You might thank a small Spanish island for the current daytime pool-party scene in the Nevada desert.
Las Vegas has been called the new Ibiza, though in typical Vegas fashion, hotel casinos have taken the daytime electronic dance music scene and amplified it—with 32,000-watt subwoofers and custom lasers, international resident DJs, and cabanas with private infinity pools and beds for sleeping off the revelry.
Add in beaches, swim-up gambling, and models as waiters, and it’s safe to say that Las Vegas pools have never been cooler.
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With nearly 40 million visitors hitting the Strip in 2012, many with a seemingly insatiable appetite for daytime drinking and dancing, it’s no wonder hotels are devoting pool real estate to pay-to-play mega venues. New openings like Daylight in Mandalay Bay, Bagatelle in Tropicana, and the expanded Wet Republic at MGM Grand can host up to 5,000 partiers.
To be fair, the dayclub pool concept isn’t brand-new in Las Vegas. Rehab, the legendary Sunday bash at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, started the trend with its raucous parties back in 2003. What began as an excuse to extend the weekend became a rite of passage and the biggest meat market on or off the Strip. Meanwhile, DJs like Paul Oakenfold, who was in residence at the Palms, helped pave the way for electronic dance music fever.
Because of the profitability of this pool party model, this also means that the Vegas pendulum has swung back to a decidedly grown-up scene, where cabana rentals often start at $300 on weekdays and rise exponentially on weekends. (Keep in mind that the prices reflect minimum food and drinks spending; do the math for your group to see if a cabana works in your favor.)
Still, we’ve identified swimming pools where kids are welcome, as well as some oases that are free or blissfully serene, such as the private Cypress Premier Lounges at the Bellagio. And here’s a little-known secret: you can gain entry to one of the Strip’s most rarefied pool areas by renting a cabana, and for a comparatively low rate.
For details, dive in to our roundup of the best Vegas pool options, from family-friendly to adults-only, with some pools that bridge the gap nicely.
See The Best Pools In Las Vegas >
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Boulevard Pool, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
The largest of Cosmopolitan’s pool areas, the multilevel Boulevard Pool has an unobstructed view of the Strip below.
Big shareable daybeds give cover from the sun, and you can hang out in the wading pool, play ping-pong and foosball, or belly up to one of three bars. The pool springs to life at twilight, when either Dive In movies play on the 65-foot screen or the Set Your Life to Music concert series brings live performances. At Bubbles and Brunch, roving waiters serve items like blue claw crab Benedict with Creole hollandaise, and guests sip champagne while DJs spin until 6 p.m.
When to Go: Saturdays and Sundays for Bubbles and Brunch; Thursday evenings for Set Your Life to Music; Monday nights for Dive In Movies.
Admission: $20, but varies according to the event.
Open to Non-Hotel Guests? Hotel guests only during the day; open to non-guests for special events.
Family Friendly? Family friendly during the day; adults only for special events.
Liquid at Aria, Aria Resort & Casino
The modern Tahitian vibe at Liquid is less frantic than higher-volume dayclubs, and its 16,000 square feet qualifies as intimate, so you can enjoy a good mix of local DJs and the industry’s A-listers without battling a throng of crazed dancers. Eight cabanas are each outfitted with flat-screen TVs, a private pool, two daybeds, and a fridge. Handcrafted wicker daybeds and lounges surround the pool. Order from Light Group executive chef Brian Massie's menu poolside or at Liquid's own restaurant.
When to Go: Saturdays are busiest; Sundays are relaxed.
Admission: From $10 for women and $20 for men.
Open to Non-Hotel Guests? Yes.
Family Friendly? Adults 21 and over.
Rehab, Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
Break out your best swimsuit for this Sunday institution: three acres of beautiful people downing bottle service and signature cocktails around the 50 Tahitian-style cabanas and along the man-made sandy beaches and lazy river. The raucous party—which originated the dayclub concept in Vegas in 2003—shows no signs of slowing down. In 2012, Hard Rock introduced Summer Camp Fridays, another reason to start the weekend early. If Paradise Beach (which hosts Rehab) is too intense, hotel guests can migrate to Nirvana Beach. Breathe Pool is even more private—right above Nirvana with views of the Strip.
When to Go: Sundays for Rehab, Fridays for Summer Camp Fridays.
Admission: Free for hotel guests daily and the general public Monday through Friday. On Saturdays, from $20 for women and $40 for men; on Sundays, from $30 for women and $50 for men.
Open to Non-Hotel Guests? Yes
Family Friendly? Monday-Thursday. Adults 21 and over only Friday-Sunday.
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