The pool is located in a bustling part of San Francisco- right on Lombard, and you can expect to circle the block for parking. I did expect this ahead of time, and was pleasantly surprised to only circle once & find parking on Chestnut- just 1 block away.
The North Beach pool is situated between the Joe DiMaggio playground ( + tennis courts and bocce ball courts) and the SF North Beach Library. I love to see a pool included in a community rec center like this, but there are definitely nicer city pools in San Francisco.
$7 is the fee for lap swim, standard at all SF city pools. When I visited in April 2022, they were only accepting cash.
The North Beach Pool has an interesting set up. There are actually 2 separate pools in this facility- one “cold” pool, ranging between 77-78° F, and one “warm” pool, ranging between 86-88° F. The differing temperatures in the two distinct pools strike me as odd. The temperatures aren’t as extreme as you might find in a day spa- contrasting a hot tub session with a cold plunge. It was a small facility, and I would anticipate that 4 lanes total, 2 for serious lap swimmers, would get crowded at times. However, when I visited, there were max 3 people in the cold pool, which was manageable.
The warm pool has a step entry, and from the deepest part of the steps to the “turn end”, measures 25 meters. It has 2 very wide lanes, and seems to be dedicated for elderly swimmers or children, and not necessarily active lap swimmers. It was too hot for me to do anything other than swim at a relaxing pace, but I imagine would be great on a chilly SF day if you still wanted to get a low heart-rate swim in. In addition to the “Lap Swim”, “Family Swim” and “Senior Swim” hours that are found online here and the sites for other SF city pools, there are “Tiny Tots lessons” and “Adult Swim Lessons” listed on the site, which are unique to this location, and this “warm” pool.
Similarly, the cold pool has two wide lanes, and measures 25 meters. I loved the temperature of the pool, and find that “cold” is too harsh a term. It’s a nice temperature if you’re looking to lap swim- refreshing to hop into, but won’t feel cold once you’re moving. I did visit on an uncharacteristically warm day in SF. I enjoyed my time in this pool, my only gripe being the lane width- it’s confusing to circle swim or split lanes in a space twice the width of what a lap swimmer might be accustomed to. Swimmers should communicate with lane mates and exercise caution when splitting/circling to avoid collisions.
The locker rooms are shabby and could use some updating- but the basics are there. There is a communal shower space, lockers for day use, curtained changing areas, and a swim suit dryer. Although it is definitely dated, it didn’t feel particularly dirty or inadequate.
A major draw to the North Beach pool is the on-deck dry sauna. It’s co-ed and open for use during all lap swim hours. It was spacious, and when I used it, I was the only one inside. I love to sit in the sauna before/after a swim session, but still wonder if it would be a difference maker for me to choose to return to North Beach pool if I was seeking a serious lap swim.
The North Beach pool space is definitely a bare-bones facility, but the warm pool and the sauna make this a great spot for anyone seeking warm water therapy or just a nice recovery swim session.
San Francisco
USA
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | |
| Wednesday | |
| Thursday | |
| Friday | |
| Saturday | |
| Sunday | Closed |
San Francisco
USA
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | |
| Wednesday | |
| Thursday | |
| Friday | |
| Saturday | |
| Sunday | Closed |
