What do you bring to a Las Vegas pool party, and where do you put it?

The short packing list

• Physical ID. Non negotiable, and it is going to get wet at some point, so put it somewhere sealed.
• One card and a little cash. Cash is useful for tipping attendants and for a locker.
• Phone. In a waterproof pouch if you have one.
• Sunscreen. Apply before you leave the room. It costs several times more inside.
• Sunglasses and a hat. Both entirely welcome at a dayclub, unlike a nightclub.
• A coverup or a shirt. For the walk through the casino, which every resort requires.

That is genuinely it. Everything else is a thing you will carry, worry about and eventually lose.

What gets confiscated

Dayclub security is strict about contents even when it is relaxed about bag size, because a pool deck full of glass is a serious problem.

• Outside alcohol. Including in a water bottle. They check.
• Glass of any kind. Perfume bottles included.
• Coolers and large bags.
• Weapons, including small knives on keyrings.
• Professional cameras, drones and selfie sticks at most venues.
• Outside food at most venues.

An empty reusable water bottle is often allowed and is worth bringing, because hydration in 105 degree heat is a real safety issue and inside water is expensive. Ask at the door rather than assuming.

Towels, chairs and the things people assume are included

Most Strip dayclubs provide towels to guests, and many run a towel station rather than handing them out at the door. Loungers are first come, first served with general admission, and on a Saturday at a top pool they are gone well before noon. That is the actual argument for arriving early, more than the guest list cutoff: seating.

Where to put your things

1. Lockers. Several Strip dayclubs rent lockers for a fee. This is the correct answer for a general admission group who wants to be in the water. Bring cash.
2. A daybed or cabana. Your things stay with your table, in your space, watched by your server. This is a quiet but genuine argument for booking one that never shows up in a price comparison.
3. The hotel room. If you are staying at the property, the best storage is upstairs. Take what fits in a small bag and go back for the rest.

What does not work: leaving a phone and a wallet on a lounger while everyone swims. Pool decks are crowded, transient spaces and things disappear.

Daybed, cabana or bungalow

The three tiers, in plain terms:

• Daybed. A raised bed for roughly four to six people, usually in or near the action, no shade structure or minimal shade. The best value seated option at a Las Vegas pool, often starting around 750 to 1,500 depending on venue and day.
• Cabana. An enclosed structure with real shade, seating, a television at many venues, and sometimes a fridge. Higher minimum, worth it in peak summer.
• Bungalow or suite. The top tier at the bigger pools. Private plunge pool at several venues, the best sightlines, and minimums that climb quickly.

In July and August, shade is not a luxury. If your group is going to be there from noon to six, a cabana is a different day from a daybed, and it is worth the difference.

The dress code question

Swimwear is the dress code, and it is enforced in the other direction: most Strip dayclubs do not allow street clothes on the deck, and several do not allow thong style swimwear or full nudity. Men wearing a t shirt and shorts and no swimwear will be asked about it. Bring the swimsuit.

Tell a host how many of you there are, which day and whether shade matters, and we will price daybeds and cabanas across a few venues so you can compare rather than guessing from a website.