dozens of motel buildings that were acquired by the resort in addition to its purpose-built hotel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Splish Splash (water park)</span> Water park in Calverton, New York, US

Splish Splash is a 96-acre (390,000 m2) water park located in Calverton, New York. It has 30 rides and is open for visitors from May to September. Travel Channel ranked Splish Splash as the third-best water park in the United States in the year 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Bayou and Dixie Landin'</span> Amusement parks in Baton Rouge

Blue Bayou Waterpark and Dixie Landin' are adjacent amusement parks in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Blue Bayou is a water park and Dixie Landin' is a dry amusement park with thrill rides.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cedar Point Shores</span> Water park near Cedar Point

Cedar Point Shores is a water park located adjacent to Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. It is owned and operated by Six Flags.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Beach at Adventure Landing</span> Water park in Mason, Ohio

The Beach at Adventure Landing was a 35-acre (140,000 m2) water park located 24 miles (39 km) northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio. Previously known as The Beach Waterpark, it featured ten water attractions, several children's areas, sand volleyball and basketball courts, pool-side beverage service and other special events. The Beach was named the best privately owned water park by Aquatics International Magazine in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golfland</span> Chain of amusement centers

Golfland Entertainment Centers are a chain of family amusement centers, miniature golf courses, and water parks located in California and Arizona. The company was founded in 1953.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nashville Shores</span> Amusement park in Tennessee

Nashville Shores is a waterpark, adventure course, and campground located in Hermitage, Tennessee, along the shore of Percy Priest Lake. Nashville Shores is located adjacent to Interstate 40. The site was previously the location of Hermitage Landing, a marina, campground, and recreational complex that opened in 1971. Hermitage Landing closed in 1997, and the Nashville Shores waterpark opened on the property one year later. In 2009, Nashville Shores was sold to investors Kieran Burke and Gary Story, two former Six Flags executives. The resort is owned and operated by Premier Parks, LLC.

Aquatica is a chain of water parks owned and operated by United Parks & Resorts. Aquatica parks are operating in Orlando, Florida and San Antonio, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palm Springs Surf Club</span> Water park in Palm Springs, California

Palm Springs Surf Club is a surf club located in Palm Springs, California. The park operated under Cedar Fair's ownership as Knott's Soak City until 2013 when CNL Lifestyle Properties acquired it and changed the name to Wet'n'Wild Palm Springs. In 2019, the park was acquired by Pono Acquisition Partners I, LLC. The park opened in 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NLand</span> Inland surfing destination near Austin, Texas, US

NLand Surf Park is an inland surfing destination near Austin, Texas, located ten minutes from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport at 4836 East Highway 71, Del Valle, Texas 78617. The park offers surfing sessions, lessons, clinics, or group surfing for first-time, beginner, intermediate, and advanced surfers. In addition to the 14-acre surf lagoon and surrounding land, the park includes a surf shop and a restaurant, and a craft brewery.

References

  1. ↑ Inertia, The. "Inventor of World's First Wave Pool Dies". The Inertia. Retrieved 2019-01-07.
  2. ↑ "Big Surf Water Park in Tempe - Waikiki Beach Wave Pool at Big Surf". Phoenix.about.com. 2011-06-27. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 2011-08-10.
  3. ↑ https://www.asme.org/about-asme/news/asme-news/two-tourist-attractions-named-landmarks-uk
  4. ↑ May. 22, 2009 10:08 AM The Mesa Republic (2009-05-22). "Big Surf, Sunsplash open Saturday". Azcentral.com. Retrieved 2011-08-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ↑ "Big Surf water park in Tempe to close".
  6. ↑ Ruelas, Richard (2009-09-05). "Original owners to keep Big Surf open". Azcentral.com. Retrieved 2011-08-10.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.