Joyful Family Swimming
Which public pool is the warmest?? Find out in our guide to family swim and baby & toddler swimming classes in SF. Family swim hours are updated regularly.
Thanks to a local mom’s petition, Mission Pool has extended family swim hours! Swimming and water play bring joy to many of us. With cold months approaching, the pool is a great way to spend family time. But where to swim and where to learn swimming is an evergreen topic on parents’ groups. We thought we’d recap what we’ve learned in our year of swimming with a baby and two toddlers!
Pool Cost and Warmth
This guide to publicly accessible swimming pools’ temperatures and locations is pretty much up to date. The only thing is that prices have gone up: $8 per adult ($6.90 if you buy a 10-pack pass) and $2 per kid for public pools, and $20-25 per adult at private swimming pools (such as YMCA, JCCSF and UCSF — kids are often free). Hours change every few months, and we recap them below. All of the public pools are heated. North Beach is the warmest public swimming pool (86F versus 82F) and Balboa is generally warmer than advertised due to large bay windows. Hamilton is the only public pool with slides (which have just reopened on Saturday). Mission is the only outdoor pool.
Family Swim hours - until August 10
Public swimming pools are closed on Sundays and Mondays. There’s a maximum of two kids under 48 inches per adult, who should be within arm reach. If you have more than one kid, lifeguards may impose the kids to wear life vests. We include lap swim hours below if they allow for family swim in the shallow pool.
Times outside of business hours are in bold.
Balboa
Balboa pool features a shallow pool that can generally be used during lap swim hours. The hours listed below include this.
Balboa pool will be closed all day on Wednesday, 6/19/24 and on Thursday, 7/4/24 and on Saturday, 7/13/24 from 8:30am-1pm.
Tuesday 7-8.30am, 1.30-3pm
Wednesday 1.30-3pm, 3.30-5pm
Thursday 7-8.30am, 3.30-5.30pm, 5.45-7pm
Friday 11.30am-12.30pm, 1.45-3pm
Saturday 12.30-2pm, 2.30-3.30, 4-5pm
Coffman
Closed June 19th & July 4th all day, July 13th half day.
Tuesday 1-3pm
Wednesday 1-3pm, 5.45-7pm
Thursday 1-3pm
Friday 1-3pm
Saturday 1-2pm, 2.15-3.45pm
Garfield
Closed June 19th & July 4th all day, July 13th half day.
Tuesday 12.45-2pm
Wednesday 11.15am-12.30pm, 12.45-2pm
Thursday 12.45-2pm
Friday 12.45-2pm, 3-5pm
Saturday 12.15-2.15pm
Hamilton (shallow pool)
Hamilton pool features a shallow pool that can generally be used during lap swim hours. The hours listed below include this. It may also be possible to use the shallow pool during water exercise hours (11.15am-12.30pm).
Closed June 19th & July 4th all day, July 13th half day.
Tuesday 6.30-8.30 am, 1.30-3.30pm
Wednesday 6.30-8.30 am, 1.30-3.30pm, 6.30-8pm
Thursday 1.30-3.30pm
Friday 6.30-8.30 am, 1.30-3.30pm, 6.30-8pm
Saturday 1.30-3.30pm, 4-5pm
Martin Luther King Jr
All weekday family swim hours have been replaced by the Bayview Safety Swim and Splash program until June 11. Closed June 19th & July 4th all day, July 13th half day.
Tuesday 1.15-3.15pm
Wednesday 1.15-3.15pm
Thursday 1.15-3.15pm
Friday 1.15-3.15pm
Saturday 2-3:30pm
Mission
Closed June 19th & July 4th all day, July 13th half day.
Tuesday 2-3.30pm
Wednesday 2-3.30pm
Thursday 2-3.30pm
Friday 11am-12.30pm, 5.30-7pm
Saturday 10.45am-12.30pm, 2-3.15pm
North Beach
Closed June 19th & July 4th all day, July 13th half day.
Tuesday 11.30am-1pm, 3.30-5pm
Wednesday 2-3.30pm
Thursday 1.45-3.15pm
Friday 2-3.30pm, 5.30-7pm
Saturday 12-1.15pm, 1:45-3pm
Rossi
Closed June 19th & July 4th all day, July 13th half day.
Tuesday 2-3.30pm
Wednesday 11.30am-1.30pm, 6.30-7.30pm
Thursday 2-3.30pm, 6.30-7.30pm
Friday 11.30am-1.30pm
Saturday 12.30-2pm, 2.30-3.30pm
Sava
Closed June 19th & July 4th all day, July 13th half day.
Tuesday 1.30-3pm
Wednesday 1-3pm, 3.30-5pm
Thursday 1-3pm
Friday 1-3pm, 5.30-7.30pm
Saturday 11.30am-1pm, 1.30-3pm
Swimming classes for the under 5
While SF parks and Recreation offer swimming classes, there are only three spots open to the public in each class, and they are gone within one minute of registration opening. 😱 And lifeguards cannot allow private lessons in public pools due to safety concerns. Many parents swear by La Petite Baleen (in San Francisco and San Bruno), but cost, distance and availability of weekend classes may be prohibitive. YMCA, JCCSF and AC Swim in San Rafael have swimming classes for toddlers, but they’re all very costly programs. Pomeroy is a more affordable hidden gem offering classes every couple months.
Now, toddlers don’t need swimming classes, and don’t believe Instagram videos: not all babies learn to swim in a month. And that’s alright. It’s easy for parents to teach the basics and help their child be comfortable in water. Key skills include going underwater, learning how to float on their back, entering the pool, but most importantly: having fun! Sing with your little one, use the pool’s balls (no outside toys at public swimming pools) and splash around.
More Public Pools Please!!!
San Francisco has only 1.1 public pool per 100 000 inhabitants. 🤯 The family swim hours have greatly improved, to take into account the needs of working families, thanks to the efforts of SF Kids Swim parents volunteers. But we can and should ask for more! Aside from being fun, robust swim facilities and education prevents drowning at all ages. If these hours don’t work for you (we sure would love to see pools open on Sundays!), you can support Parks and Rec, write to your district supervisor, fill the SF Kids Swim form and subscribe to the newsletter for updates, and bring your little ones to public pools! Happy swimming :)
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[cover photo courtesy of stockvault]