6 Bay Area Pools to Try When You Desperately Need a Day in the Sun

San Francisco isn’t the type of environment that lends itself to regular pool days, thanks to the year-round cool climate, but there are plenty of gems within a two-hour drive of the city where you can spend an afternoon lounging and splashing in the sun. From Berkeley to Calistoga and beyond, here are six options where day pass or a spa session will qualify you for a Vitamin D-filled day. Ready to book? Click on a photo to be whisked away to the venue’s (or pass provider’s) website.

Francis Ford Coppola Winery Pool

If sipping wine by a family-friendly pool sounds like your idea of heaven, book yourself a cabine at the Coppola Winery Pool. Cabines ($185 weekdays, $210 Friday-Sunday, and $235 on holidays) come equipped with a private shower, four towels for day use, one Sofia Mini per adult, a deck of Francis Ford Coppola Winery playing cards, and a copy of the award-winning Zoetrope: All-Story magazine. Cabines must be reserved in advance, and weekend reservations tend to fill quickly. Weekday reservations are a little easier to score, if you’re willing to play hooky from work. (Pro-tip: don’t forget to check back frequently for cancellations.) There are no individual pass reservations, but you can purchase a same-day pass at receptions (depending on availability) for $40-$45.

300 Via Archimedes, Geyserville,

Meritage Resort and Spa

For a no-kids allowed scene, try the pool at the Meritage Resort and Spa in Napa. Day passes through ResortPass ($30 weekdays, $65 Friday-Sunday) include access to a heated pool and hot tub, bocce ball, Wi-Fi, and poolside food and beverage service. For $250 ($325 Friday-Sunday), you can get a couple’s cabana which includes a fruit plate and a bottle of sparkling wine.

875 Bordeaux Way, Napa

The Lodge at Sonoma Renaissance Resort and Spa

Another 18+ option, the Lodge at Sonoma is the most budget-friendly option on this list. Day passes are through ResortPass are $20 on weekdays and $25 on Saturday and Sundays. Day pass access includes the heated resort pool and whirlpool and poolside food and drink service. For an extra $25, you can get a spa pass, which lets you use the steam room and showers, and saves you 10 percent on spa services.

1325 Broadway at Leveroni and Napa Roads, Sonoma

Claremont Club and Spa

For a retro-chic day in nearby Berkeley, try the iconic Claremont Club and Spa. (The hotel has been welcoming guests for more than 100 years.) The hotel doesn’t offer a pool pass-only option, but spa clients are welcome to use the pool facilities before or after a service. Our rec? Go for the full treat yourself experience: start the day poolside and finish in the spa.

41 Tunnel Road, Berkeley

Indian Springs Calistoga

For a dose of geo-science with your day in the sun, venture out to Indian Springs Calistoga, where the thermal pools are heated to 92-102 by geysers. Pool access is restricted to hotel guests and spa clients who book a 50-minute service. (Pool passes for spa guests are $25.) For the perfect day of indulgence, start with the pool (available to spa guests from 10 am-6 pm) and finish with the Ritual of the Indian Springs Mud Bath ($95). The last spa treatments of the day start at 7 pm.

1712 Lincoln Avenue, Calistoga

Vichy Springs

In Ukiah, Vichy Springs offers two day pass options for sunbathers who aren’t spending the night at the hotel: a $35 pass for two hours, or a $75 day pass. Day use includes access to the "champagne" Vichy Mineral Baths, Olympic size swimming pool (in season), hot pool and 700 acres of walking and hiking trails. Picnic tables are available throughout the grounds as well.

2605 Vichy Springs Road, Ukiah