Kind people! My kid loves this place. I will keep coming back! Better than YMCA. They have open…read moreswim as well for adults

I had an extremely frustrating and unprofessional experience at this pool today. I was denied entry…read morebecause the staff disapproved of the shorts I was wearing. What made the situation completely unacceptable and invasive was that the cashier actually reached out and physically touched the shorts while I was wearing them to 'check the material.' Regardless of the facility's dress code policies, this kind of behavior is inappropriate and demeaning. I expected a basic level of professional conduct, but instead, I felt uncomfortable and disrespected. I would not recommend visiting this location if you expect to be treated with any basic level of decency.

So annoyed. The website says t/th through August 25th which is today, the have recreation swim from…read more6:15-7:45. Showed up at 6:20 and it's completely closed. Drove 30 minutes to get here! So bummed and so is my kid. Update your website.

Okay so hear me out, why is recreational swim only one hour?? I know the city can do better than…read morethat. And why isn't the water slide on during recreational swim time? I understand that the rules need to be stated, but can we lighten up a bit? If you don't like the public, you probably shouldn't have picked that job. Overall, it's really a fun place! Lots of room for everyone to swim and have a great time!

I needed a place to stay in town for a night while my apartment was dealing with construction, and…read moresince I've considered becoming a member of the Los Angeles Athletic Club, I figured this was a pretty good way to test-drive the place. The best part of staying at the hotel is that you get full access to the club, including the gym, pool, locker rooms, spa, sauna, and Jacuzzi. I used the locker room, sauna, and Jacuzzi and really enjoyed all of it. Very nice facilities and definitely the part of the experience that makes staying here different from a normal hotel. The locker room was a little confusing as a first-timer. I had no idea where I was supposed to get a locker or exactly how everything worked, and I happened to arrive at a very busy time. There seemed to be some assumed etiquette that everyone else already understood. A 30-second explanation at hotel check-in would go a long way. The hotel room itself was incredibly clean. Like, noticeably clean. Honestly cleaner than a lot of Marriott properties I've stayed at recently. Beyond that, though, the room is pretty no-frills. Mine was right near the elevator, so it was noisy, and despite being inside this grand historic athletic club, the actual hotel room experience somehow gives a little bit of motel energy. Clean motel energy, but still. Both the hotel staff and restaurant staff were very nice throughout my stay. For dinner I went to Invention, the club's lounge-style restaurant. Really nice atmosphere and a good place to hang out without having to leave the building. I ordered the steak frites and asparagus, plus a cocktail called Respect Your Elders, made with Buffalo Trace bourbon, St-Germain, Amaro Montenegro, and Angostura. Pretty good. Basically what would happen if an Old Fashioned developed a sweeter, slightly more herbal personality. I also had a Sangiovese, which really hit the spot after my recent trip to Italy. And then pecan pie for dessert. Yum. No notes. The steak came out a little more cooked than I would have preferred, but everything was very flavorful. For dinner entertainment, I happened to be sitting next to a couple on what appeared to be an exceptionally awkward first date. No reservation required for that show. The next morning I went to Famous Players coffee shop for breakfast. I had the California breakfast with eggs, avocado, and bacon, plus a latte. Solid breakfast, and more importantly, it was a nice place to wake up, open the laptop, and get some work done over coffee. I also appreciated the photos of USC football players on the walls. Fight On! Overall, I'm glad I stayed here. As a pure hotel, I probably wouldn't go out of my way for the rooms alone. But as a hotel attached to a historic athletic club where you can work out, swim, sauna, soak in the Jacuzzi, eat, drink, get breakfast, and basically spend your entire stay without leaving the building, it's a pretty unique experience. And as someone who had been considering membership, staying overnight was actually a great way to see what the club is really like.

LAAC has changed a lot since my last review from 10 years ago. It continues to have the best pool…read morewith advanced filtration system that does not make me feel like a chlorine tablet after swimming. But it now caters to a younger crowd and has substantial co-working space. I've certain found more members using the facilities but also discovered quite a bit of new programmings like the Pilates classes, mahjong club, live jazz performances and movie nights. I was not really sure about the change at the beginning but I am now fully embracing the new LAAC. Many of the staff and members have been here for a long time and it is nice to be greeted by familiar faces when coming to the club. The restaurants are pretty decent. Love to top my salad with a nice piece of salmon after workout at the Famous Players or have a tasty glass of scotch while enjoying the live jazz performance at the Invention. The sports bar Duke's has great happy hours and fun monthly evening karaoke or chess club meetings. The only thing I complain about is the need for shock absorbance and insulation of the noise or moving the weight station. The northwest corner of the Famous Players near Olive Street shakes every time the weightlifters drop their weights, which is very annoying and distracting for the diners. Feel like the ceiling or floor is going to drop out. No joke. For now, I would sit as far away from the northwest corner as I possibly can. But hope the club would look into it. I have been trying to sign up for the monthly wine tasting but they are always full. Maybe consider having the event more frequently or scale up? Regardless, I am still exploring all the new offerings at the club and really pleased with the Pilates classes and the live music performances. Although I am apprehensive when I first see the co-working space and the influx of new members, I now appreciate the additional events and classes that come with the new members and hope the club continues to do well and do better as I am here to stay.

Went for the first time on 3/10/26, the pool is heated and open year round. Currently the rest of…read morethe recreation center is being renovated, so the entrance is on Cahuenga Blvd, albeit the adress being Cole Ave. I arrived at 615 pm and found they close at 700pm. I paid a dollar to get in (50+), and found the staff to be courteous and friendly. You are given a ticket and then it is collected by the changing room attendant (you enter the pool via the changing rooms). There are no lockers, but the attendant can store your bag while you swim. Plenty of shower and toilet stalls, pretty clean, basic facilities. Most of the pool lanes were being used for youth water polo, and there was one lap swimming lane set up. The 3 ft area on either side of the deeper parts of the pool (the middle of the pool gets to 11 ft) were open swim so I just stayed close to the lap swim lane and had no trouble getting my workout in. I was the only one left doing laps after 630pm. I will be back, I appreciate not having to swim around other people and/or share a lane, we will see if that changes when summer comes around.

I have wonderful things to say about this pool! It is clean and well -managed. It makes all the…read moredifference on these hot summer days. They offer free swim, lap lanes, family swim and it's very cheap! I just wish the park and recreation department would keep it open year round! As it is they open Memorial Day and close on Labor day.

We recently rented this facility for a private birthday party for family and friends. Everything…read morefrom start to finish went so smoothly and it was one of the best venues I've ever booked for my son's birthday. Everyone loved the privacy and the entire facility. My family be friends has such a good time and most importantly, my son had a wonderful time. Will definitely book with them again. If you're looking for a venue for a summer party, this place is definitely a wonderful choice!

They say every 30 minute's they blow the whistle and everyone gets out of the pool so more people…read morecan come ... it's been 1 hour already and a lot of people cut in the line and they say nothing

Clean, affordable and not crowded yet... it is just the first open week of the summer season though…read moreso I expect it will be worse. Signed up for Group Swim lessons, very inexpensive!

Remember that many public pools across U.S. cities were backfilled with concrete rather than…read moreallowing people of color to swim with the white man during the 1960s and 1970s. That itself gives this historic structure a miraculous feel because it survived desegregation in an apartheid state that still tries to hide/deny its ugly white supremacism. Nonetheless, the racist, capitalist model of diminishing public infrastructure because they provide benefit to non-whites equally, prevails. The changing rooms are a shambles. Ironically, in many poorer nations where I have used municipal pools, they have smarter, more updated locker rooms. (This reveals the character of what passes for national culture.) Enough now with the disparagement and let's pivot to this historic pool. The length is perhaps Olympic size but the deep end of the pool is in the middle. It's cordoned off into three sections across, allowing a lap swimmer to benefit from the deepest central third, although it is not a full 25 yards across. The water is much clearer than in Glassell Park and perhaps it's because it is not as heavily used? I found there's a solid jet stream of pumped water underneath leading to a kind of "rip tide" effect in the pool. You have to work harder to get across because of the undercurrent. It's quite enjoyable. The lack of trees around this pool makes the sun feel harsh, but the nearby Gold line train gives it a feeling of being part of a vibrant metro region. As well I was smelling street tacos from a nearby truck, very aromatic I was delighted to find this pool during one of the extended brutal heat waves of triple digit temperatures that are commonplace now thanks to climate change. However, consistent with the history of white colonizers being callous about the welfare of non-white citizens, and overriding the unique realities of western geography in favor of conformity with norms from the northeast, the City of LA Parks and Recreation department feels the need to shut down pools like this one during LA's *hottest months* of September and October. In other words, yes, the City of LA would rather people of this area suffer the heat than keep this pool open to allow for some respite for vulnerable human bodies. LA's hottest months are always September and October. City of LA Parks and Recreation: We don't care. Finally, note there is limited parking in a lot which exits into a mega-dip in the street side curb that will crack most sedans' chassis... Call 818-804-7570 about hours.

Great place to take small kids especially toddlers. Food was good. Parking was free and lots of it…read more Tickets are cheap. Not too many people. Only negative they need more floating donuts to float on the river or at least allow us to bring our own floating donuts.

What exactly am I paying for?…read more Seriously. I purchased a membership for lap swimming, but the reality is that members are constantly competing for access to THREE lanes. Not an entire pool. Three lanes. And apparently the expectation is that up to FOUR adults can share a single lane. Four. There was a day when a third person joined my lane and that was RIDICULOUS. Four people sharing one lap lane is not a quality swimming experience. It's overcrowding disguised as a membership benefit. Then there are the limited hours. Which I was initially fine with until everything else. There are the swim lessons and you will be removed from a lane if the instructor needs the lane you are already in. Then there is the jacuzzi, which seems to spend more time closed than open. I swim three times a week and I honestly can't remember the last time it was available. At this point, why advertise it as an amenity at all? And today I find... the facility is closed Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for a swim meet. The only notice given was a piece of paper taped to the door. A piece of paper. In 2026. Members provide phone numbers and email addresses when signing up. Why collect that information if you're not going to communicate closures that eliminate nearly half a week's worth of access? No email. No text. No notification. Just drive over and find out when you get there. The most frustrating part is that none of these issues exist by themselves. It's the combination of all of them. Limited hours. Limited lanes. Overcrowded lanes. Frequent jacuzzi closures. Priority given elsewhere. Unexpected facility closures. Poor communication. Yet the membership price suggests you're paying for a premium aquatic facility. You're not. For less money, I can join a gym with a lap pool, a functioning jacuzzi, longer operating hours, fitness equipment, and significantly better availability. City of La Mirada wants to charge premium membership fees while delivering a consistently limited experience. The entire operation feels incredibly cheap. Cheap communication. Cheap availability. Cheap member accommodations. But somehow not cheap membership prices. If members are expected to share three overcrowded lanes, lose access for entire weekends, receive no meaningful communication, and watch amenities remain closed for weeks at a time, then management needs to answer a very simple question: What exactly are we paying for?

Atmosphere was really nice . Concept was good but the rules are a bit off . Could be understanding…read moresince children go to learn how to swim but they don't let you bring any outside food. Or drinks other than water and you have to pay for a chair But other than that, water was refreshing. Ambiamce was nice. It's also very cheap $4 and they close at 8, which is good compared to other places, that close early. You can rent a chair for $3. Which aint too bad, but other places offer chairs. Let you bring your food. It's also a byo chair so that helps for future reference staff is very friendly. Lifeguards are friendly.

My son came here for 4 private lessons. Coach Greg was very kind and patient. I loved this pool…read more The locker rooms could use a bit more work, it's very dark and then doesn't feel very clean or bright. Parking is horrendous but staff was great. It was more affordable to do private lessons here than when we did group swim lessons at the rose bowl. But then there was more parking.

Review #1023 2026-093…read more Free Wi-Fi: "City W-Fi" Parking: free event parking in SMC Parking Structures (refer to Review #1022); no parking in staff marked spaces Women's Locker Room: restrooms, showers, open changing area My daughter's swim club had a swim meet at Santa Monica Swim Center: 2026 SCY TSM Season Opener. The swim center was fairly easy to find, located on 16th St. near Pico Blvd. However, I wasn't aware of the parking situation for the event, & found a limited 15-min. metered spot a block away so I could drop-off H. One of the parents said the event's parking is free in the structures, which I confirmed with the swim center's info window. He advised that event parking is free except for the staff marked spaces. Check-In for the swim meet was a bit chaotic since it was our 1st time, & I was wandering around trying to find the check-in desk. There is none... it's with our own club under the ST logoed canopies. I also didn't know that we needed to provide portable chairs if we wanted somewhere to sit. Luckily ST was located on the 2nd floor near the snack station, so there were round tables with chairs available. I was able to grab 2 chairs for us to sit in-between events. There's an app: MeetMobile that allows you to track the events, & check heat & lane assignments. It only worked on day 1 (Saturday), but not on day 2 (Sunday). One of the parents said if swim meet is short staffed, there's a printed schedule posted on the exterior fence near the Fitness Pool. Most of the individual events had several heats consisting of 12 swimmers, up to 9 heats for the more popular 50 YD races. Santa Monica Swim Center is part of the City of Santa Monica Community Aquatics that offers learn-to-swim classes, training programs, water aerobics, lap swim, & fun events for community members. Everyone pays an entrance fee to use the pool, with Santa Monica residents paying a 50% discount. Fees (as of September 2026): Adults: Single Entry: $4.50 (resident); $9.00 (non-resident) 20 Swim Pass: $68.25 (resident); $137.00 (non-resident) Children (free for under 2 YO): Single Entry: $2.00 (resident); $4.00 (non-resident) 20 Swim Pass: $25.00 (resident); $50.00 (non-resident) Family Weekend Day Pass (Fri - Sun for 2 adults & 2 children): $10.25 (resident); $20.50 (non-resident) Seniors (60+ YO) & Students: Single Entry: $2.25 (resident); $4.50 (non-resident) 20 Swim Pass: $37.50 (resident); $75.00 (non-resident) Note: Swim Passes are non-refundable. There's 2 pools: fitness & splash. Fitness Pool, for training & competitions, is 50 meters x 25 yards with depth ranges: 6.7' - 13' & 1 meter & 3 meter diving boards. Splash Pool, for shallow, warm instructions, is 25 meters x 25 yards with depth ranges: 2.5' - 4.5'. The women's locker room was surprisingly clean & well-stocked during the busy swim meet weekend. That's a major plus in my book! According to my teen, the pool was too cool (per website, average temp is 78° - 80°) for her so she was a l'il stiff between events. Considering the unfortunate hit & run en route to the swim meet on Saturday, she managed to hit 3 PBs in all strokes except for her specialty freestyle in her 1st club swim meet. Yay!

I have been swimming at the SMC pool facility since 2019 and feel that there is quite a bit of…read moreconfusion about the reservation policy after 3:00PM Mon-Friday in the 25 yard lap pool. Also the staff is rude and poorly trained to interact professionally with the paying customers. I ran into this problem on Aug 24 2026 at 7:00PM with one of the staff, Misael Bowman who interrupted my swimming in the lap pool demanding that I make a reservation and insisting that I pay twice to continue swimming. However, when I pointed out to him that reservations are encouraged but not mandatory, he still insisted that a reservation was required for the lap pool. Consequently, I went to the splash pool shortly thereafter and asked the life guard on duty if a reservation was required for the splash pool. He replied, "no", but Mr. Bowman then interrupted again and insisted that a reservation was required for the splash pool when there is no mention of this requirement anywhere in the pool policies. I feel this policy is not well understood at all amongst the staff. Also Mr. Bowman was rude and misinformed in trying to enforce them. The purpose of these policies remains unclear as well. I know that they were first implemented in the 2020 Covid era, but some how where never rescinded once the pandemic ended. Also the shut down of the 50meter lanes since that time remains a mystery as well. What is the SMC organization trying to achieve by continuing to enforce these archaic policies that should have been abandoned with the end of the pandemic in 2022?

This pool is genuinely one of the most underrated little spots on the east side . Heated indoor…read morepool, chill people, no fake luxury wellness bs. Just vibes. It feels nostalgic in a comforting way, very classic LA community energy. And 100% kid friendly!!

I was here for a soccer tournament and I'm 8 months pregnant and needed to pee and front desk seen…read moreme in front asking for help and needing help and no one wanted to open the door and assist me. However, when I called they answered and directed me to a restroom across the baseball field there was no way I could have made that. Hopefully the next expecting mommy, does not have to go through what I went through.