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Dallas' swankiest hotel pool makes splash as TikTok's 3rd most popular U.S. swim spot

There’s no better cure for the unbearable summer heat than a dip into the chilly waters of some of Dallas' best pools. And you can’t forget to snap a cute photo for your TikTok and Instagram feeds. The place to be this summer? The pool at The Joule.

The distinctive cantilevered pool, which sits on the 10th-floor of the hotel overlooking downtown Dallas, is the third most popular U.S. pool on TikTok, according to a new report.

The study by BonusFinder.com analyzed data from TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube to find the most mentioned, photographed, and viewed pools from around America. The Joule finished 14th in the overall rankings for "most picturesque U.S. pool," which included pools from across the country, earning a score of 8.82 out of 10.

But it came in third among TikTok users alone, garnering over 122 million views.

First place went to Mirage Pool at the Mirage, Las Vegas (over 754 million TikTok views), and second place went to the historic Neptune Pool at the Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California (over 350 million TikTok views). Right behind the Joule, two Vegas pools, The Backyard at the Red Rock Casino and the pool at Resorts World, rounded out TikTok's top 5.

"The Joule's unique 8-foot cantilevered pool provides guests the sensation of swimming out beyond the hotel's edge - equally voyeuristic for those swimming or those standing on the street below," touts the Joule's website. "With 360 degree views of historic Downtown Dallas, The Joule gives 'hanging out by the pool' a whole new meaning."

Lucky for Dallasites, you don't have to be a hotel guest to visit the pool. Limited day passes can be booked, Sundays through Thursdays.

When it comes to over rankings for "most picturesque," a popular Austin swimming hole made a splash. Austin's Barton Springs was named fourth most picturesque overall, and was actually the most Instagrammed pool in the U.S., the study says.

The study revealed that videos of Barton Springs had been viewed over 28.5 million times on TikTok and hashtagged over 15,000 times on Instagram.

In total, Las Vegas hosts six of the top 10 most photogenic pools on BonusFinder’s list. Mandalay Bay Beach and The Mirage in Las Vegas were deemed the No. 1 and No. 2 most photogenic pools, and just above Barton Springs in the third place rank was The Neptune Pool at Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California. Other pools on the list were found in Glenwood Springs, Colorado (No. 6) and Atlantic City, New Jersey (No. 10).

The top 10 most photogenic pools in the United States are:

No. 1 – Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas
No. 2 – The Mirage in Las Vegas
No. 3 – The Neptune Pool at Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California
No. 4 – Barton Springs in Austin
No. 5 – The Tank at Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas
No. 6 – Glenwood Hot Springs in Glenwood Springs, Colorado
No. 7 – The Backyard at Red Rock Casino in Las Vegas
No. 8 – Stadium Swim at Circa Resort and Casino in Las Vegas
No. 9 – Encore Beach Club at Wynn Las Vegas
No. 10 – The Water Club at Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa in Atlantic City, New Jersey

One other Texas pool earned ranks outside the top 10: the Marriott Marquis Houston (No. 18).

Fintan Costello, the managing director at BonusFinder.com, said Americans are “turning their attention to where they can kick back and enjoy catching some rays by the poolside” with their spring break and upcoming summer holidays.

“Luckily, the study shows that the U.S. is blessed with some of the best and most picturesque pools in the world and there are plenty of idyllic escapes that can be found across America, without ever having to leave the country,” he explained in a statement.

The full study can be found on bonusfinder.com.

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Stephanie Allmon Merry contributed to this report.

Photo by Tomek Baginski on Unsplash

The study revealed that videos of Barton Springs had been viewed over 28.5 million times on TikTok and hashtagged over 15,000 times on Instagram.

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Shopping for a cause

Dallas nonprofit Bonton Farms spreads its wings with 2 DFW Airport stores

DFW Airport

Bonton Farms stand at DFW Airport

South Dallas nonprofit Bonton Farms is going international without straying too far from home. The organization is debuting two storefronts at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport: one that just opened and another coming this fall.

The larger Bonton Farms marketplace, a 2,895-square-foot space in Terminal A, quietly opened in mid-August.

A second, smaller 551-square-foot newsstand near the A-Pier will open in October, when the airport's A-Pier expansion is scheduled to open, a spokesperson says. (Exact date is still TBA.)

The shops are called, simply, "Bonton Farms" and are operated by Marshall Retail Group, a subsidiary of WHSmith North America, which is partnering with Bonton Farms on the airport concept.

According to a release, both stores will sell Bonton Farms products such as locally made honey, handmade jam, and goat-milk soap, along with apparel, merchandise, and products made by "Bontonpreneurs," the local entrepreneurs supported through the nonprofit's business-development programs.

Bonton Farms' goods are now sold at DFW Airport Terminal A. Photo courtesy of Bonton Farms

The stores will also offer fresh grab-and-go food, including sandwiches, wraps, salads and sweet treats, as well as travel essentials and souvenirs and gifts.

The airport project was first announced in 2024 as a partnership between Bonton Farms, WHSmith, and DFW Airport. The plan called for Bonton Farms products to be sold alongside goods from other North Texas businesses, including Fort Worth's Sons Coffee, Lettuce Cook, and Pearl Honey Spreads.

Bonton Farms began in the Bonton neighborhood with a small beekeeping operation and has grown into a nonprofit farm, market and community hub. Its operations now include two farm sites, a coffeehouse, farmers market, preservatory and farm-to-table Market/Café, along with programs focused on workforce development, education, health and wellness, economic opportunity and access to fresh food.

"This opening represents an exciting milestone for Bonton Farms and the community we serve," says Mark Jones, President & CEO of Bonton Farms, in the release. "For the first time, our products and our story will reach travelers from around the world. Through this partnership with WHSmith North America, we're creating new opportunities to share the mission of Bonton Farms while generating additional support for programs that help our neighbors thrive."

The airport shops are designed to introduce Bonton Farms to travelers who may not otherwise encounter the organization or its products.

"This store isn't just retail space, it's a front door to our mission," says Kendra Charisse Smith, Director of Operations at Bonton Farms, who oversaw execution of the partnership. "From sourcing and packaging our products to meet the demands of a whole new scale of distribution, every step was about making sure Bonton Farms shows up authentically in one of the busiest airports in the world. This launch reflects the same care and intentionality we put into everything we do in South Dallas.”

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