You have two choices for picking the right pool for your Palm Springs party: 1) going to a hotel, hearing their music, and eating from their menu, or 2) renting an Air BNB or VRBO and planning your own private pool party. If the first option sounds like what you had in mind, check out my post “5 Most Relaxing Palm Springs Pools.” This blog post focuses on planning your own private Palm Springs pool party.

Here are a few articles recommending some fabulous Palm Springs Air BNBs to help get your pool party venue locked in:

Did you know you can rent Frank Sinatra’s “Twin Palms” estate? It’s just a block away from the main drag (Hwy 111 or “Palm Canyon Drive”), has an amazing pool WITH pool house, is tucked right behind the mountains, and Frank’s piano is in the living room and can be set to “auto play” all the rat pack tunes! Twin Palms is not available on Air BNB or VRBO…learn how to book on their website.

The Palm Springs vibe is very retro, 60s modernism, palm trees, tropical, vintage, tiki, and art deco. Palm Springs is also definitely associated with its famous residents: Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, Bob Hope, Dean Martin, Dinah Shore (her home is now owned by Leo DiCaprio), Barry Manilow, and Liberace. The “Palm Springs color scheme” is pink and soft blue—not southwest-y or desert-y so much. Think 60s retro patterns, pink flamingos, green palm leaves, and classic Cadillacs. Remember to throw “-chella” after the name of your event or theme (like “Staci-chella” or “bachelorette-chella”)!

Here is a “Palm Springs party theme” decor set from Amazon, and here are some of my favorite Palm Springs pool party decor ideas:

You definitely need a life-size cardboard cut out of Marilyn or Elvis for some fun Instagram shots at your party!

If your Palm Springs pool party is a bachelorette, consider one of these banners!

The menu in Palm Springs really varies—there really isn’t one particular type of fare that “fits” the vibe. Many of Palm Springs’ signature restaurants incorporate the local “flavor” with decor and music (i.e. atmosphere) more than what’s on the plate. You can definitely find plenty of “All-American” food in Palm Springs, which is certainly in line with the 1960s motif (burgers, fries, grilled cheese). Nevertheless, tropical dishes (lots of fruit, fresh stuff, greens) are also a good fit. Many of the boutique hotel pools around town serve Mediterranean/Greek foods, which are light, fresh, and do “feel” appropriate.

If your Palm Springs party starts at 11am or noon, serve lunch. If it starts at 1:00pm or 2:00pm, snacks or charcuterie food stations are fine. Your guests might crave a light meal around 4:00pm—take the party out to downtown Palm Springs or refresh your food stations at that time. If it starts between 3:00pm-5:00pm, serve a dinner or heavier food stations (think pasta bar instead of cheese and crackers).

You can have a local restaurant deliver to your pool, hire a caterer or chef, or DIY with some Costco fruit plates and fancy Trader Joe’s chips and dips. I personally think Tropicale and Lulu’s exude the most Palm Springs energy! Here are some Palm Springs restaurant favorites to try:

These Palm Springs restaurant recommendations feel like they were written by a local!

Kelly Go Lightly is my favorite Palm Springs style guide and blogger—these are her top restaurant picks!

In Palm Springs, Birba is my go-to restaurant. They have a killer open-air brunch vibe (I’ve DJed soul/disco/motown tunes at Birba brunch before), and it can get lively in there. They shut down in the afternoon and re-open as a swanky Italian bistro in the evening. Check out their cool murals painted by the guy who does the animation for “Bob’s Burgers” (Jay Howell). Note Birba does close every year during the summer months.

How luxurious would it be to offer your Palm Springs pool party guests pedicures while they lounge by the pool? What about chair massage? Facials? A tarot reader? I’ve also DJed pool parties where they brought in a yoga instructor and kicked off the event with some stretching and mindfulness. Palm Springs is an LGBTQ+ hub and you’ll see the rainbows and pride throughout town—this means some of the very best drag shows! You can hire all of these party pros (yep, even drag queens) on Thumbtack or Bark.

If you want to pamper guests with Palm Springs-inspired swag bags, you can include snacks, a mud mask, earrings or a bracelet, anything shown below, or support a local business and grab some gifts from Just Fabulous Palm Springs (order online or visit their store on the main drag—515 N Palm Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92262):

These customizable Palm Springs tumblers are a great addition to your swag bags.

Give your guests these cute & functional palm tree bucket hats.

When it comes to the perfect soundscape for your pool party in Palm Springs, you have a few options. You can hire a DJ like me, of course!!! I love spinning at pool parties—they are my favorite. Check out my Official Palm Springs Playlist, which was curated specifically to be listened to at the pool.

Everyone in Palm Springs loves the local radio station KGAY. They play a huge variety of LGBTQ+ faves from disco to current hits to diva jams. The energy on KGAY is upbeat though, so if you want a deep house/massage music vibe, that won’t be a fit. (You can livestream KGAY from anywhere to scope it out in advance and see what you think.)

To curate your own Palm Springs playlist, the music scene here is very much house music over hip hop. Think bassanova, tropical house, chill/deep house, and “vintage” tunes like disco, new wave, funk, and soul. I personally love a 60s soundtrack for any Palm Springs party, and you definitely can’t go wrong with the rat pack (original cuts or fresh remixes).

The martini has to be the official drink of Palm Springs (although the “date shake” could give it a run for its money), but if that doesn’t feel very “poolside” to you, a signature cocktail or margarita will do. Ditch the plastic bucket, soda cans, and gas station bag of ice at your pool party…instead pick a signature drink (or 3!) to make available throughout the day. This is definitely more elegant, but it’s also just easier to brew up a big batch of your concoction before the party and be done with it. You can serve your pre-made signature drink in pitchers or already pre-poured into umbrella-adorned cups (in the poolside mini fridge or floating cooler).

Here are a few adult beverages perfect for a Palm Springs pool party:

Palm Springs Cocktail from Ambitious Kitchen.

Another take on the Palm Springs cocktail from Difford’s Guide.

What is a Palm Springs pool party without boozy popsicles? Beach Town Pops Catering offers alcoholic popsicle flavors like mojito, tequila sunset, strawberry margarita, and pina colada. Having other beat-the-heat faves like ice cream sandwiches, frozen lemonade, and otter pops on hand is also “cool.” Here is what gourmet popsicle catering could look like at your Palm Springs pool party:

Customize your popsicle packaging (the wrapper & the stick).

Don’t forget the popsicle cart.

Palm Springs can reach 100 degrees any time from April-October. In the summer months, it’s likely to hit 100 degrees before lunch. To keep guests comfortable at your pool party, have a “comfort station” with sunscreen, bug spray, tampons, aspirin, after-sun lotion (aloe vera with lidocaine). Plug in a few big floor fans or box fans around the pool. Make sure there is shade (an awning from the house, umbrellas, trees, etc).

I also highly recommend having chilled towels on hand! Before your party, lightly moisten some hand towels, roll them up, and stick them in the freezer at your rental house. Either pass the chilled towels out to guests around 3pm when the temperature is at its hottest or just let your guests know they can grab a chilled towel any time. And, yes, Martha Stewart says a pool party host is responsible for everything…so don’t assume guests have their own towels!

So many Palm Springs pool parties that I DJ do not fully appreciate the importance of shade. Most pools are totally out in the full sun. The white cement or wooden decking surrounding a pool can scorch your feet just sitting there baking in the 100 degree rays all day. People generally don’t want shade trees near their pools because the trees are constantly dropping leaves and bark into the water (especially in the infamous Coachella Valley wind).

This is another thing frequently over-looked at Palm Springs pool parties…do the lounge chairs have cushions on them? If the pool lounge chairs are not comfortable (and there is no shade), you may find your guests migrating indoors.

If your Palm Springs pool party is scheduled for June, July, or August, consider having it at night or in the evening instead of the more traditional mid-day time slot. Add some string lights and floating LEDs to your decor, and it’s a very sexy vibe!

The Ritz-Carlton puts cucumber slices on their chilled towels!

Sample “comfort station” or “relief station” for guests.

Don’t forget to plan some pool fun at your party! Obviously, having some pool floaties is a must. Floating beer pong, another fun one, can also be done on a surf board (which is longer than the floating beer pong set below, so a bit more challenging). Pool volleyball is also popular. There are also inflatable volleyball pool sets, but those do blow around in the Palm Springs wind—this sturdier one from Lowe’s (below) can be tied down better, if needed. Finally, making waterproof phone cases available to guests will no doubt mean some epic underwater photos of your Palm Springs pool party!

A waterproof phone case is a great Palm Springs pool party swag bag add!

Get this floating volleyball set at Lowe’s.

If you’re planning on bringing in a photographer to capture your Palm Springs pool party, wearing a 60s retro swimsuit could be lots of fun. You could even make your party have a “cosplay” element by telling the guests to dress in vintage swimwear! The best place to get a retro bathing suit is Retro-Stage.com. Check out some of their very cute (and affordable) bikinis and one-pieces:

Floral halter lace-up vintage bikini from Retro Stage.

Green Stripe Geometric Belted Swimsuit from Retro Stage.

A few other pool party ideas for Palm Springs include renting an inflatable projector screen from my friend DJ Jeffree of JSM Event Services (see below). You can show a Frank Sinatra or Elvis movie, a fun 60s sitcom like “Bewitched,” or a movie that takes place in Palm Springs. You can also set up a Palm Springs-vibe Instagram station, rent a photo booth, or bring in a professional photographer to take candid shots. Lawn games like bocce ball and croquet are also Palm Springs favorites (and easy to set up) if there is a grassy area near your pool.

It’s a “dive-in” movie!!!

Do you need a live DJ spinning the “Palm Springs soundtrack” when you’re pool-side? Palm Springs DJ Track Star Staci would love to get splashy with you! Check her availability instantly. Hopefully this how to plan a Palm Springs pool party inspo gave you some good ideas! Tell me your favorite Palm Springs pool party ideas in the comments below.