DAY DRINKING AT HOTEL POOLS

I’m not saying you have to drink explicitly at a hotel pool, btw. There are any number of bars to spend your Friday at. I’m just saying if you want to crank things up a bit while still being able to sit on a couch waiting for the Friday stragglers to arrive, this is a prime option. 

Before the trip, you managed to snag a day pass and a cabana from The W’s Wet Deck to down overpriced margs and beach drinks. You’re cool with it now because the entire breakfast taco order fed 7 guys and cost $21 total. 

Inevitably you’ll run into other groups here that make for a fun afternoon. Namely bachelorette parties. Looks like your day just got expensive again. 

A few hours in the sun and the group text starts lighting up with “just landed” and “what’s the move”. You leave the Ray-Bans on the cabana couch and shoot an unresponded-to “great to meet you! We’ll let you know where we go after dinner” text to the one girl in the party that gave you her number. Pack up to head to the house, compadre. The group is about to be full strength...

++: Day passes at these hotels are really your best friend here and usually are pretty easy to come by. They’ll get you access to the pool and more specifically the pool bar. Mix in a cabana if you’re feeling like it. Other solid options here are The Fairmont (Rules & Regs), Austin Marriott Downtown (Zanzibar), and The Kimpton Van Zandt (Geraldine’s & Pool Deck).