Nothing says summer like jumping into a cool, refreshing pool. 

Don’t have one at home? No problem. 

The City of Tucson and Pima County have a combined total of 27 public pools to keep you from melting all summer.

Pool season starts May 27 for county pools and June 1 for city. 

City of Tucson pools

This year, kids under 18 can swim for free at any city pool. It’ll cost you $2 for adults.

Swim lessons are offered in four two-week sessions at all city pools during June and July for $15.

Click here to learn more and check schedules.

Amphitheater Pool, 125 W. Yavapai Road

Located on the campus of Amphitheater High School. Two diving boards and shade structures. 791-4359.

Edith Ball Adaptive Recreation Center, 3455 E. Zoo Court

Fully accessible outdoor covered recreational pool with a beach entry, play features, lap lanes, a walking channel with a current, and a heated deck. The indoor therapy pool is heated to approximately 92 degrees and has a bench with jets, handrails, two types of lifts to allow for total accessibility and depths from 2½ to 6 feet. Open year-round. 791-5643.

Archer Pool, 1665 S. La Cholla Blvd.

Diving board, water slide, shade structure and separate wading pool. Shallowest water is 4 feet deep. 791-5388.

Catalina Pool, 2004 N. Dodge Blvd.

Competitive pool with two diving boards and depths ranging from 4 to 13½ feet, shade structure and grassy area is immediately south of a children’s area with playground equipment and picnic tables. Open year-round. 791-4245.

Clements Pool, 8155 E. Poinciana Drive

Beach entry, 25-yard competitive course with seven lanes, diving area with a 1-meter board, water slide, shade structure and grassy area. Open year-round. 791-5785.

Sisters Aubree, right, 6, and Alena Lawless, 9, play in the water at Clements Center, 8155 E. Poinciana Drive, on the first day of the swimming season at Tucson Parks and Recreation pools Thursday, May 29, 2014.

El Pueblo Pool, 5100 S. Missiondale Road

Water slide, 25-yard course for lap swimming, shallow water area with a 2½-foot depth, and shade structure. The deepest water is 6 feet. 791-4176.

Freedom Pool, 5000 E. 29th Street

Freedom pool is 25 yards by 60 feet wide with a separate wading pool. Depths range from 2½ feet at the steps to 10 feet in the deep end.

Ft. Lowell Pool, 2900 N. Craycroft Road

Diving bay with two diving boards, lap lanes in the 25-yard area and separate wading pool. 791-2585.

Himmel Pool, 1000 N. Tucson Blvd.

The 25-yard pool features a diving board, depth of 3½ to 11 feet, accessible stairs and grassy area with ramadas. Separate wading pool with beach entry. 791-4157.

Jacobs Pool, 3300 N. Fairview Ave.

Single-pool facility with depths ranging from 0 to 4 feet with beach-style entry, two water cannons that spray into the pool and a water-spray area off the pool. 791-4358.

Kennedy Pool, 3700 S. Mission Road

Kennedy pool features a 25-yard recreational pool with two diving boards and a wading pool.

Mansfield Pool, 2000 N. Fourth Ave.

Three-pool complex featuring a diving bay with two diving boards, wading pool, central pool with a water slide, depths ranging from 3 to 5 feet, and a shaded area. 791-4405.

Menlo Pool, 1100 W. Fresno St.

Main pool ranges from 3½ to 12 feet in depth and features a water slide. Separate wading pool is 2 feet deep. 791-4356.

Palo Verde Pool, 300 S. Mann Ave.

Three-pool complex features a main pool with depths of 3 to 5 feet, a diving pool with two diving boards and a 1½-foot-deep wading pool. 791-4375.

Purple Heart Pool, 10050 E. Rita Road

Stair entry leads to a shallow water area. The depth gradually increases to 6 feet in the 25-yard lap swim area. 791-5058.

Quincie Douglas, 1563 E. 36th St.

Water slide, spray and splash features a 25-yard competitive course, beach entry, separate splash pad and shaded grassy area. 791-5941.

Pablo Landry, 9, right, lays back and enjoys the ride down the water slide at Quincie Douglas Pool. Mike Christy / Arizona Daily Star

Sunnyside Pool, 1725 E. Bilby Road

Two diving boards, with depths ranging from 4 to 13½ feet and nearby ramada. 791-5167.

Udall Pool, 7200 E. Tanque Verde Road

Depths range from 4 to 13½ feet and has a portable ramp entry. A diving area has two diving boards. The lap swimming course is 25 yards. 791-4004.

Pima County pools

The cost to use county pools is $3 for adults and $1 for kids age 17 and under. There is a discount program for those who qualify. Click here to learn more.

Swimming lessons are available for children as young as 6 months. They are offered in two-week sessions of eight classes beginning June 5. Lessons are $20. Register at the pool you wish to use for lessons.

Children enjoy the waterfall at the Northwest YMCA Thad Terry Pool, at 7770 N. Shannon Rd. As summer approaches and Tucson’s public pools open for the season people can enjoy their time at these cool facilities. The photo was taken on Sunday, May 10, 2015, Tucson, Ariz. Photo by A.E. Araiza/ Arizona Daily Star

Ajo Pool, 290 Fifth St., Ajo

Six lap lanes, zero-depth entry, deep end and shaded picnic tables. 387-6555.

Catalina Pool, 16562 N. Oracle Road, Catalina

Four lap lanes, deep end and shaded picnic tables. 825-9011.

Flowing Wells Jr. High School Pool, 4545 N. La Cholla Blvd.

Nine lap lanes, 13½-foot deep end, 1-meter diving board, handicap entry ramp and shaded picnic tables. 696-8671.

Kino Pool (Mulcahy YMCA), 2805 E. Ajo Way

Operated as a partnership between Pima County and YMCA of Southern Arizona. Four lap lanes, slide, deep end, zero-depth entry and shaded benches. 838-0938.

Los Niños Pool, 5432 S. Bryant Ave.

Six lap lanes, 12-foot deep end, 1-meter diving board, separate baby pool and shaded picnic tables. 574-0222.

Manzanita Pool, 5110 S. San Joaquin Ave.

Six lap lanes, slide, deep end, zero-depth entry, mushroom water feature and grassy areas. 578-2458.

Northwest YMCA-Thad Terry Pool, 7770 N. Shannon Road

Operated as a partnership between Pima County and YMCA of Southern Arizona. Slide, zero-depth entry and mushroom water feature. 229-9006.

The Thad Terry pool, at 7770 N. Shannon Road, is one of three pools where you can host up to 30 people for a party and pay $50.

Picture Rocks Pool and Splash Pad, 5615 N. Sanders Road

Zero-depth entry, multiple water features, splash pad, shaded benches, interactive statues and lots of grass. 682-8465.

Wade McLean Pool, 12000 W. Emigh Road.

Eight lap lanes, slide, deep end, zero-depth entry, tumble bucket water feature and lots of grass. 616-6500.


Ghost ship

Say what? It's a 57-foot long inflatable obstacle course that will make stops at seven of the county's pools this summer.

The inflatable 57-foot-long ghost ship will make the rounds at Pima County pools this summer after a repair to fix a tear.

Here's the schedule:

June 10: Flowing Wells, 1 to 5 p.m.

June 17: Wade McLean, 1 to 6:30 p.m.

June 24: Kino, 2 to 6:30 p.m.

July 1: NW YMCA-Thad Terry, 2 to 6:30 p.m.

July 4: Manzanita, 1 to 6:30 p.m.

July 15, Los Ninos, 12:30 to 5 p.m.


Other places to cool off

Isabella Fritts, 10, goes through some hoops that spray jets of water as people enjoy the refreshing coolness of the wet stuff at the Brandi Fenton Splash Pad at 3482 E River Rd., in Tucson on June 16, 2016 .

Oro Valley Aquatics Center, 23 W. Calle Concordia, Oro Valley

Four diving boards, interactive and shaded splash pad, water slide, 50-meter competition pool and 25-yard recreation pool. Plus, it has a concession stand. 297-7946.

Brandi Fenton Splash Pad, 3482 E. River Road

This is a great place to cool off if the kids don’t want to swim. It features spray arches, water geysers and lots of other water features. There are also ramadas that can be reserved. Splash pad hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and it’s free.

Marana Pool, 13250 N. Lon Adams Road, at Ora Mae Harn District Park, Marana

The pool opens May 30. The pool includes seven swim lanes, a diving bay and ramada-style seating. Depths range from three to 12 feet.  


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Contact reporter Angela Pittenger at apitteng@tucson.com or 573-4137. On Twitter:

@CentsibleMama