This is a very beautiful pool. I wish it were available more often, but the building is, after…read moreall, a public school. It's worth adjusting one's schedule for at least one or two visits, especially during summer heat waves. The showers offered privacy, but -- during my visits during heat waves -- no hot water. The Cambridge YMCA on Mass Ave. also offers cold showers only. My issue is with another post here that the pool at Somerville YMCA on Highland Street is inferior. I've been swimming there since the 1980s. Compared to many local pools, it's Buckingham Palace. The building dates back to 1904, which is an automatic turn-off for many people, even though Somerville YMCA is kept clean & orderly and offers everything you need to stay fit and toned. I love the beautiful old tiles that line the pool room walls and the peaceful atmosphere for lap swimming without someone else's music blasting away -- as at the MIT pool, to "keep the lifeguards awake." If the windows were unsealed to admit natural light, it would be perfect. To swim a mile, you must do 44 laps. Some experienced swimmers find this confining, but it's just right for beginning/moderate swimmers. The showers are excellent; for a little extra money, there's the women's and men's health club rooms, which offer secure lockers, curtained private showers, towels, and a small gym with plenty of equipment. Ginny Smith offers kick boards, but not fins. You must carry in all your gear and take it with you when you leave. The separate shallow pool is a perfect place to do shallow-water aquatics or physical therapy workouts. Lifeguards friendly & helpful. Desk staff -- during my few visits -- seemed inexperienced and inadequately trained. Perhaps there's too much staff turnover: my guess. A must-visit pool.

I actually had a very pleasant swim during the senior lap swim session. The pool was a nice…read moretemperature and not too crowded. When I went to take a shower post swim, I discovered that many of the showers don't work. With the help of other patrons, I found one that was OK. Kind of a bummer that most don't work. On the way out, I met the director of the pool and mentioned the showers. She was the snippiest and rudest admin person I've come across in a long time. Full of herself and with a big time attitude ... "I'm not a plumber!" she told me. Oh my gosh - who hired her?! Not a person you would want representing such an important and promising facility.

Actual name to use when looking up hours: Veterans Memorial Pool…read more For the convenient location in Cambridge, I was surprised that the pool wasn't at all crowded when visiting on Sunday afternoons this summer! There aren't very shallow areas for the toddlers like there are at some of the other DCR pools, such as Connors Memorial Pool in Waltham, which probably helps to keep the crowds down. But the pool is very spacious and has enough space both for lap swimmers and kids playing. The spray deck just outside is great for the younger kids, too.

I had a previous review on here stating that the pool had no shade on the decks and the changing…read morerooms did not have privacy walls. It's a year later and they've done extensive updates to the pool location. 1. There's now an ADA regulation ramp with rails going into the pool for those in wheelchairs or who have trouble walking. 2. They added easier steps and hand rails for children and families to enter at the opposite end (long stairs that slope gently instead of ladder style.) 3. They have added permanent shade awnings around the pool, along with wooden benches underneath them (definitely still try to come early because those get snapped up quickly.) 4. The changing rooms are the same, but entering the locker rooms, there is now almost a rubberized "curtain" of small strips to walk through that creates privacy. Previously anyone walking by in the main corridor could see directly in. 5. The splash pad/fountain area has awnings and benches around it, and is ADA accessible. As of summer of 2023, the pool is open 7 days a week from 11:15AM-6:00PM. The changes have greatly improved the property, and it's a place where you can come and stay all day instead of roasting on hot concrete. They also have water fountains and outdoor showers along the pool deck for getting a quick drink and rinsing off.

I can't believe I have not written a review so far! My favorite gym by far! Amazing classes, a…read morelovely spa area, friendly and accommodative staff and inclusive/judgement free environment. I didn't know I needed to be in an all-women environment to feel comfortable and judgement-free, but here we are! The membership is worth every penny. The Cambridge location is conveniently within the porter square plaza so the er is plenty of parking. Just try it - you'll remember me!

For more than a year, I was a member of this gym because I loved that it was a women-only space. I…read morebelieved it would be a place where all women felt supported, respected, and welcome. Unfortunately, my experience was very different. On several occasions, I felt a cold and unfriendly attitude toward me from the moment I walked through the door. As a Hispanic woman, I never felt completely welcome. The situation with the guest passes was simply the last straw. My daughter had previously been a member of this gym and is still in their system. She does not come with me regularly, which is exactly why using one of my guest passes seemed like a reasonable option. However, the way the situation was handled and the way I was treated left me feeling uncomfortable, embarrassed, and undervalued as a customer. I am not asking for special treatment. I am asking for the basic respect that every person deserves. It is sad to realize that a place that should make women feel safe and welcome can sometimes make some women feel excluded. After this experience, I decided to find a place where kindness, respect, and professionalism are part of the culture--not the exception.

This is an awesome community pool for city folk to cool off at. It's a pretty long drive to the…read morebeach from this corner of Somerville, so it's great to have somewhere closer to pop in on a hot summer day. Entry is $2 for adults, or you can pay $40 for a season pass. The parking lot is small, but there's additional parking at Dilboy stadium a short walk away. No food or drink allowed (besides water of course) which is a bummer, but makes sense for health and cleanliness issues. A few other reviewers thought the pool was dirty, but I haven't found that to be true. The locker rooms/bathrooms are a little rough, but it's an old community pool, what do you expect? It's pretty packed with kids so this is not the place to come for peace and quiet. Regardless, this will be a regular haunt of mine this summer for sure!

I've lived so close to this pool for so many years and didn't find out about it until this summer…read more Oh the sweet relief of cool refreshing water that I've been missing all my Somervillian life! Dilboy pool is a really great way to beat the summer heat while having a cheap day out in the sun close to home. You can get their via public transportation by taking the 80, 87, or 88 bus, or drive to the pool and park in the lot in the back. The nice thing about this pool is that it is really big and not to full either. Mostly families visit, and they have a shallow wading pool for the tiny kiddies if you have any in tow. With 5 life guards on duty, and the deep end reaching 4 ft. 8 inches, you can feel safe in just about any inch of the pool. They also have a male and female dressing room equipped with toilets, showers, and dressing cubicles, so you can change on site if you prefer. A few changes to keep in mind that we heard from some of the regulars and confirmed with a lifeguard: 1) Chairs are no longer allowed at the pool, so bring a towel and be prepared to plop yourself down on the concrete. 2) They are now charging a $2 entrance fee if you go to the pool between 11 am and 1 pm. After this peak time it is free. 3) This isn't really a change, but something to be aware of if you are visiting for the first time with lots of people. The entrance to the pool is through the dressing rooms, which means your party will be briefly separated until you are on the pool side. Happy Swimming!

Clean 25 yd pool that wasn't too crowded. I went after work and didn't have to share with more…read morethan one person. Also, there's a very large diving well and separate kiddy pool so the lanes don't get full of aqua-joggers or families. Compared to some other local (non-university) pools, it's not quite as over-chlorinated or quite as warm, and definitely cleaner. Cheap entry by day, multiple-session card (I did the 10 entries for $40 which I think is budget-friendly) or gym membership - although I haven't checked out the gym yet. Only complaint is limited hours of lap availability and no AM lap swim during the winter session.

I am trying out several different masters swim programs in the Boston area and this is my second…read moreone I've tried. (See my other review for Quincy masters). So, I have to say, this one is just okay. You get a decent workout, but it's not HARD. And the reason why is not because of the workout itself, but it's because there are no SEND OFF times. Basically, the workout is, you do X amount of sets, but resting wise, you just do 10 or 20 second rests after each set. And so personally I'm not motivated to swim faster because I'm not trying to do anything on a specific time constraint. I find myself a little less focused to go faster without sendoffs. Also, the workout is pretty much the same each time- you start with a warmup, then 2 underwaters, and then the main set, and then an IM set, and the same kind of sprints where you try and do each 25 with zero breath or one, or whatever it is. It's not a bad workout, but I'm incredibly bored because I know it's the same each time. The main set changes each time, of course, but the sameness of structure makes it kinda boring. We get a decent amount of yardage in- anywhere between 2400-3200 per hour and 15 minute workout time. Practices are twice a week. As for the coach, Elyssa, she is a lovely woman. However, she doesn't quite have the enthusiasm I'm personally looking for. I want somebody to yell at me and give me critique. However, in her defense, she does have to coach 6 lanes of people so I understand it's not easy to give personal attention, so I don't blame her. But personality wise, I like a little more spunk in my coach. But everyone is there for different reasons so it's hard for a coach to be everything. The one thing that really bugs me is the staff that works there at the front desk- they are SO unfriendly, rude, impatient and clearly underpaid. They are CRANKY and they are the first people I see when I walk into that building so it makes me want to not be there. The pool is about a 10 minute walk to Harvard T stop (cut off across Harvard campus will save you ample time), so it's not terrible in terms of location. Oh, the pool itself really sucks. First of all, there are bulk heads that's separating the different sections of the pool so there's nothing to GRAB onto when you're doing two hand touches; it's completely awkward and irritating. Imagine finishing and doing two hand touches on a wall. Also, when you get into the pool, they have these blocks that are covered by orange covers that sorta get in the way and make it hard for you to get in- not to mention it is IMPOSSIBLE to get out because of the depth. You have to swim to the ladder to get out of the pool, because there is no way you can get out from the pool otherwise. It's kinda ridiculous. Cost wise, it's $105 for 20 sessions, so that's $5.25 per session, which is pretty cheap. I've looked into many other programs and this is probably the cheapest one. So pros: -Pretty good location if you're in Cambridge -Decent yardage of workout -Nice coach -Inexpensive Cons: -Sucky pool -Unfriendly front desk staff -No real send off times, just go at your own pace (which can be a pro if that's what you are looking for) - A bit dull (atmosphere, people, some of the workouts) If you are in Cambridge and are looking for twice a week workout for fitness, this is probably a good option for you.

Its only open for 3 hours I can't see it ro midnight what is up with that so if u work though hour…read moreu can't enjoy a pool in ur hometown it's closed at lunch time are u serious and they want all this money to go their you guys must have rocks in your heads who ever came up with this time

i'm very upset. the medford tufts pool changed a rule making it more difficult for people to come…read morein. the staff on the inside were not clear on what to do, and i can't seem to understand why. tufts used to be a open friendly area for people to swim, and now it's just terrible. please fix this system because it is crappy.

The pools have been beautifully renovated, and entrance now costs a dollar. There is an adult pool…read morethat's about 10ft deep in one end and 3.5' deep in the other, and a very nice toddler pool that is 1' at the shallowest and 3' at the deep end. The crowd is mostly parents with kids, and teenagers. Families bring rings, kickboards, and other water toys in. It's a very relaxed local vibe. You can come in with a stroller. No shade in the middle of the day, but there is reasonable shade in the later afternoon. Capacity is capped at 100. Adults need proof of Cambridge residency (license, water bill, etc.). Kids do not need an ID.

This is how citified and vulgar I am: Screw the beach. Screw Cape Cod. Give me a municipal outdoor…read morepool, staffed by indifferent teenagers in sun-bleached red swimsuits, surrounded by shadeless concrete, overly chlorinated, possibly contaminated with toddler pee, and overrun with screaming tweens plus that one kid who goes swimming in cut-off jeans. Charge me seventy-five cents to get in, and make me bring my own deck chair and snacks. I'll love you for it, because I'm easy, and not just because you're like a mile from my apartment. Today was 90-plus degrees and sunny. Some people retreated indoors, camping out in movie theaters or hiding in their homes to do sexual things with ice cubes. I disdain such shrinking violets, and prefer to embrace the swelter with a book, a big bottle of water, shades, tunes, and a swimming pool five steps away. Get wet, take a few laps, and be cool for half an hour of reading, easy. Rinse, repeat. Pause occasionally to take in the scene, and take note of potential cannonballers who'll splash water all over your reading material. There's shade against the locker rooms if you are fish-belly white (like me) and a little set of sprinklers over by the shallow end. Remember your sunscreen!

So good but needs details when it's open. It is an amazing place for all people and has no flaws…read morebut the time like honestly it sometimes says open while closed at least they make the water wormer then other pools that would make it freezing cold so thanks for that. If you were planning to go to a pool this would be the place. FIVE STARS

Came here because my regular pool (magazine beach) was closed. This pool has more areas to sit and…read moreeven has some shaded areas. There's also a playground and fields right behind it. I think the pool seems clean, but because this pool allows food there tend to be wrappers and food remnants on the grass and occasional blowing into the food. Also more bees, likely because of the food. The wading pool for little kids looks great and the lifeguards even allow kids to bring water toys like little boats in. Worth checking out, but if you're looking for a less (kid) crowded pool, a lap lane, and a deep end try magazine beach. FYI closes sept 1

I received training from Alex for a few months before I moved out of my place a bit far from the Y…read more He tracked my progress, kept me pushing at a pace I could keep up with, and adapted exercises to my needs. I noticeably improved my strength at a steady pace, and I enjoyed my time there. I left with some sadness at missing a pal to talk with about movies and random stuff. Couldn't recommend him more!

This gym continues to improve---they've just recently upgraded all their Life Fitness cardio…read moremachines (treadmills, ellipticals, & stationary bikes) to the latest "Club Series+ SE4" version which come with beautiful 24" touchscreen monitors. These monitors feature something like two dozen different "virtual terrain" selections where you can choose different places in the world where someone runs or bikes while wearing a GoPro camera, providing you with their POV experience of moving through scenic urban areas (Paris, San Francisco, Buenos Aires, etc) as well as stunning natural landscapes (tropical island jungles, desert trails, volcanic beaches, etc). This pretty much takes care of the #1 problem with cardio machines: soul-crushing BOREDOM from being stuck indoors huffing and puffing while going nowhere...in this case, a somewhat claustrophobic-feeling, fluorescent-lit basement gym. But with New England weather being what it is, especially those long dark winters when the sun sets at 4pm on icy/slushy sidewalks, what are you gonna do? Coupled with 5 separate free weight areas, a boxing gym with lots of free hanging bags including two Thai bags, and the highest-temperature sauna I've ever set foot in, this remains the best Y in the greater Boston area. Yeah it's in an old old non-pristine building (the Celtics used to practice in the upstairs basketball court during the 1960s, I've been told) that could use some massive sprucing up, but to be honest I'd rather they just invest in the actual fitness gear like they just did with these $11K treadmills! 4 and 1/2 stars (Deducting 1/2 star only because they continue to refuse to restore their pre-pandemic hours, when they closed at 10pm weeknights and 6pm on weekends.) Wish list of further upgrades: matched pairs of 20/24/28kg kettlebells, a Perform Better Glute-Bridge-Roller, and NON-eco showerheads so we don't waste so much TIME waiting for the soap to wash off.

It was cute but not much for younger children, I was slipping all over the place and so was my…read moretoddler. Definitely wouldn't recommend for like 4 and under!

Amazing little playground designed for future little engineers to explore. There was all sorts of…read moreunique things like a water ramp, pulleys to lift up buckets of sand, and plenty of things to climb. Docking a star for limited shade and sand making it a bit slippery and dangerous for climbing up the surfaces around the slide. Worth a visit though!