Best Indoor Swimming Pools for Kids and Families Around Seattle

Lynnwood Recreation Center

Water temp: 85 degrees (recreation pool), 93 degrees (wellness pool), 83 degrees (lap pool), 98 degrees (family hot tub)

Offerings: This super-popular pool features waterslides, sprayers, a lazy river, diving boards, a wobbly walkway, a swirl pool and fountains. Just remember, the sprayers can be a little intense for very young ones. There are also two hot tubs: one that’s perfect for families and one that’s for adults only, at a higher temperature. Plus, there’s a lap pool and a warm-water wellness pool. The rec center also offers swim lessons for all ages.

For little ones: During Beach Swim times, only the shallow play area is open; water is up to 2 feet deep.

Pool tips: Preregistration is required for open and recreation swims, with an exception for annual pass holders, who are guaranteed entry and don’t need advance registration. Register by phone (425-670-5732), in person or online. Open and Recreation Swim tickets will be available for registration starting on Wednesdays, for the following week’s (Monday–Sunday) swims. Depending on availability you will be able to register in advance for a swim until a half hour prior to the swim, then if space is available you can drop-in.

Pool deals: If you plan to go to the pool often, invest in an annual pass. It grants visitors use of all the recreation center amenities in addition to priority entry for open swimming. Save by purchasing a 10-visit pass.

Note: Children younger than 6 must be accompanied by an adult or teen in the water at all times. The adult or teen (13 years or older) must be actively supervising the child who is younger than 6 years from inside the water. Kids have to be at least 48 inches in height to go down the tube slide and 40 inches tall for the body slide.

Mountlake Terrace Recreation Pavilion

Water temp: 87–88 degrees

Offerings: This epic warm-water pool features a lazy river, water basketball hoops, inner tubes, geysers, flotation rings and pool toys. There’s also a hot tub and sauna located a short distance from the pool. This pool offers a variety of swim lessons for children, including a parent-and-tot class.

For little ones: The large leisure pool ranges from 6 inches to 3 feet deep, with spray features and pool toys designed for children 6 and younger. Life jackets are available for all ages.

Pool tips: The line for the recreation swim forms about 15 minutes before the session begins. Leisure pool swim times are recommended for younger kids, and recreation swim times are better for older ones. Adults must be in the pool and within arm’s reach of children younger than 4 at all times.

Pool deals: You can purchase an 11-visit pass, a month pass or an annual pass at a discounted rate. 

Note: Children younger than 4 years of age must be accompanied in the pool by an adult; adults should be within arm’s reach of all young children.

Snohomish County YMCA

Branches of the Y in Snohomish County offer different types of aquatics programs.

Offerings: Parent/child swim lessons, preschool swim lessons and school-age kids’ lessons are offered at the Everett, Mukilteo, Mill Creek, Monroe and Stanwood-Camano branches. Specific branches offer specialty programs: Mukilteo offers adaptive swim lessons and Everett offers lifeguard training.

Enroll in swim programs online or contact your local branch:

• Everett Family YMCA
• Marysville Family YMCA
• Mill Creek Family YMCA
• Monroe/Sky Valley Family YMCA
• Mukilteo Family YMCA
• Stanwood-Camano YMCA

Snohomish Aquatic Center, Snohomish

Water temp: 84–86 degrees (recreation pool), 78–80 degrees (competition pool)

Offerings: Recreation and family swim sessions, group, private and semi-private lessons for kids, swim camps, surf simulation and lessons, diving boards and a 10-lane lap pool. 

Fun features: This 52,000-square-foot swim center in Snohomish is one of region’s most exciting, boasting the only FlowRider (surf-simulation machine) in the area, as well as an epic water slide that goes outside, the Splashtacular, a recreational lap pool and a lazy river. Depths range from 2–4.5 feet. Note: Guests must be at least 48 inches tall and pass a swim test to slide on the Splashtacular slide.

For little ones: There is a splash play area with buckets to dump water, stairs to climb and two slides.

Lessons: Private, semi-private and group lessons are offered, as well as specialized instruction for competitive strokes. Classes for diving are also available, as are SurfRider lessons. 

Pool deals: Family drop in passes were recently discontinued at this pool, but multi-visit punch cards along with 3-month and annual passes are still available.

Next up: South Sound-area pools