Everything You Need to Know to Go to Splash House 2025

Palm Springs may slow down in the summer thanks to temperatures that regularly hit triple digits, but for two weekends in August, Splash House shifts the desert city into festival mode. Three local hotels transform their pool areas into day clubs, where attendees take a dip, sip chilled cocktails, and dance while electronic music’s hottest DJs spin up a summertime soundtrack—and that’s just the daytime programming.

Palm Springs is an oasis even by Southern California standards, with a laid back, retro charm. Its mid-century architecture, sky-scraping palm trees, and mountain backdrop have long attracted retirees and Hollywood stars alike. Though the city boasts its own vibrant culture, its profile rose significantly with the booming popularity of the Stagecoach and Coachella music festivals, both of which take place in April, before the thermometer starts climbing.

Splash House, however, was built for heat. In 2013, a group of locals determined to bring a music festival to Palm Springs’s off season created the pool-party-meets-music-festival formula by turning one of the city’s biggest assets—an abundance of resort pools—into its core feature. What began as a boutique experiment quickly evolved into a beloved annual tradition, drawing thousands to party under the desert sky.

And when the pools close and stars come out, the party doesn’t stop—it just changes locations. The official afterparty is a late-night rave among vintage aircraft, but you’ll also find plenty to get into back at the hotels themselves, where open room doors throughout the halls tend to be open invitations to vibe and imbibe well into the early hours. You might even stumble upon a DJ playing an impromptu set. It’s a little like freshman year of college, except every night is Thursday night and there’s no 8 a.m. lab the next morning.

Here’s everything else you need to know about Splash House 2025 in Palm Springs.

Splash House returns this year over two weekends: Friday, August 8, through Sunday, August 10, and then Friday, August 15, through Sunday, August 17. Most attendees pick just one weekend to attend, but some ambitious revelers go back-to-back. It all goes down in Palm Springs, approximately two hours from Los Angeles and two and a half hours from San Diego—but that’s on a good traffic day, so leave early if you can. Unlike traditional festivals, Splash House takes place across three boutique hotels, all within a five-mile stretch: the Riviera, the Renaissance, and the Saguaro.

Each of these venues has its own vibe but you’ll find the essentials at all of them: a poolside DJ booth, space for a dance floor (which will quickly expand into anywhere with standing room), and plenty to eat and drink. The weekend kicks off on Friday night with After Hours, while the festival itself runs from noon to sundown (sometime between 8:30–9:30 p.m.) on Saturday and Sunday.

Yes. Splash House is strictly a 21-and-over event, and you’ll need a valid government-issued ID to pick up your wristband, enter all venues, and drink at the poolside bars.

Earlybird tickets for Splash House are available on the official ticketing website. A GA pool pass, which grants you admission to one weekend of the festival (including entry to all three host hotels and shuttle access), starts at $210. A Combo GA Pass, starting at $265, adds admission to that weekend’s After Hours events. A Season Pass, beginning at $430, covers admission to both weekends and After Hours shows. VIP options—which include After Hours perks such as a private bar, air-conditioned restrooms, seating, and a reserved stage-viewing space—are also available starting at $335 for a Combo Pass and $540 for a Season Pass.

After Hours tickets can be bought separately starting at $90 for GA and $150 for VIP. Other add-ons include poolside tables and cabanas, which range from $175–$340 plus a reservation fee.

Splash House’s booking record has been consistently solid enough that repeat attendees buy tickets on trust alone—well before the weekends’ lineups are announced—and also because, really, it’s just as much about the vibe as it is the music. That said, the music is fantastic.

Tech-house artists ACRAZE, San Pacho, and Westend lead the first weekend’s lineup along with feelgood house purveyor Disco Lines, techno heavyweight Eli Brown, and Aussie producer Hayden James, whose melodic dance-pop embodies SoCal’s balmy climes. The rest of the bill is just as diverse, from Atrip’s high-energy UK rave and Swimming Paul’s emotional electronica to Nostalgix’s heavy basslines and Bolo’s Latin-infused house.

Weekend two continues to bring the heat with headliners including techno vet Boys Noize, synth-pop funksters Neil Frances, and house heavyweight Noizu. The lineup is tech-house-heavy with names like Max Styler, Jackie Hollander, AYYBO, Dark Heart, and more in the mix; but throw in some UK dance (Taiki Nulight), leftfield house (Claude VonStroke), and more laidback beats (Emmitt Fenn, nimino), and you’re set.

If you’re on the fence about attending both weekends, this might convince you: This year, each weekend’s lineup is completely different from the other, so while the host venues remain the same, it’s almost like you’re going to two different festivals.

Since Splash House takes place at hotels, finding a place to stay is relatively easy. Many attendees book a room at one of the three host venues where being just a few minutes’ walk from the party offers benefits you won’t get at most festivals—namely, a home base where you can eat, drink, use the washroom, or take a disco nap between sets, all at your own leisure. Those hotels are:

Splash House offers a number of host hotel packages which, as of press time, start at $1,197 for a standard room and climb from there. They include a three-night stay from Friday through Monday and multiple GA passes (depending on group size). Many are already sold out.

For off-site options, your best bet is to find a hotel close to any of the three festival sites. Spots such as Courtyard Palm Springs, Hilton Palm Springs, and Hotel Zoso are all within walking distance (10-15 minutes) of Renaissance. Meanwhile, L3 Oasis Hotel and Infusion Beach Club are a five to 10 minute walk from Riviera. Splash House offers similar hotel packages for all of the aforementioned places starting at $949, though some offer only two-night stays instead of three. Next to Saguaro, but not included in any packages, are La Maison and Dive.

Splash House makes moving among hotels a breeze thanks to a free shuttle system available to all wristband holders. These shuttles run consistently from noon until sundown, helping partiers preserve their precious energy for dancing, swimming, and swimming while dancing. Shuttle lines can get long in the later hours, so some attendees opt to use Uber or Lyft rather than wait, but if you do, keep surge prices in mind. If you’re set on seeing a certain headliner, plan on getting to their spot an hour or two before they go on.

Staying protected and hydrated is non-negotiable in this heat: Temperatures are predicted to be as high as 108 degrees. Pack sunscreen, a refillable plastic water bottle, and a pair (maybe two) of sunglasses and flip-flops. If you’re planning on getting in the pool, it’d be wise to also bring a towel you could pick out of a lineup (so you don’t lose it) and a clear, waterproof bag for essentials like your phone, wallet, ID (which you’ll need on you at all times), and credit card, as Splash House is a cashless event. Lockers will also be available for rent. Some attendees bring inflatable floaties, provided they’re within the 4’x4’ size limit. Also, a simple set of earplugs is recommended to protect your hearing (and keep the water out) without killing the vibe.

Swimwear is the perfect intersection of fashion and function. Coordinate your suit with something like a stylish yet breathable tank top, cowboy or bucket hat, wrap skirt, or denim shorts, and you’re good to go. As far as footwear, whether you’re rocking sandals or sneakers, make sure they’re comfortable and have enough traction to withstand slippery pool decks. While daytime calls for minimal layers, a light jacket can be handy if desert winds pick up after sunset. Speaking of which…

After Hours, Splash House’s late-night programming, takes place at the Palm Springs Air Museum. The museum’s tarmac becomes a massive outdoor dance floor complete with lights, lasers, and vintage aircraft. Expect the DJs to push their sounds deeper and harder than they would during the day. The tag team of Diplo and Blond:ish kicks off the first weekend with Azzecca and Waxtroda (Wax Motif and Matroda), while UK dance favorites Disclosure and Cloonee hit the decks for weekend two.

After Hours runs from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday night, and from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Saturday night. Entrance requires a separate ticket from the daytime pool parties (unless you bought a combo or season pass), but shuttle transportation to and from the host hotels is included.

Splash House offers a number of on-site dining options among its host venues, such as Riviera’s Palmetto Cafe, Saguaro’s El Jefe Desert Cantina, and Renaissance’s Rocks. If you’re feeling peckish on the dance floor but don’t want to leave the party, all three hotels have a poolside bar for ordering quick eats like burgers, nachos, and sandwiches. Drinks like margaritas, mojitos, beer, and wine will probably cost between $10 and $20.

If you want to venture off-site for a meal, grab New York-style sandwiches at Sherman’s Deli & Bakery, get lost in the gorgeous ambience of upscale American restaurant Bar Cecil, or enjoy Italian al fresco at Birba. For some of these, making a reservation will save you waiting time. Sometimes, though, you just want to stuff your face in the privacy of your hotel room. It’s not uncommon to have outside food delivered, but you’ll also want to load up on snacks and drinks for the inevitable late-night munchies when everything is closed.

If you want to make a ritual out of the weekend, diners like the Southern France-inspired FARM and Wilma & Frieda, which serves comfort food “with a twist,” are hot spots for a Friday pre-Splash breakfast or Monday hangover recovery.

Beyond the music programming, Splash House offers extracurricular activities to help you make the most of your weekend. If you’re lucky enough to snag a pool-facing room at a host hotel, you and your roommates can enter the annual balcony-decorating contest for prizes. If wellness is your jam, balance your chi at a morning yoga sound bath on the hotel pool decks. Splash House also offers official field trips as add-ons, with activities in past years including drag brunches, music production lessons, and tequila and wine tastings.

Drink a lot of water and pace yourself: The combination of heat, dancing, and alcohol can catch up faster than you think.

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