A surf trip in Texas used to mean a long drive to the coast and a prayer for wind that cooperates. Now it means booking a cabin 90 minutes from Dallas or Austin, walking to a lagoon that produces waves on schedule from 8am to 8pm, and surfing before breakfast. Waco Surf is a 450 acre resort with its own hotel, cabins, houses and RV sites, and staying overnight comes with the single most valuable perk on the property: booking surf sessions before the public can.
Here is how to plan the trip, from picking the right roof to a realistic two-day itinerary.
Why staying on site changes the math
You can absolutely visit Waco Surf as a day trip. But three things tilt the value toward staying over:
- Early access to surf sessions. Public sessions release only 4 to 6 weeks before each month and usually book out about 2 months in advance. Overnight guests get exclusive priority access to book sessions before they open to the public, and Stay & Surf guests typically book 1 to 4 months out. For popular summer weekends, this is often the difference between surfing and spectating.
- Complimentary Beach Passes for all lodging guests, plus 50% off water park passes purchased on site.
- The 8am problem. The lagoon opens at 8am and the best availability is often early. Rolling out of a cabin beats a 5:30am drive from Dallas.
Every lodging unit includes a $20 nightly resort fee in the listed rate, covering parking, WiFi, in-room amenities and beach access. Note that surf sessions are never included automatically; you book them separately or through a Stay & Surf package.
Picking your spot: hotel, cabins, houses or RV
The lodging lineup covers everything from a couple’s weekend to a 14-person crew.
Waco Surf Hotel. Wave View and Garden View standard rooms sleep up to 4, with mini-fridge and Keurig. The Malibu Suite sleeps up to 4 and the Trestles Suite up to 6, both with full fridge and microwave. No dogs in the hotel.
Cabins. The range runs from Cabin 1 (sleeps 2, kitchenette) through Cabins 2 to 5 (sleep up to 4, kitchenette) to Cabins 6 and 7, which sleep up to 14 and have full kitchens with stove, oven and cookware. Cabins are the pet option: 1 dog per cabin with a pet fee.
The houses. The Lake House sleeps up to 10 and The Road House up to 12, both with full kitchens. These are the group-trip picks.
RV sites. All sites include 30/50 amp power, water and sewer hookups, with space for an RV up to 40 feet plus 2 vehicles. Generators are not allowed, stays cap at 1 week, and there are no standalone bathrooms or showers, so this works for self-contained rigs. Tents are only allowed pitched next to your RV.
Good-to-knows across the board: guests must be 25 or older to rent any unit, check-in is 3pm and check-out 11am, all lodging is strictly non-smoking ($350 fee if there is evidence otherwise), and cots ($10) and Pack ‘n Plays ($15) are available if you email ahead to info@wacosurf.com. Need flexibility on timing? Early check-in and late check-out run $50 per hour until 2pm, after which an additional night is charged. Lost keys are a $25 fee, and guests are responsible for damage or missing items, so treat the cabin like your own.
One more thing: you are staying in actual nature
The resort is surrounded by 500 acres of natural Texas landscape, and the wildlife did not sign the guest agreement. Waco Surf’s own advice for keeping critters out of your lodging is worth following: keep doors closed, do not bring outdoor items inside, keep food sealed and trash disposed, avoid leaving wet clothing on the ground, turn on outdoor lights at night, and wear shoes in wooded areas. None of this is alarming, it is just what staying on 450 acres of land actually means, and it is half the charm.
A realistic two-day itinerary
Built entirely from actual operating hours, so you can copy it.
Day 1
- 3pm: Check in. Drop bags, grab your complimentary Beach Passes.
- 4pm to 7pm: Beach and lagoon swim zone, or a first surf session if you booked an afternoon slot. In season, the water park runs to 6pm on weekdays and 7pm on weekends.
- 7pm: Dinner. Surfside Shack serves until 8pm, and the Saloon pours from 4pm to 11pm. The Dive Bar and Surf Cafe cover the surf side during the day, and the free private club sign-up (a quick ID swipe) handles drink purchases on that side of the property.
Day 2
- 7am: Coffee and breakfast at Surfside Shack, which opens at 7am.
- 8am to 9am: Surf session while the lagoon is glassy and the day is cool. This is the slot worth using your early booking access on.
- 10am: Shredmill, which opens at 10am, or watch the session video in the lounge.
- 12pm: Water park side in season: The Wedge, then the one mile lazy river with a rented cooler tube.
- Afternoon: Pick an activity: fishing, biking, golf, massage, or the lemurs. Check out is 11am, so on a Sunday departure this becomes your post-checkout window.
Want a second session? Same-day board rentals get cheaper after the first: $20 for a performance board or $14 for a soft top, plus tax.
The non-surfing hours
A trip lives or dies on what happens between sessions, and the activities list runs deeper than most guests expect: fishing, biking on scenic trails, golf, horseback riding, massage, pickleball and cabana rentals, plus distinctly Texan options like custom cowboy hats and custom boots. Some offerings are seasonal or still rolling out (live music, a game room and side-by-side UTVs are on the coming soon list), so check the page for what is running during your dates.
Two quieter perks matter for specific travelers. There is a business center on site, which turns a long weekend into a workation without anyone noticing on the video calls. And Lemur Lagoon is the corner of the property where leashed dogs are welcome, which pairs nicely with a cabin stay since cabins allow one dog with a pet fee.
Traveling as a group
Group trips are the format Waco Surf is quietly best at, and there are two packaged routes:
- Stay & Surf Group Getaway Bundle for birthdays, bachelor and bachelorette parties, reunions and friend trips
- Corporate Surf Retreat Bundle for team outings and incentive travel
Both bundle surf sessions, lodging, food and activities, with beginner through advanced sessions accommodated. For full-crew exclusivity, a private session puts up to 15 surfers in the lagoon with 30 to 50 waves per hour, your choice of wave difficulty, rights and lefts, and your own playlist on the speakers.
Booking runs through real humans: email stayandsurf@wacosurf.com for Stay & Surf packages or concierge@wacosurf.com for group bundles, or call (254) 265-6362. Heads up that package reservations require full payment within 48 hours or the booking releases, and lodging cancellations generally need to land by 3pm CT two calendar days before arrival for a refund.
What a surf trip here costs
Rough math for planning, all before tax and subject to seasonal change:
- Surf sessions: beginner starts at $129, intermediate at $139, advanced at $159, per person per hour. Learn to Surf starts at $75.
- Rentals if you need them: soft top $29, performance board $45, wetsuit $25 per day in cooler months.
- Lodging: varies by unit and date; the $20 nightly resort fee is already in the listed rate.
- Extras: photo and video packages from $29, water park passes at 50% off for lodging guests, VIP parking $20 if the free back lot will not do.
Current rates always live on the booking pages, so verify before you lock dates. Reservations are open through December 2026.
When to time your trip
The surf lagoon runs year round from 8am to 8pm, so the real timing question is water temperature and what else you want bundled in. June through September brings 75 to 90°F water and the full water park season (typically early May to mid-September), which is peak family-trip territory and peak demand. Spring and fall trade the water park for easier availability and water in the 60s and 70s, where a rented wetsuit at $25 a day keeps sessions comfortable. Winter surfing is legitimately good value for dedicated surfers: cold water, warm neoprene, and far less competition for session slots. The month-by-month water temperature chart is on the FAQ page, and the resort runs events throughout the year worth checking before you pick dates.
Getting there
The address is 5347 Old Mexia Road, Waco, TX 76705. Drive time is about 90 minutes from Dallas or Austin and 3 hours from Houston, with major airports in all three cities. That geography is the whole pitch: over 2,000 waves a day sitting within a half-day drive of most of Texas.
New to the wave itself? Start with what your first lesson looks like, and read the first-timer guide before you book anything.
Frequently asked questions
Does staying at Waco Surf include surf sessions?
No. Surf sessions are booked separately or as part of a Stay & Surf package. Lodging guests do get priority access to book sessions before they open to the public.
How many people can stay in one unit at Waco Surf?
Hotel rooms and suites sleep 2 to 6, cabins sleep 2 to 14 depending on the unit, The Lake House sleeps up to 10 and The Road House up to 12. RV sites fit rigs up to 40 feet.
Can I bring my dog to Waco Surf lodging?
One dog per cabin is permitted with a pet fee. Dogs are not allowed in the hotel or houses, and on property they are welcome on leash near Lemur Lagoon only.
Is there a minimum age to book lodging?
Yes, guests must be 25 or older to rent any lodging unit.
Do lodging guests get water park access?
Water park passes are not included, but lodging guests receive 50% off passes purchased on site, and all lodging guests receive complimentary Beach Passes.