Ultimate List of Surf Pools and River Breaks

Are you an inland surfer? Are you an ocean surfer in a landlocked nation? Do you want to experience wave riding in a different scenario? Find your nearest surf park on the ultimate list of surf pools and river breaks around the world below.

View of Surf Snowdonia from the top of Snowdonia National Park. Photo: Red Bull

Originally posted on SurferToday.com

The world’s first wave pool was probably a swimming pool built in Munich, Germany, in the 1920s. The indoor piscina was equipped with a hydraulic mechanism that produced regular waves.

In 1993, Japan decided to built what it is still considered one of the best artificial wave pools of all time. Located in Miyazaki, the Seagaia Ocean Dome delivered consistent and punchy head-high rollers, and many tube riding opportunities. When it closed in October 2007, it left millions of surfers disappointed.

The world’s first exclusive public surf pool opened on August 1st, 2015, in Dolgarrog, Wales. Surf Snowdonia is the first surf lagoon built with the Wavegarden technology, and it pumps three sizes of waves for beginners, intermediate surfers, and advanced wave riders.

Nowadays, there are over seven different wave generating systems in the market including (but not limited to) American Wave Machines, Citywave, Kelly Slater Wave Company, Murphy’s Waves, Wavegarden, Wave Loch / Surf Loch, and Webber Wave Pools.

If you opt for standing waves, river breaks offer the ultimate freshwater experience. The planet has stationary waves for all tastes – you can ride a river slope sculpted by Mother Nature, or jump into an endless, man-made river flow.

Standing wave action during the annual Surf & Style Event at the Munich Airport. Photo: Citywave

And don’t forget those relentless tidal bores – they’re rare, but they’re unforgettable.

Ultimate List of Surf Pools and River Breaks Around the World

Surf Pools & Man-Made Surfing Destinations | Open To The Public

Avalanche Bay (Boyne Falls, Michigan, USA)
Big Surf (Tempe, Arizona, USA)
Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park (Orlando, Florida, USA)
Himlabadet (Sundsvall, Sweden)
Kalahari Indoor Waterpark (Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, USA)
N Land Surf Park (Austin, Texas, USA)
Oasis Surf (Montreal, Quebec, Canada)
Siam Park (Tenerife, Canary Islands)
Sunway Lagoon (Bandar Sunway, Malaysia)
Surf Snowdonia (Dolgarrog, UK)
Surf’s Up NH (Nashua, New Hampshire, USA)
Wadi Adventure (Al Ain, United Arab Emirates)
Wave House (San Diego, California, USA)

Dion Agius pulling into the barrel at Wadi Adventure in Al Ain, UAE. Photo: Globe & DJ Struntz

Surf Pools & Man-Made Waves | Projected

BSR Surf Ranch (Waco, Texas)
Rif010 (Rotterdam, The Netherlands)
The Wave Bristol (Bristol, UK)
URBNSURF Melbourne (Melbourne, Australia)
URBNSURF Perth (Perth, Australia)
URBNSURF Sydney (Sydney, Australia)

Surf Pools & Man-Made Waves | Test Facilities

Kelly Slater enjoying his ultimate man-made wave testing facility. Photo: Kelly Slater Wave Company

Kelly Slater Wave Company (Lemoore, California, USA)
Wavegarden (Zarautz, Spain)

River Breaks

Barking Dog (Coloma, California, USA)
Bend Whitewater Park (Bend, Oregon, USA)
Boise River Park (Boise, Idaho, USA)
Bono/Seven Ghosts (Sumatra, Indonesia)
Bulken (Bulken, Norway)
Columbus (Columbus, Georgia, USA)
Corner Pocket (Durango, Colorado, USA)
Cunovo (Bratislava, Slovakia)
Dalhem (Gotland, Sweden)
Eisbach (Munich, Germany)
Fils (Göppingen, Germany)
Floßlände (Munich, Germany)
Gunny (Gunnison, Colorado, USA)
Habitat 67 (Montreal, Canada)
Hauptbrücke (Graz, Austria)
Hawaii 5-O (Denver, Colorado, USA)
Hawea (Albert Town, New Zealand)
Industrial Hole (Rock Island, Canada)
Isar (Plattling, Germany)
Kelly’s Whitewater Park (Cascade, Idaho, USA)
Kugelfang (Steyr, Austria)
Lippstadt (Lippstadt, Germany)
Miracle (Denver, Colorado)
Mizzoccola (Domodossola, Italy)
Nile Special (White Nile, Uganda)
Óbidos (Foz do Arelho, Portugal)
Pororoca (São Domingos do Capim, Brazil)
Radetzky (Graz, Austria)
Severn (Gloucestershire, UK)
Sewer (Ottawa, Canada)
Sherbrooke River (Sherbrooke, Canada)
Subiaco (Tivoli, Italy)
The Bitches (St Davids, UK)
The Mountain (Kananaskis, Canada)
Turbo (Turbigo, Italy)
U2 (Denver, Colorado)
Wave O Saurus (Holyoke, Massachusetts, USA)

Have we missed a surf pool, man-made wave, or river break? Leave a comment below or drop us an email.