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Beat the Heat! at Seattle Parks & Rec

When it’s hot this summer, Seattle residents don’t need to go far to cool off. Seattle Parks and Recreation has a long list of places to get cool in the water, including beaches, wading pools and water spray features and outdoor pools.

2 Outdoor Pools

Parks operates two unique outdoor pools for summer fun. Each offers swimming lessons, family swimming, water exercise programs and special events. The pools can also be rented for special occasions.

Lowery C. “Pop” Mounger Pool, at 2535 32nd Ave. W, 206-684-4708, is open daily from May 9 through Sept. 7. Mounger Pool is really two pools in one place. The “big pool” has a 50-foot corkscrew slide and the warmer, shallower “little pool” is great for relaxing and for teaching little ones. Call the pool to reserve it for your own birthday party or other special event.

Colman Pool, at 8603 Fauntleroy Way SW, 206-684-7494, opens for the regular season at noon on June 20 and will remain open until Sept. 7. The pool will also be open on certain pre-season weekends including May 23-25, May 30-31, June 6-7 and 13-14. The pool enjoys a spectacular view of Puget Sound from its prime location on the beach in West Seattle’s Lincoln Park. It features heated salt water and the Giant Tube Slide!

SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT COLMAN: Colman Pool is closed to the public July 9-11 and 17-18 for swim meets.

 

Wading Pools and Water Spray Features

Your little ones will love the cool, shallow water and you can cool your own grown-up toes too. We will operate 15 wading pool sites this summer, and there are 10 parks with spray features to enjoy. Please note that the pools take about an hour to fill and drain each day, as required by law. Closing and opening dates vary. See the Summer Guide at http://www.seattle.gov/parks/Publications/summer_guide.pdf for schedules. Wading pools are open on days with sunny skies and warm temperatures. Call the hotline at 206-684-7796 by 9 a.m. each day for find out whether pools will be filled. All spray features are open from May 23 to Sept. 7.

Four-day-a-week Wading Pools (both are open noon to 6:45 p.m.):

  • Hiawatha Community Center, 2700 California Ave. SW, Wed/Thurs/Fri/Sat
  • Delridge Community Center, 4501 Delridge Way SW, Mon/Tues/Sat/Sun

Three-day-a-week Wading Pools (all are open from noon to 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted):

  • Bitter Lake, 13035 Linden Ave. N, Wed/Thu/Fri
  • Cal Anderson Park, 1635 11th, noon to 6:45 p.m., Fri/Sat/Sun
  • Dahl Playfield, 7700 25th NE, Tues/Wed/Thurs
  • East Queen Anne, 160 Howe St., Sun/Mon/Tue
  • C. Hughes, 2805 SW Holden St., Wed/Thu/Fri
  • Soundview, 1590 NW 90th, Sat/Sun/Mon
  • South Park, 8319 8th S, Mon/Tue/Wed
  • Wallingford, 4219Wallingford Ave. N, Wed/Thu/Fri

Daily Wading Pools (all are open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted):

  • Green Lake, N 73rdand E Green Lake Dr. N
  • Lincoln Park, 8600 Fauntleroy Ave. SW
  • Magnuson, eastern end of NE 65th, noon to 6:30 p.m.
  • Van Asselt, 2820 S Myrtle St.
  • Volunteer Park, 1400 E Galer St.

Daily Water Sprayparks (all are open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted):

  • Ballard Commons, 5701 22nd NW
  • Beacon Mountain at Jefferson Park, 3901 Beacon Ave. S
  • John C. Little, 6961 37th S
  • Lower Judkins, 2150 S Norman St.
  • Georgetown Playfield, 750 S Homer St.
  • Highland Park, 1100 SW Cloverdale
  • Lake Union Park, 860 Terry Ave. N
  • Miller Community Center, 330 19th E (Miller will open at a later start time May 23-June 21, call the wading pool hotline for the best information 206-684-7796)
  • Northacres Park, 12800 1st NE
  • Pratt Park, 1800 S Main St.

 

Beaches 

Parks offers safe, lifeguarded beaches at nine sites around the city, and we strongly recommend swimming only where lifeguards are present. Beaches are open, weather permitting, from noon to 7 p.m. weekdays and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Amenities range from swim rafts and low and high diving boards to nearby wading pools, play areas, ballfields and more.

These beaches are open through Sept. 7:

  • Matthews, 9300 51st Ave. NE
  • Madison, 1900 43rd Ave. E
  • Baker, 2301 Lake Washington Blvd. S
  • Seward, 5902 Lake Washington Blvd. S
  • West Green Lake, 7312 W Green Lake Dr.

These beaches are open through Aug. 23:

  • East Green Lake, 7201 E Green Lake Dr. N
  • Magnuson, park entrance at NE 65thand Sand Point Way NE
  • Madrona, 853 Lake Washington Blvd.
  • Pritchard Beach, 8400 55thS

For a more complete and detailed listing of fun summer activities in Seattle parks, please visit http://www.seattle.gov/parks/Publications/summer_guide.pdf  to view the 2015 Summer Guide.