The whole daylife explosion over the past half-decade means that these days, the pools pull names just as big as the clubs do, and often a resident star DJ will play at a different pool during the day, then hit his club at night. It’s like a game of musical turntables out there and some scenes get really wild.
So if that’s what you’re not looking for, here are a few alternatives.
Bare Pool Lounge at the Mirage is topless (although none of the topless pools we’ve been to feature much toplessness) and usually includes a broad span of ages (20s through 50s) having fun, chilling out, and enjoying cocktails and music, but not getting stupid. You didn’t have to shout to converse with your neighbor, but the cocktails flow and people are there to have fun, as opposed to curling up with a magazine or catching a nap, shall we say.
Cosmopolitan's Boulevard Pool is usually a good choice, as the second of Cosmo's three pools, Marquee Dayclub, is the party pool. The Boulevard Pool is big, has a great view of the Strip, cabanas, lounge chairs, ping pong, and foosball, as well as three bars and a full menu at Overlook Grill. (It also transforms into a concert venue at night and an ice-skating rink in November and December.)
Similarly, Mandalay Bay's Beach is famous for its white sand and wave machines, and it’s definitely an awesome pool if you’re looking for water activities. There’s a poolside casino, plus the option of retreating, for a hefty fee, to the more refined atmosphere of Moorea Beach Club (topless).
Bally’s Blu Pool is open to the public (for a $10 cover). It boasts the deepest (12 feet) deep end in town, is adjacent to the race and sports book, and has DJs, but the ambience is more about swimming and relaxing than partying.
Caesars Palace has a massive pool complex that literally features something for everyone, from swim-up blackjack and DJs to adult-only chill zones, plus it’s home to Las Vegas first-ever topless pool (the Venus Pool, run by Pure nightclub). We figure you’re bound to find something that suits your mood at the Garden of the Gods (note that Venus Pool may have a separate cover charge, since it’s operated by an outside third party).
Lastly, if you’re downtown, you can’t go wrong at the Tank at the Golden Nugget, another something-for-everyone pools, including an aquarium and shark tank (that you can slide through the middle of), poolside gaming, a small discreet topless area, lots of lounging opportunities, and an adult-only pool -- The Hideout -- on the third-level upper deck. The Tank is almost always open to non-guests, albeit for a fee (usually $20).