San Diego boasts endless miles of sandy beaches paired with dreamlike year-round weather that’s hardly ever short of 75-degrees. From surf spots in Leucadia to family escapes in La Jolla Cove and party spots in Pacific Beach, there is a strip of sandy shore perfect for all beach-goers in San Diego.
Once upon a time, we locals would head to Del Mar or Mission Beach to set up camp for a day of seaside drinking and partying under the sun. However, in early 2008 San Diego officially passed a Beach Alcohol Ban which now prohibits any drinking on the beach or bay. Pissed off we were, but we sassy San Diegans would never let such a legality interrupt our day-time party plans. Immediately following the Beach Alcohol Ban came the rise of San Diego Pool Parties.
As one would assume, Hard Rock Hotel San Diego was first to begin a wild pool party dubbed Intervention, as inspired by the original and now legendary Rehab event at the Las Vegas Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. We locals couldn’t get enough of Hard Rock’s pool party madness, and thus began spinoffs at all luxury rooftop lounges across the downtown cityscape. From Ivy Rooftop at the Andaz Hotel to Siren Lounge at the Se Hotel and even the adults only pools at Manchester Grand Hyatt and Hilton San Diego Bayfront, many of the hottest hotels in San Diego are, or have been, home to pool parties that we locals will never forget. Spreading up San Diego like wild fire, The Wave House in Mission Beach and Arterra at Del Mar Marriott are also home to notable beach parties and posh poolside events.
To make sure you never miss out on a wet and wild event, we’ve compiled a list of the hottest pool parties in San Diego and across the country. Discover our picks for the Hottest Pool Parties in America.
San Diego Pool Parties
Intervention Sundays at Hard Rock Hotel San Diego
Run by the same party Gods who created Rehab in Las Vegas, Intervention Sundays at our home-town Hard Rock are the number one wet ‘n’ wild pool parties in San Diego. From Kaskade to Sharam and Mims, the biggest house DJs and hip-hop acts in the world grace the Rock Star stage every Sunday as our hottest local party-goers bare all, drink up and let loose in ultimate San Diego style. Hard Rock’s fourth floor outdoor deck features two venues – Float, the poolside lounge with VIP cabanas and fire pit cabanas, all overlooking the San Diego Harbor and Gaslamp Quarter, and Woodstock, the 9,000-square-foot event space which is transformed into a tropical oasis especially for Intervention. Every Sunday, Woodstock is covered in grass turf, and filled with private cabanas and day beds, umbrellas, multiple full-service bars and open-grill food stations, and island inspired décor. As DJs make the crowd go wild, party-goers stir up the dance floor, hang in the pool, lounge in the day beds, or strip down, tour about and show off their stuff to the Who’s Who’s of the San Diego nightlife industry. Intervention Sundays take over the Hard Rock Hotel San Diego every Sunday during spring and summer seasons. Mark your calendars, Intervention opens on April 18, 2010 with Paul Oakenfold. Get details here.
See for yourself: View Intervention Sunday pool party photos.
Ivy Rooftop Pool Parties at Andaz San Diego Hotel
In early 2010, one of our favorite boutique hotels was transformed into the new Andaz San Diego, but not to worry, the nightlife we know and love is still at our finger tips, including the sultry day-time scene. Ivy Rooftop is one of the most luxurious and spacious rooftops at all of the downtown San Diego hotels. From the intimate pool area surrounded by chaise lounges and VIP cabana booths, all complete with stunning views of the downtown cityscape, to the plush central lounge and bar area, and the far west outdoor dance floor with even more additional VIP tables and day beds, there is more than enough room for all of San Diego’s elite to gather under the sunshine and enjoy an A-List Sunday Funday experience. Every Sunday during spring and summer seasons, Ivy Rooftop presents a classy and upscale twist on the traditional downtown pool party. As Ivy Rooftop releases details on the 2010 opening date and lineup, we’ll be sure to get you clued in and hooked up. Get details here.
See for yourself: View Ivy Rooftop Sunday pool party photos.
Sun Daze Beach Parties at Wave House
Technically, there’s no pool at this party, but from the beachfront location to the incredible ocean view and FlowRider – their signature synthetic wave – we think Sun Daze definitely deserves a spot on our list, especially due to the new exciting partnerships they have lined up for the year. Wave House transforms into a wild beach party every Sunday during summer, featuring live bands and DJs across all music genres, VIP cabanas and lounges, sandy beaches, hot tubs, FlowRider, beer pong, Sumo wrestling, trampolines, Twister tournaments and even more entertainment madness. Wave House typically teams up with local promotion companies to attract different crowds throughout the summer. This year, Voyeur– your favorite goth-glam Gaslamp club – is slated to take over Sun Daze at Wave House for a few insane Sunday Funday events. Get ready for some of the wildest beach parties you’ve ever seen this summer with Voyeur at Wave House. As Voyeur releases details on the 2010 dates and lineup, we’ll be sure to get you clued in and hooked up.
See for yourself: View Voyeur party photos.
Siren Uber Pool Lounge at Se San Diego Hotel
Siren is the fourth-floor pool bar and lounge at the Se San Diego Hotel. Siren offers a relaxing atmosphere by day and a sexy vibe that always energizes after dark. Enjoy a selection of cocktails and light cuisine in open-air luxury alongside the infinity-edged pool. Or reserve a poolside cabana with bottle service for a more intimate gathering. During spring and summer, Siren hosts a series of chic and sophisticated rooftop pool parties featuring poolside runway fashion shows, world famous DJs and music acts, live art, celebrity guests and much more. The Se Hotel is San Diego’s newest luxury hotel in the downtown scene. Swim and mingle with the local elite during the all new rooftop pool parties at Siren Lounge. As Se Hotel releases details on the 2010 opening date and lineup, we’ll be sure to get you clued in and hooked up.
See for yourself: View Se Hotel pool party photos.
Intermission Alert! Side Bar presents the all new Five Ten Intermission Party every Sunday evening. During summer, Sunday pool parties are all the rage! But, in the time between when pool parties end and Industry Sunday night events begin, where can locals go to rage!? The smarties over at Side Bar created an all new Sunday sensation this year – the Five Ten Party. Say goodbye to the old days of aimless wandering and afternoon naps. The party no longer stops in San Diego! From 5pm to 10pm, Side Bar is your new home base. From bikini clad bartenders to discounted champagne bottles and VIP table service specials, beach chic club attire, and all your favorite local DJs spinning high-energy evening sets, Side Bar will redefine Sunday Intermission this year! Starting Sunday, April 18, 2010, Side Bar is the only place to be every Sunday from 5 – 10pm! RSVP now for guest list requests.
Discover more of our favorite San Diego Sunday Funday Parties!
The Scene: View our massive gallery of San Diego pool party photos.
Although it’s arguably impossible to get sick of summer pool parties in San Diego, sometimes nothing feels better than an indulgent getaway to some of the hottest vacation destinations in the country. From our northern neighbor Los Angeles to the Las Vegas City of Sin and the sultry beachfront community of South Beach Miami, discover some of the hottest pool parties in America. You’ll go wild for the original Rehab and now fan-favorite Wet Republic in Las Vegas. Take a peek inside LA’s elite social circle during pool parties at The Standard and The Roosevelt. If you’re heading to LA, we just have one piece of advice: Prepare yourself to swim with the sharks! If you really want to play, jet off to Miami to swim and mingle with sizzling hot locals at The Shore Club or Acqualina Resort. From where to be and what to expect, discover our picks for the (other) hottest pool parties in America.
Las Vegas Pool Parties
Rehab Sundays at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Las Vegas is the original City of Sin, and of course, creator of the day-life party scene featuring nightclub entertainment served poolside on a golden platter. The Hard Rock Hotel invented the daytime nightclub experience with Rehab. Once an intimate poolside party, Rehab is now an internationally famed event with world famous DJs and A-List performers, exotic cocktails, celebrity guests, and hundreds of high-energy, scantily-clad party-goers who always check their inhibitions at the door. Daybeds surround the idyllic three-acre poolside haven, offering a place to unwind and listen to a rotating guest DJs. Indulge in private cabana bottle service or grab a cocktail and join the hot party in the pool. Whether you’re dancing on the pool’s center stage or lounging on the stairs with your new special someone, everyone’s in the spotlight during Rehab Sundays. Hungry? Order a Mixed Up Melon – a watermelon half, soaked overnight in Bacardi O. Or splurge on a more filling treat from the open flame grill hosted by Pink Taco. Need some rest? Head in for a massage at the Spa first, and with your treatment of $120 or more, you will receive one front of the line pass to Rehab. For the original Vegas pool party experience, head to Rehab every Sunday from 12noon to 7pm during spring and summer seasons at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. For up-to-date details, please visit rehablv.com.
Wet Republic Ultra Pool at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
Everything is grand at the MGM, including the 53,000-sqaure-foot ultra pool that combines a VIP nightlife vibe with poolside pampering. Wet Republic comes to life in the 2,500-square-foot open-air ultra lounge that sets the stage for an unparalleled day-life party. This adults-only playground is a magnet for party-goers, the glitterati and celebrities from around the world to gather and dance under the sun to the beats of world-renowned DJs. Eight, count them, eight pools await you at Wet Republic, including two scintillating saltwater pools, which are the only ones you'll experience on the Las Vegas strip. You’ll never miss a beat at this pool party, as the state-of-the-art underground sound system features the best of both worlds in 18 retro green water loungers on the main pool's six-inch-deep wet deck. Dry off and grab a cocktail in the open-air lounge. You’ll surely gravitate toward the lounge’s 60-foot verde marble-topped bar with a custom glass base inset with chartreuse silk and bamboo. Take a minute to relax in a chaise lounge, or celebrate your special occasion in a luxury daybed or private cabana – these options are available, but only by reservation. The party never stops at Wet Republic – this ultra pool is open Friday through Sunday from 11am to dusk. For up-to-date details, please visit wetrepublic.com. (pictured main)
Insider Tip: New to the Vegas pool party scene this year is the Liquid Pool Party at the Aria Hotel. For topless pool parties, check out Mooera Beach Club at the Mandalay Bay Hotel or Bare Pool at the Mirage Hotel. With dozens of pool parties going off every weekend, you’ll never be short of options for raging in the City of Sin. For an overview of the scene and travel hook-ups, visit vegas.com.
Miami Pool Parties
Shore Thing Sundays at The Shore Club Hotel
The Shore Club is an iconic oceanfront hotel in South Beach, Miami, located just four blocks from all the best Lincoln Road Malls shopping, restaurants, and nightlife. During Shore Thing Sundays in the spring and summer seasons, The Shore Club’s pool lounge transforms into the adults only exotic playground right out of your wildest South Beach fantasies. Catering to the affluent and well-connected, Shore Thing Sundays is a VIP guest-listed event traditionally hosted by notable South Beach promoters Alan Roth and Tommy Pooch. Shore Club's two elevated infinity edge pools and hot tub are surrounded by enormous custom tufted beds that are covered in hand-painted pillows and throws. Lounge with friends on poolside cabanas and indulge in VIP bottle service while people watching out into the hard-bodied, bronze and beautiful crowd shaded beneath designer glasses and beach-chic fashions. Unlike many other venues for South Beach pool parties, The Shore Club Hotel offers party-goers four venues in which to lounge or let loose. Skip off to Sandbar, a private island escape covered in sand, or to the intimate Rumbar, hidden between white sheer curtains between the pools, if you’re a true rum lover (there are 75 offerings of rum here…). To keep the party going, check out additional DJs and libations in the dazzling red Sky Bar. Or, escape the crowds altogether and grab a signature sushi roll at Nobu or an Italian treat at Ago. Biggest perk of them all? The Beach is easily accessed directly from the pools. Shore Thing Sundays is open at The Shore Club Hotel every Sunday during spring and summer seasons. For up-to-date details, please visit shoreclub.com.
Re-Coup Sundays at Acqualina Resort & Spa on the Beach
Attracting a more mature crowd of young couples and easy going party-goers who now prefer lounge chairs to the dancing pole, Re-Coup Sundays at the stunning Acqualina Resort is a the luxury destination for a sophisticated take on Sunday Funday in South Beach. Acqualina Resort and Spa is located on 4.5 beachfront acres and boasts over 400 feet of stunning Atlantic Ocean coastline. The sophistication of a Mediterranean villa combined with the beautiful oceanfront location on Florida’s Riviera, makes Acqualina an ideal beach escape. Acqualina is home to four swimming pools, three of which are oceanfront resort pools with luxury concierge service. Re-Coup Sundays take place at the Beach Club Pool, which features chaise lounges, friendly poolside food and drink service, private cabanas, an always-sunny atmosphere, and of course an unobstructed ocean view. Embrace the bold architecture and vibrant color scheme at Acqualina by wearing your favorite retro swimsuit or vintage-chic beach attire. Guests can opt to lounge in one of the plush cabanas or sip sparkling Nuvo cocktails and dine in one of striking bright red seated tables. Re-Coup Sundays typically begin at 4pm and run through the early evening featuring DJ lounge beats and ambiance sets. For up-to-date details, please visit acqualinaresort.com.
Los Angeles Pool Parties
Swimming With Sharks at The Standard Downtown
The Standard is progressive, cheeky and strikingly modern in all the right ways. Take a modern, minimalist design and soar a jolt of urban energy into its core and you have The Standard Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles. Adored by professionals and party-goers alike, it’s no surprise The Standard is home to one of the hottest pool parties in LA. Dare to go swimming with sharks? Perhaps appropriately named for one of the most exclusive and buzzed-about pool parties in all of LA, The Standard’s trendy annual summer series has become known as Swimming with Sharks. Presented by hipsters MFG & Rockwell, The Standard’s pool parties feature electro and house DJs rotating weekly, with such headliners in the past as Classix, Acid Girls and Cosmic Kids. These guys like to interact with their scenester crowd; each week new crews of label or genre battle it out poolside with water guns and turntables for dancefloor supremacy. While the stars battle for your viewing pleasure, you pose for the infamous photo booth by Tommy B. or look out for roaming photos by “The Squid” while you drink down ultra-cheap drink specials, such as $4 beers with free vodka and Jello shots. For reals. Swimming with Sharks at The Standard goes down every Sunday from 1pm to sundown. For up-to-date details, please visit standardhotels.com.
Tropicana Pool Bar at Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
The vibrant and sophisticated cool of the late ‘70s is effortlessly intertwined with the casual elegance of modern California design in the Thompson Beverly Hills. The sister to SoHo’s original 60 Thompson, our LA Roosevelt features art installations by photographer Steven Klein as well as a famed sushi restaurant BondSt and ABH, the private rooftop bar and pool lounge. This private poolside escape is just exactly where some of the hottest and most exclusive LA pool parties take place. The famous poolside Tropicana Bar is surrounded by flowing palms and chic while chaise lounge chairs. By day or night, Tropicana at the Roosevelt is just waiting to be transformed into an inhibition-free party zone. For up-to-date details, please visit hollywoodroosevelt.com.
Discover the latest updates on pool parties and more on our San Diego Events Calendar.
Mentally Prepare Yourself: View our gallery of hot San Diego pool party photos.
Photo Credit: Main image from WetRepublic.com.
