VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — After years of construction, the new surf lagoon at Atlantic Park in Virginia Beach is finally open to the public. The 2.5-acre facility powered by Wave Garden technology is the first of its kind in North America.
The surf lagoon can produce 1,000 waves per hour and accommodate 20 to 40 surfers in each session. The facility was designed to create perfect wave conditions for riders of all skill levels, WTKR reported.
"We're the first Wave Garden cove in North America. So this isn't only going to be for just the East Coast, but it's going to be for the world," Atlantic Park Surf's General Manager Bill Zazynski said.
The lagoon offers various wave heights to match different skill levels, from beginners to experts.
"We have different levels from an 18-inch beginner wave, what we call our Malibu wave, all the way to our expert wave where we have turns and barrels and things like that," Zazynski explained.
For surfers like Story Martinez, the facility means no longer having to travel far to practice the sport. Martinez, who is from Virginia Beach but frequently travels to progress in surfing, can now train in her hometown.
"You'd never say this, but you're getting barrelled in Virginia Beach. You usually have to go somewhere and it's always flat here, but now it's not," Martinez said.
The facility opened to the public on Saturday. Adult surf lessons cost $125 as of Friday, according to online booking information.
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