6 swimming pools to beat summer heat
Summer inevitably brings hot weather to the Bay Area — last week certainly offered a potent reminder of that. Instead of road-tripping to the beach, stay cool and splash it out at one of the Bay Area’s impressive aquatic complexes. From Morgan Hill to El Cerrito, you’ll find both Olympic-sized lap pools and zero-depth wading areas with everything kids and adults could ask for — slides, geysers, cabanas, even water bikes for around $5 a head. Yes, you can leave the sand toys at home.
1 San Ramon Olympic Pool and Aquatic Center:
A public pool worth the drive? Yes. Even if you don’t live in the East Bay, you should consider making the trip. Your family will thank you. This massive outdoor water complex has a giant splash pad with multiple whimsical shooting water features and an Olympicsized pool with diving boards and a fantastic twisty blue slide, plus a smaller sized pool for tubing and kick-boarding. The shaded areas and covered tables are ideal for picnicking, and there are enough daily recreational swim hours to avoid shoulder-to-shoulder splashing.
DETAILS » $5 daily or $48-$240 for seasonal swim passes; 9900 Broadmoor Drive, San Ramon. See daily schedule.
2 Silliman Family Aquatic Center
Just too hot to be outdoors? Take shelter in this giant, 32,000-squarefoot indoor water park off Highway 880 at Mowry Avenue. It features a combination of large pools, a lazy river, open lap pool, children’s activity pool, a 15-person warm-water spa, and — wait for it — reservable cabanas on the pool deck. Summer recreation swim hours are 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday; until 8 p.m. Friday; until 6:30 p.m. Saturday and until 5:30 p.m. Sunday. A cafe, Ollie’s Poolside, is open during recreation pool hours. Silliman’s is the total package.
DETAILS » $3-$9 daily; 6800 Mowry Ave., Newark.
3 El Cerrito Swim Center
Even though you won’t need them in the summer, the locker room’s heated floors are just one of the perks of this fabulous outdoor pool complex. There are three main areas to know about: a splash pad, a shallow pool with fountain for tiny tot splashing, and a large pool. Recreation swim is from 1:15 to 3:15 p.m. during the week (1 to 4 p.m. and noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, respectively). Or cool down in the evenings with family fun nights every Friday from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. and family swim (recreation pool only) from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday.
DETAILS » Adults, $6 daily; children $3-$4. Swim passes also available. 7007 Moeser Lane, El Cerrito.
4 Morgan Hill Aquatics Center
This outdoor water park is one of the best in the South Bay. First, it offers picturesque scenery with shaded grassy areas and large palm trees lining its perimeter. Now for the water fun: two large water slides, a competition pool with diving boards, a recreation pool with water playground, spray ground with cascading fountains and shooting geysers, warm water instructional pool. Did we mention the poolside cabana rentals and limbo contests? The facility is open year round for lap swim and water fitness classes like aqua zumba. Enjoy music by the pool on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays and concessions daily.
DETAILS >> $7-$12 daily; 16200 Condit Road, Morgan Hill.
5 Robert Livermore Aquatic Center
Triple-digit temperatures are all too common in Livermore, so it is fitting that the city’s new pool is spectacular. It’s actually more like a summer hangout. There’s a deck and grassy area with plenty of beach chairs plus two pools: A zero-depth pool with an interactive play structure, waterfalls, water cannons and a spiral water slide as well as a large 13-lane lap pool that is open year round. Recreational swimming is available at different times every day of the week, in addition to activities like toddler time and deep and shallow water aerobics.
DETAILS >> $4-$6 daily; $140$231 for seasonal pass; 4444 East Ave., Livermore.
6 Rinconada Pool
Two words: Water bicycles. This Palo Alto wading pool offers Aqua-duck water bicycles that squirt water, which sounds like hours of fun to us. There are also lemon drop geysers, a circular waterfall, a small slide and a zero depth beach-inspired area ideal for infants to get their splash on. In Rinconada’s 14-lane lap pool, you’ll find two diving boards and summer lap sessions from early morning to evening. Family recreation swim is open all day (9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.) in the wading pool, which means you can park it here with the little ones until dinner. Extra perk: 48 wallet-sized lockers for storing valuables at no extra charge. Finally, no more random splashes on your cell phone.
DETAILS >> $3-$6 daily; swim pack passes also available; 777 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto. More info