In Las Vegas the pool is as much a part of the resort as the casino floor. Some are quiet gardens, some are full-blown water parks, and one sends you down a slide through a tank of sharks. These are the casino resort pools that float our boat.
Mandalay Bay Beach, Las Vegas Strip
Mandalay Bay's pool complex is the closest thing the desert has to a seaside. Its centrepiece is a wave pool edged with real sand, thousands of tons of it by the resort's own description, alongside a lazy river and several other pools across a multi-acre site. It is the most family-friendly of the Strip's big pool complexes, and it also has an adults-only area. Concerts have been staged on the beach on summer nights.
Garden of the Gods Pool Oasis, Caesars Palace
Caesars Palace took its Roman theme to the water. The Garden of the Gods Pool Oasis is a collection of pools named after Roman deities, including the Temple Pool with its columned rotunda, set among gardens and statues, plus cabanas and an adults-oriented pool. It is one of the most photographed pool areas in Las Vegas, and it sits a short stroll from one of the Strip's largest casino floors.
The Tank, Golden Nugget, downtown Las Vegas
Downtown's Golden Nugget built one of the world's most unusual hotel pools. The Tank surrounds a large aquarium stocked with sharks, rays and tropical fish, and its signature water slide spirals down from a tower and runs through a clear tube inside the tank, so riders shoot past the sharks in a few seconds of pure adrenaline. The Golden Nugget, opened in 1946 on Fremont Street, is one of downtown's oldest casino names, and its casino floor is steps from the pool.
Stadium Swim, Circa
Circa, which opened downtown in 2020, built a pool for sports fans. Stadium Swim is a terraced amphitheatre of pools and hot tubs facing an enormous video screen that shows live games, a short walk from Circa's multi-storey sportsbook. On a Sunday in autumn or during a big summer tournament, it may be the only place in the world where you can watch the game, check your bets and float at the same time. See summer sports betting by the pool.
More pools worth a look
- Flamingo Las Vegas: a pool scene beside the resort's garden habitat with live flamingos; see our flamingo float guide for the history.
- MGM Grand: a large pool complex with a lazy river, plus the Wet Republic dayclub.
- Wynn and Encore: elegant European-style pools by day, and Encore Beach Club for the party crowd.
- Bellagio: Mediterranean-style pools and gardens at the resort famous for its fountains.
Practical tips
- Access: many resort pools are for hotel guests only (bring your room key); some sell day passes, especially midweek.
- Outside floats: often not allowed. Resorts supply or rent loungers and sometimes floats.
- Seasons: some pools close or reduce hours in winter; heated pools may stay open year-round.
- Cabanas: book ahead for holiday weekends; see our lounger guide on the economics of shade.
Pool by day, table by night
The genius of the casino resort pool is the walk from the water to the tables. Many guests split the day: pool in the morning when it is coolest and quietest, a long lunch, then the casino through the hottest hours when air-conditioning feels like a gift. If you want to combine the two literally, read about swim-up blackjack and pool gaming; if you prefer music and crowds, try Las Vegas pool parties and dayclubs; and if you are heading east instead, compare Atlantic City and Macau resort pools.
