As someone who has always felt comfortable in the water, I made it a point to take my daughter to the pool as soon as the pediatrician and other experts said it would be alright. So, when she turned six months ten years ago, I took her to La Petite Baleen swim school at the end of Crissy Field in the Presidio. Since that first dip in the water, we have lived in Berlin and Barcelona, plus traveled to countless places and always seem to end up in a pool whenever feasible. And her love of swimming started that decade ago in an enjoyable and nurturing environment for her. My daughter learned to love the water, from the water temperature to the teachers and their games. If you are interested, visit La Petite Baleen at www.swimlpb.com.
San Francisco has a long history of places to go swimming, starting from the Bay’s frigid waters to the historical and long-time defunct Sutro baths in the Outer Richmond District. Fortunately for us residents, as the City’s population and urban footprint have increased and changed, the number of pools has also increased. And although Covid safety measures were still in place when this article was written, drop-in swim times are expected to resume by June 29. For further details and to confirm that the pools are open, please visit https://sfrecpark.org/482/Swimming-Pools
There are nine municipal pools, which include:
- Balboa Pool is located in Balboa Park, a popular recreational swimming location.
- Coffman Pool is located in Visitacion Valley at the southeastern entrance of McLaren Park.
- Garfield Pool, located at the southern end of the Mission District, is next to a nice park and playground.
- Hamilton Pool, located in Japantown, has two indoor water slides
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Pool, located in the Bayview District, is a hidden treasure with a separate wading pool for kids.
- Mission Community Pool, located in the Mission District, offers swimming classes for all proficiency levels and ages.
- North Beach Pool is a great community pool that has been around for several generations of swimmers at all levels.
- Rossi Pool, located in the Richmond District, offers various classes and programs for toddlers, children, adults, and seniors. It is very popular with neighborhood residents.
- Sava Pool, located just north of Stern Grove, is another neighborhood favorite. The facility accommodates recreation, lap, and competitive swimming.
In addition, there are various other pools throughout the City, which also offer various classes and programs for all types of budgets. Chief among them are:
- Mission Bay Outdoor School, located on Owens Street, sits in the middle of the iconic multi-functional neighborhood, and it is one of the newest of the City’s pools. They offer classes, as well as recreational and lap swimming options.
- Presidio and The Embarcadero YMCAs offer recreational swimming for kids 6 to 10 but require a swim test. However, if your child does not “pass” the test, then a parent/guardian must be with them at all times, which, of course, is just common sense, maybe even if your child passes the swim test.
I recommend trying out a few, if not all, the pools and picking the one your kid and you like the best. You can also switch them around for variety. But however you utilize the pools, ensure you give your child the fun and lifesaving skill to swim.
Greening Projects
Author Bio
Jorge Romero-Lozano, PE, LEED AP, PMP, is Greening Projects‘ Executive Director and Founder. As a licensed civil engineer with a passion for planning, designing, and building green spaces, he provides both the technical expertise, as well as the passion for envisioning potential green paces as well as supporting neighborhoods, individuals, and other professionals who wish to improve their environments and engage their communities.