Get Your Feet Wet
Newport Beach is known for being a destination that takes full advantage of its pristine waters; from the beach to the harbor and even the immaculate pools from resorts and hotels –days under the sun are better when you’re afloat. With the summer heat in full effect, cooling off at the pool may be in your best interest this summer! Here are four of the finest oases in Newport Beach that are a notch above the rest. (The fine print: make sure to call ahead for reservations. Some locations offer day passes, whilst others require you to be a guest to use the facilities). Let’s dive in!
1. Balboa Bay Resort
Just this month, the resort teamed up with an American lifestyle brand, Lilly Pulitzer, to celebrate the pool’s newly opened Pool Bar. If you opt to spend the day at this chic refuge, you’ll notice the pool cabanas and daybeds are transformed with Lilly Pulitzer’s iconic vibrant aesthetic. For a dose of that colorful Insta-friendly spirit, reserve a day bed or, better yet, a cabana at Balboa Bay Resort. Kick your feet up or get them wet in the pool, either way, you’ll be lounging in style.
2. Lido House Hotel
There’s so much to love about Lido House Hotel’s pool—the location, the ambiance, the warm, saltwater. Also worth noting: if you drop in on Friday, Saturday or Sunday, you might be able to get your hands on a special boozy treat. Throughout the summer, a roving Veuve Clicquot cart will be offering up champagne-infused otter pops for adults wanting to cool down in the sun. Prefer your bubbly in liquid form? Head over to the pool’s new bar, where you can also enjoy some vino, beer or assorted cocktails with all the nibbles you want.
3. Fashion Island Hotel
For movie night, you can either tap into Netflix’s infinite roster of flicks at home or snag a seat at the movie theater or you can pack your donut floaties and … just go to the pool? That’s right. Every Friday night this summer, Fashion Island Hotel will be showing something-for-everyone with flicks like Captain Marvel, Game Night and Pretty Woman. And yes, of course, there will be your typical movie-theater snacks, plus the regular pool menu.
4. The Resort at Pelican Hill
By the numbers, this coliseum-shaped pool is plenty impressive. It’s 136 feet in diameter—making it one of the largest in the world—with a floor made of a million handset, blue mosaic tiles. But it’s only in being there and taking in the views that you get the real measure of its sheer beauty. If you decide to go, swing for one of the pool’s furnished private cabanas, which come equipped with all sorts of amenities you can think of. To add to the bliss of this poolside experience, we recommend ordering a fresh coconut from the bar to sip to your heart’s content.
Written By: Mariam Makatsaria