Best Swim Up Bar Ideas for Your Pool

This backyard has it all and a little something for everyone!

This gorgeous outdoor retreat was built for clients who recently had retired to Arizona from San Francisco. They were ready for good times in the sun and wanted to create the ultimate backyard space with a swim up bar for the whole family to enjoy together. These were clients who knew what they liked, and we worked alongside them to create an at-home recreational space that met all their needs. The end result was a bright, open space full of elegance, fun, and every amenity under the sun.

Poolside Entertaining with Swim Up Bar!

A highlight of this sunny oasis is the sunken, swim up bar leading to a covered ramada. This serves as the central focal point of the space. It creates a welcoming, open feeling—encouraging interaction from wherever you are. Swim up bar to enjoy a drink without leaving the water, or enjoy your front row seat to poolside fun without ever leaving the shade! The seamless connection between spaces makes this a true gem for entertaining. The sunken seating area offers a total escape, with a flat-screen TV wall and a cozy fire pit to make this the ideal spot for evening drinks, chatting with friends, or watching the game.

To finish off this total relaxation station, we added an outdoor bathroom, complete with full sink and shower. This met a unique need for our clients – the layout of their home featured two large, en-suite master bedrooms – and no easily assessable guest bathroom. Adding the outdoor bathroom kept their home dry and the fun outside!

A Deep, Deep End and a Golfing Green

Our clients happened to be quite tall people, who took their swimming seriously. They wanted more than a plunge pool, so we went the distance and made their swimming pool truly cavernous, with extra depth and length for dedicated swimming. We added a flowing waterfall on one end and a bubbling fountain along the side, adding elegance to the views in each direction.

No detail went unnoticed in this project – finishing touches included Art Deco patterned tile to add texture and finesse to the columns supporting the patio. We also used two-toned travertine tiles in the pool itself, giving the steps contrast and drama.

To make this space complete, we added a putting green! This golf-loving family delighted in practicing their game without ever having to leave home.

Challenges Met

This was a large project in every respect—from the sheer volume of the pool to the putting green to the size of the outdoor lounge area. Bringing our materials in presented a unique challenge. Although there was a 12-foot gate off to the side of the house, it sat on a septic system that was not well equipped to handle the weight of truck traffic. Our creative designers tracked down the owners of a vacant lot next door and secured their permission to knock down a side panel, creating an ingress route for our materials. It was a fine example of California Pools & Landscape’s willingness to go to any lengths to get the job done for our clients!