Since schedules shift by location and time of year, start with the city's Seattle Parks and Recreation pools page, where an interactive map shows every public pool. Check it before you head out, because session times can change.
Drop-in swims to choose from
- Recreation Swim: open play time, often with slides or diving boards in use at pools that have them.
- Lap Swim: lanes set aside for steady workouts.
- Water Exercise: fitness classes in the water.
Some pools run their own variations, so ask at the front desk if you have a specific format in mind.
Colman Pool: saltwater swimming on the beach
For summer swimming, Colman Pool is the city's showpiece. Picture an Olympic-sized saltwater pool set right on the beach in West Seattle, with a corkscrew water slide and a diving board about 3 feet high. Catch an evening session and you get sunset views over the water, a big part of what makes this place so appealing.
In its most recent season, the pool opened daily from mid-June through late August. After that, it switched to weekends only for the first three weekends of September, with Labor Day Monday following the same weekend hours.
Planning a September weekend swim
Each September weekend day is split into four sessions between noon and 7 pm. Every session pairs four lap lanes, each about 164 feet long, with half the pool for recreation swim, and the diving board stays open. Plan around the staff break from 3:15 to 3:45 pm, when everyone has to leave the facility.
For current session times and any updates, visit the official Colman Pool page.
Mounger Pool in Magnolia
Head to Magnolia for the city's other outdoor option, Lowery C. "Pop" Mounger Pool, which is really two pools in one. Ride the 50-foot corkscrew slide in the big pool, then settle into the smaller pool, which is shallower and warmer and makes a comfortable spot for relaxing or teaching young children to swim.
Its most recent summer season ran from late June through early September, with three recreation swims a day and a sunset lap swim. Regular offerings include Playland, Sensory Swim and Water Fitness, and it is wise to confirm details with the city before heading over.
What a swim costs
Pay the cashier when you arrive for a single visit. Infants under 1 swim free, as do people who pre-qualify for scholarship pricing, and you can apply online or at a local pool or community center.
Single swims
- Recreation swim: $6 for youth ages 1 to 17, $8 for adults 18 to 64, and $6 for seniors 65 and older and special populations.
- Fitness programs: $6.50 for youth, $8.50 for adults, and $6.50 for seniors and special populations.
Punch cards and passes
If you swim often, save with a 10-visit punch card or a 30-day unlimited pass. An adult 10-punch recreation card is $72 and an adult 30-day pass is $91.50, with lower youth and senior rates. Passes work at every Seattle Parks and Recreation pool, which is handy when you want to swim near both home and work.
Buy passes through the city's ActiveNet system, which requires an account, or from a pool cashier. Keep in mind that passes cannot be refunded or shared between people, and they are not extended for holidays or closures.
Small extras worth knowing
- Slide use costs $1 at Ballard, Colman, Mounger and Rainier Beach.
- Coin lockers take a quarter, and towel rental is 50 cents at most sites.
- Bring exact change for Early Morning Lap Swim and for water polo at Rainier Beach Pool.
Fees can change, so check the city's pool pages for current rates.
Swim lessons and summer registration
Every city pool offers lessons, and spots tend to fill quickly. Plan ahead, especially if you are eyeing summer classes at the outdoor pools.
For Colman's most recent summer, scholarship-eligible families got priority registration in late March, a week before general registration opened, with online signups starting at noon. Classes ran in two five-week sessions starting in late June and late July, with groups for preschoolers ages 4 and 5 and for beginning and advanced swimmers ages 6 to 16.
Booking a pool party
For one of the more memorable party settings in the city, book Colman. Up to 30 guests can have the pool to themselves from 7 to 8 pm on most Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from late June through August, plus some Mondays in August, at a recent rate of $365.
Reservations most recently opened online in mid-April, and each family is limited to one booking. Waiting lists are kept for every date in case of cancellations, and guests who pass a swim test can enjoy the slide and diving board.
Cancellations and weather
The city cancels and fully refunds rentals for dangerous conditions such as lightning, hail, high winds or unhealthy air, though rain and cool weather do not qualify. Cancel 31 or more days out and you get everything back except $89. Cancel 15 to 30 days out and you receive half minus the booking fee, while canceling with less than two weeks' notice brings no refund.
Rules to know before you go
- Alcohol, recreational drugs and smoking are not allowed, and anyone who seems intoxicated cannot swim or supervise kids.
- Food is fine, but glass containers of any kind are banned.
- Children under 6 or shorter than 48 inches need an adult in the water with them, within arm's reach.
Pools beyond the city limits
Nearby cities run their own pools on separate schedules. Head north to Edmonds for Yost Pool, open year-round except holidays, or east to Kirkland, where the outdoor Peter Kirk Pool opens for summer in early June. To the south, Tacoma's Stewart Heights Pool opens in late June, and Fircrest's outdoor pool runs from late June to mid-August, so check each city's website for hours.
Making a full summer day of it? Pair your swim with ideas from our guides to Seattle parks, Seattle neighborhoods and things to do in Seattle.
