In the Valley of the Sun, swimming pools are something of an art form. We take our water recreation seriously here. With temperatures that can go well above 110 degrees in the summer it’s no wonder! We don’t just have mere pools, we have full scale aquatics centers. Here in Phoenix, even the pools we consider to be “simply pools” would take most other people’s breath away.
Here are the 5 best!
Foothills Recreation & Aquatics Center
5600 West Union Hills Drive
623-930-4600
This pool is absolutely fantastic! It has a huge water playground for the kids. Imagine taking a play fort straight off of a playground and putting it in a shallow pool, then running water jets all over the place. That’s exactly what they did! There’s also a lazy river upon which you can ride on an inner tube, a heated competitive lap pool, two huge slides, 2 diving boards, and a leisure area with a zero depth entry.
Surprise Aquatics Center
15831 N. Bullard Avenue
(623) 222-2500
This is one of the best family friendly public pools in the Phoenix area. The moment you walk into the pool area you realize that it’s like a giant theme park exploded inside a small space and still managed to be user friendly! Huge spiral tube slides anchor one side, near a zero-depth entry with a padded floor. Mushroom and turn-cap fountains exist to entertain the little ones, while a whirlpool and roughhouse area attract older kids. They also have lap lanes and a deep end for diving. In the northwest valley this is it!
Encanto Park
2125 N. 15th Ave
602-261-8732
This is an awesome public pool for the simple fact that it sits smack dab in the middle of several playgrounds. They also have a large bath house for getting cleaned up afterward. The pool itself is handicap accessible. When you’re done swimming head across the street to the park proper and take in the community. If you get bored with the pool, don’t worry: it’s Encanto Park! There’s a million other things to do.
Arrowhead Pool
1475 W. Erie St.
(480) 732-1064
This is a great public pool for families with smaller children that have a tendency to wander off. The play pool is large, but shallow, and it’s gated off from the main pool. The play pool looks like a desert watering spot with sand dune slides that are just the right size for younger swimmers. The main pool is massive, with lap lanes and a diving well for more experienced swimmers.
Mesquite Groves Aquatic Center
5901 S. Hillcrest Dr.
(480) 782-2635
This is another WOW pool. It is one of the Phoenix area’s largest aquatic centers. Its list of amenities is longer than a Phoenix day is hot. A competition lap zone and diving well take up one pool, while two large tube slides and a lazy river take up another. There’s also a water vortex, a family play pool with zero depth entry, toddler slides, a 752-Gallon “Big Blue Bucket,” and more! This is the kind of public pool that it takes all day to appreciate.
