Big Surf was best known for its iconic wave pool, the first of its kind in the U.S., which the late engineer Phil Dexter created after he dreamed of a machine that would bring ocean swells to the middle of the Sonoran Desert. Visitors rode the waves in the attraction using actual surfboards.
Over the years, the park expanded to add numerous water slides and other attractions as its popularity grew. Other water parks debuted throughout the Valley, including Mesa’s Golfland Sunsplash, but Big Surf remained the big kahuna of the local summertime scene for decades.
Big Surf experienced a major wipeout in 2019 after it was closed down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Its then-owners, the Texas-based LLC Inland Oceans, sold the water park to developers in 2022 and demolished the property.
In celebration of Big Surf’s 55th anniversary this year, here’s a nostalgic look back at the legendary Tempe water park throughout its lifespan.
Phoenix alt-rock legends Meat Puppets perform at an outdoor concert at Big Surf in 1990.
Tempe History Museum
The remains of one of Big Surf's water slides during the park's demolition in 2022. The park's final season was in 2019 before being closed during the pandemic and later sold to developers.
Benjamin Leatherman
