Part of the resort and club’s $200 million renovation, Harborside Pool Club is a luxurious outdoor oasis set among tropical palms and an atmosphere of subtle elegance. As its name implies, the pool club is home to three pools, a 450-foot lazy river and water slides, plus a Pool Bar serving cocktails and healthy bites. But what makes the Pool Club special is The Boca Raton’s signature stamp on a fun, easy and elevated experience. Luxury cabanas await with personalized butler service, an adults-only pool is situated at a distance from the family area, and an air of sophistication wafts through the entire space. Intent upon servicing every type of vacationer and Club member—from multigenerational trips to romantic, adults-oriented reprieves—Harborside Pool Club takes water-related diversions to a new level.
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Experience Harborside
Harborside Pool Club is a new luxury water experience for all ages – complete with lazy river.
It had to have been the ninth time around the lazy river. Or was it the fifth time spraying their grandpa with the water cannons found on the pirate ship S.S. Johnnie Brown? (In my 3-year-old son’s defense, grandpa was an easy target.) Either way, I started losing track of when the kids’ laughter reached their highest decibel, and just began enjoying the unending moments of joyful merriment at Harborside Pool Club.
Overlooking Lake Boca Raton, Harborside Pool Club is best experienced through the eyes of ageless adventure seekers. In my case, through my 5-year-old daughter, her 3-year-old brother and their forever-young grandpa, a former triathlete who can still do laps around us in the pool. After checking into our private cabana in the family area, our first stop was the replica pirate ship called the S.S. Johnnie Brown. The zero-depth entry provided ease and comfort for all guests, including an unsuspecting grandma who ended up getting gently sprayed by a water cannon from my daughter—friendly fire, as it’s called in these parts. After the grandparents took refuge at the nearby bench, the kids took it as a sign that an all-out siege had been green-lighted against, well, me. “Watch out below,” they yelled. After the rather lopsided battle ended, the kids found themselves on S.S. Johnnie Brown’s age-appropriate water slides for the toddlers and pre-schoolers, happily sliding down after being given the ultimatum of walking the plank or else. Perhaps the most epic kids-centric amenities at Harborside Pool Club are the two three-story water slides.
My kids, too young and short to careen down the tall slides, watched in awe as the big kids (and some adults) took their turns on the supervised slides. If I’m being honest, so did I. After all, we never grow tired of adventure, do we?
What made our stay extra-special was the option to book a family cabana. It provided a necessary shaded and ventilated space to relax in between activities. Large enough to house a party of five (with room to spare), the private cabanas overlook the family pool at an elevated height. Inside the open-air space was plush seating (including two chaise lounges), a flat-screen TV, complimentary waters and soft drinks in a mini-fridge, and an open invitation to relax in a quiet outdoor corner. A private butler was our attendant for the entire day for everything we needed, from extra towels to hand-delivered food service (Pro tip: Order the tacos. You won’t be disappointed in how light yet flavorful they are).
She even inquired if she could connect us to a family in the adjacent cabana, who it turned out had several common interests with us. No trip to Harborside Pool Club would be complete without floating along the 450-foot lazy river. The option of inflatable tubes added an easy mode of transportation, especially as I lost count of our travels, closed my eyes and floated on round-who knows-what.
If Harborside Pool Club sounds like an incredible space thus far, just wait. Later this year, it will become even more robust. An expansion plan includes a FlowRider surf wave simulator, a teen lounge with mocktails and more, retail experiences and new waterfront dining. I can only imagine how excited my kids will be to experience the next phase.
BANYAN BUNCH CHILDREN'S PROGRAM It’s hard to discern who the Banyan Bunch children’s programming benefits more: the kids or the parents. Considered one of the must-do family amenities at Harborside Pool Club, Banyan Bunch is a year-round daily drop-off kids program that’s known for its fun, dynamic and enriching experiences for kids from ages 4 to 12.
The 2,300-square-foot kids’ club (right) is home to an indoor play space (with an artificial treehouse in the center of the room), plus an outdoor pirates-themed playground that’s complete with a splash pad and replica pirate ship. Banyan Bunch is a dedicated service with high-level programming designed to enrich children’s lives during their stays.
The schedule of activities includes a rotation of fun and educational youth-specific programming such as yoga, art, physical exercise, scavenger hunts, and nature walks. With a no-electronics policy, Banyan Bunch brings a renewed focus on peer-to-peer activities.
In addition to the daily drop-off option, this summer, Banyan Bunch is adding a robust slate of programming to its summer camp with weekly themes and related activities. Available Monday through Friday, families can register kids for weeklong, half-day or full-day sessions. Weekly themes are fun and age-appropriate, and may include a focus on superheroes, under the sea and carnival.
The program is based on four key areas: explore, create, discover and imagine. With “explore,” kids will take advantage of outdoor activities that engage motion, movement and action, such as tennis and golf.
In “create,” a weekly craft or culinary activity with a member of The Boca Raton food and beverage team will allow participants to experience the joy of imagination and production. With “discover,” STEM-related activities will engage kids to think and innovate. And “imagine” will encourage free play.
And that’s not all for the family-oriented summer festivities at Harborside. For the more sports-oriented young teen, there will also be sports camp options with specialized instruction focusing on golf, tennis and beach volleyball. In addition, there will be evening family programs—such as movies by the pool—so families can reconnect after an active, sun-filled day.