What pools are open for summer in SLO County? Splash pads? See where to swim
The first day of summer is only a few weeks away.
Summer solstice marks the official start of the season in the Northern Hemisphere.
If you’re looking for ways to beat the heat this summer, San Luis Obispo County has swimming pools, splash pads and lakes for aquatic activities.
Here’s everything you need to know from summer swim schedules to admission fees:
Where are pools in SLO County?
San Luis Obispo County Parks manages multiple public swimming pools within the county.
- San Miguel Pool: 1221 K St.
- Santa Margarita Lake Pool: 4695 Santa Margarita Lake Road
- Shamel Pool: 5455 Windsor Blvd., Cambria
- C.W. Clarke Pool: 101 West Centre, Shandon
- Templeton Pool: 550 Crocker St.
Santa Margarita Lake and Templeton Pool will be open to the public on Saturday, June 6.
On Sunday, June 7, San Miguel and Shandon Pools will be open. Shamel Pool will be open on both days.
Open hours at all pools are 1 to 5 p.m. with a 15-minute break at 3 p.m.
Hardie Pool will be closed this season.
Swimming at county pools costs $5, or $3 for children.
You can get a swim pass for $50 — $30 for children — that gives you access to the pools 14 times.
When is SLO Swim Center open this summer?
SLO Swim Center, 902 Southwood Drive in San Luis Obispo, open year-round. It has a 50-meter outdoor pool and therapy pool.
From Monday, June 15, through Sunday, Aug. 16, these are the hours for lap swimming:
- 6 a.m. to 8 a.m.
- 11:20 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- 1:45 p.m. to 4 p.m.
- 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
The first and last lap swim sessions are not offered on Saturday and Sunday. The 1:45 p.m. session also has limited availability for lanes and costs 50 cents more than the other time frames.
Family swim hours are:
- 1:45 p.m. to 4 p.m.
- 5:30 p.m. to 7:20 p.m.
On Saturday and Sunday, the 5:30 p.m. family swim is not available. The 1:45 p.m. session costs 50 cents more as well.
Single-use passes cost $4.75, or $4.25 for seniors and children.
You can get 30-day passes for $73.25, or $65.50 for kids and seniors.
Does SLO County have hot springs?
Avila Hot Springs, 250 Avila Beach Drive in San Luis Obispo, has a naturally heated freshwater pool with water slides for swimming.
There’s also a mineral spring pool for soaking in 104-degree water.
Avila Hot Springs is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day.
Pool rates for Avila Hot Springs depend on how long visitors want to swim or soak.
An all-day pass costs $29, or $26 for seniors 55 and up and children 15 and under.
You can swim from 8 a.m. to noon for $18, or after 5 p.m. for the same price.
Visit Avila Hot Springs for 15 times for $295, or get a monthly morning pass for $280.
Is Cal Poly Recreation Center open to the public?
The Cal Poly Recreation Center has a leisure pool with a large wading area, three lanes and activities including water basketball and water volleyball.
Aquatic exercise gear such as kickboards, pull buoys and water jogging belts are also available.
There’s also an Olympic-sized lap pool with 20 lanes.
The pool on Longview Lane in San Luis Obispo will be open at 11 a.m. every day and close at 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Memberships or day passes are needed to use the facilities at Cal Poly Recreation Center.
Memberships cost $50 a month, or $45 a month for faculty members. Students get free memberships during the school year.
Guest passes are $10 a day.
Can I swim at Cuesta College?
Cuesta College at 3000 Educational Drive in San Luis Obispo has aquatic fitness classes, family swim days and lap swimming.
From Monday, June 8, to Friday, July 31, the lap swim schedule is 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
Lap swimming is available Friday from 8 a.m. to noon and 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday.
Lap swim passes cost $64 for eight weeks. Daily lap swim costs $5.
Family swim is available on Friday afternoons from Friday, June 12, to Saturday, Aug. 1. Friday sessions are 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
A summer family swim pass costs $60 per person, with a daily rate of $6 per person.
Registration is required before going to the pool as specific dates and times are reserved for classes or swimming activities.
Where can I find splash pads in SLO County?
Heilmann Regional Park at 9400 El Bordo Avenue in Atascadero, has splash pads for children to cool off for free.
Two local water parks also offer places for kids to splash around.
Splash Lagoon is the newest addition at The Ravine Waterpark, 2301 Airport Road in Paso Robles. The area has eight slides, two tipping buckets and kiddie pools.
Day passes cost about $37 for people under 4 feet tall and about $48 for taller folks.
Mustang Waterpark, 6840 Lopez Drive in Arroyo Grande, has kiddie pools with mini slides and waterfall mushrooms.
A day pass costs $29 for children 42 inches and under, or $33 for bigger kids and adults.
Which local lakes offer swimming?
Two large lakes in San Luis Obispo County off opportunities for swimming.
Lopez Lake in Arroyo Grande has 22 miles of shoreline and water that reaches a temperature of about 70 degrees in the summer.
In addition to swimming, lakegoers can go fishing, boating, camping, hiking, bicycling and ziplining in the area.
North of Paso Robles, Lake Nacimiento features more than 5,000 surface acres and 165 miles of shoreline, making it an ideal spot for boating, fishing waterskiing, wakeboarding and other water sports.
