Vegas gets in the swim

Chairs: Comfortable and canvas-covered, they go fast early in the day but open up as the day goes on. Try to snag one at the edge of the water.

Best chairs

Garden of the Gods

Caesars Palace

3570 Las Vegas Blvd. South

1-866-227-5938

www.caesarspalace.com

Why it's a winner: With the variety of pools around the five-acre complex - some feature waterfalls, swim-up blackjack, seclusion, or socializing - chairs and chaises are crucial. Many pools are content to offer the standard rubber-strapped lounge chairs that are sticky, hot and uncomfortable, but Caesars provides sturdy metal loungers topped with velvety soft cushions that absorb water and hold their shape. The pretty blue color is classy and striking against the white Roman columns and statues. Spring for a daybed or cabana, and your comfort level will increase exponentially; they're topped with six-inch-thick cushions covered with the same plush fabric.

Hours: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. daily

Entry: Open to the public; Venus, the adult pool, charges $20 for men and $10 for ladies Sunday through Thursday, $10 more on Fridays and Saturdays.

Pool Rules

Entry: Most of the adult pools allow ladies in free, but guys have to pay. So, women - don't get excited when you run into a hot, beefy guy who acts all sweet at one of the all-ages pools and hands over a "get in free" card for one of the adult pools - it's just a gimmick. You'll get in free anyway.

The search: Almost all of the adult pools will search your purses, backpacks, or bags, looking for glass, drugs, alcohol, or weapons. Your best bet is to walk in with nothing but your bathing suit and a small wallet or cash stash and ID, because the searches can take a while. But don't forget that ID, because you are not, under any circumstances, getting in without it.

At some pools, the search approaches body-cavity level - WET Republic sprays, sniffs, and tastes things such as hairspray, pulls out every stick of gum in a pack, and riffles through books and magazines. Rehab will frisk you pretty seriously.

Several of them will make you toss mirrors, because those can be broken and used as weapons.

Chaise lounges: During the week at the adult pools, the lounge chairs are usually available on a first-come, first-served basis. On weekends, you have to spend a minimum on food and beverage, often at least $100 per person, to use them (they come with towels and attentive servers). At $15-$20 per drink and $20-$30 per entree, come hungry and thirsty.

At the all-ages pools, the regular (nonreserved, nonpadded) lounge chairs are first-come, first-served, and often fill up within an hour of opening. You're not supposed to reserve, but everyone does.

Towels: That terrycloth rectangle is a prized possession, and it varies in quality. Some pools are generous, handing them out two at a time, and they don't care whether you come back for more. Some, such as Mandalay Bay, will stingily hand over one thin towel and look at you funny when you come back for another. During our visit, Monte Carlo was quizzing visitors about where they were staying and then handing out only one towel to hotel guests - and none to non-guests.

- Kyle Wagner