I have a 4 and 6 year old and Sam has taught both of them to be not only comfortable in the pool…read morebut also be great little swimmers! My 4 year old was very nervous about being in the water but with Sam's help he is my little fish now! It's an added bonus that Sam is an ocean lifeguard and is very well trained and certified. Thanks to him I am no longer an extremely nervous mother around pools with my children, which has been a huge weight of my shoulders! I Would recommend him for any child, he is a miracle worker in the pool!

From the owner: Private Swim Lessons / Private Lifeguarding / Triathlete Ocean Training read more

We've been part of the water wings family the last few years as both my kids needed lessons. Bryce…read morethe manager is amazing, helpful, and so accommodating. We've had the pleasure of having multiple great instructors over the years. Both my girls have become confident and strong swimmers and are always smiling during their lessons. Before water wings we had tried a competitor in Thousand Oaks and my daughter dreaded going, was never progressing, and anytime she connected with an instructor they were gone weeks later. So happy we made the switch.

I was really looking forward to taking my son to swim lessons and sadly I was very disappointed…read morewith our experience. Considering this was our first time, I was expecting some kind of orientation or introduction to their facility and class options. The girl who checked us in, simply just had us sign the electronic waiver and told us who our instructor was. The swim instructor only had us do 3 of the same moves multiple times. She also didn't provide any insight as a first timer. I understand there's only so much you can do in 30-minutes but it seemed very basic, something I could simply do myself. I also noticed she kept looking at the clock and at some point a male instructor came and he seemed to be more experienced. At the end, no one even asked how our experience was and if we were interested in any packages. Not to mention, the facility wasn't as clean as I hoped it would be. The water was murky, the changing rooms were dirty with black water marks on the bench. They only had 1 blow drawer and nothing to put wet swim suits in. The windows all had hard water stains so you can tell they didn't clean them appropriately. I wouldn't recommend walking barefoot in this place.

We only went to swim classes for a few months and now my son (age 3) loves the pool, loves swimming…read moreand has learned the skills to help him be water safe. My son had almost no experience in a pool before we started classes. He can also be extremely cautious and careful and usually takes longer than his peers to feel comfortable with a new situation. And then to make matters even worse, we tried another teacher right before Andy, who kept forcing my son's head underwater and ignoring his pleas for her to stop. So going into these classes my son was pretty on edge and would cry at almost every class for the first few weeks. But Andy was VERY patience with my son. Andy created the perfect balance of knowing when to play games and have fun and when to push my son to learn a new skill! Because of that balance, my son was able to learn a bunch of water skills, including jumping into the water and swimming back to the edge (helping him to be much more water safe), plus he now loves the water and loves swimming. He now wants his birthday party to be a pool party and he wants to be a Life Guard Scientist when he grows up. My son now has confidence in the pool and he loves it! And I feel much better about his safety at the pool because of the new skills he has learned!

Andy Andy Andy where can I start , he is an amazing instructor, patient , caring and definitely…read morefunny ! My son loves him and his sessions. He created a trusting bond with my 6 year old and taught my son to overcome his fear of going underwater along with floating. He definitely has a way with children will recommend to my relatives and friends and if you're reading this review .. I recommend it to you, book with Andy he's the best !

We love these swimming classes. All of the teachers have been very nice, kind, and knowledgeable!…read moreMy daughter has had a few nervous lessons, and they have shown kindness and patience to help her acclimate to the lessons. We have seen so much progress in the few months we have been coming.

We've had a wonderful experience with British Swim School! My daughter absolutely loves her…read moreswimming classes, and we've been very impressed with how patient, professional, and encouraging the instructors are. They create a fun and positive environment while making sure the kids learn important swimming and water-safety skills. We've already noticed a big improvement in my daughter's confidence and swimming abilities. The staff is friendly, organized, and truly cares about the children. I highly recommend British Swim School to any parent looking for a great place for their child to learn how to swim! We've had a wonderful experience with British Swim School! My daughter absolutely loves her swimming classes, and we've been very impressed with how patient, professional, and encouraging the instructors are. They create a fun and positive environment while making sure the kids learn important swimming and water-safety skills. We've already noticed a big improvement in my daughter's confidence and swimming abilities. The staff is friendly, organized, and truly cares about the children. I highly recommend British Swim School to any parent looking for a great place for their child to learn how to swim!

My almost 5 year old son has a slight fear of getting his face wet and had previously attended 3…read moresessions at crpd last summer. He did not learn or retain much from those sessions, between his fear of putting his face in the water, inability to keep warm (a neoprene shorty was still too cold in the summer) and short attention span. When I signed up for Connect the dots l picked lessons at midday to ensure it was warm enough for him. The main difference I noticed was that lessons were very focused. There were learning goals to be met each day, and most of the time it was exciting and fun but sometimes the kids reach an area outside of their comfort zone and the teachers at connect the dots don't back off. They firmly but gently keep working on it. That's why these 1-on-1 lessons cost more. My son had McKenna, the new lady teacher and he did well. Not a tear in the end but of course, if we don't keep practicing he will forget what he learned. Other things that will help your child to maximize learning at these lessons (not requirement but helps) -Sufficient upper body strength to push/lift themselves out of edge of pool -Able to understand/follow instruction in English -Able to handle being in and out of water in outdoor environment for 25 mins (my son needed neoprene suit and midday lessons) -Ability to coordinate limbs I watched a 6 year old learn to thread water, and swim the length of the pool (12 feet?) and he came in with some fear of water like my son.

What a wonderful swimming class! It was worth every penny, and worth taking the time. My son is a…read moreconfident swimmer, and is ready to take on this summer! I would recommend this place to everybody.

So grateful that we found Gary & Sea Monkeys! All the instructors are fantastic! My girls are 5 & 7…read moreand struggled to swim independently until we found Sea Monkeys. They enjoy semi-private lessons in the 90 degree pool. This is our 2nd year with Gary & the team so my girls have become independent swimmers learning all the strokes and perfecting their technique in weekly lessons.

Gary Hall is not only a legend is the most talented and and motivating swimming instructor in…read morehistory. My son has developed his swimming skills ti such a great way only because if Gary kind and loving teachings. To get him as an instructor for your child is not only a honor it is a real gift your boy or girl will treasure forever. HE IS THE BEST

Coach Anna was amazing! Such a good teacher for our 3yo. From no skills to pool safe in one summer!read more

We love SWIM HALL! My 5-year-old started lessons in March and by June he was already swimming…read moreindependently. I was honestly so impressed, especially since he's super talkative and sometimes has a hard time staying focused. Elena and Sophia have been amazing with him. They're both so patient and encouraging, and they really know how to work with kids. He absolutely loves going to his lessons, which makes it so much easier for everyone. I'm so happy we found this place. The progress he's made in just a few months has been incredible!

Our son has worked with some incredible coaches there. I highly recommend the 1 on 1 swim lessons…read more Coach Aaron is amazing! Although finding something that fits your schedule can be challenging, it's certainly worth it. I recommend them to everyone that's nearby!

I always try to leave honest reviews based on my experiences, and unfortunately our experience at…read morethis swim school was disappointing. I hope sharing what happened helps other parents make an informed decision. My child was a complete beginner. After only his third swim lesson, one of the coaches loudly said, "He's everything but nowhere near ready." My child heard the comment. Whether the coach intended it that way or not, saying something like this loudly within earshot of a young beginner is discouraging and unprofessional. Beginners are there to learn, and feedback should be constructive, especially for young children. As the weeks went on, a different coach was assigned to my child, and things initially improved. Then, without much explanation, my child was moved up to the next level. I wasn't concerned about him advancing quickly. In fact, I would have been perfectly happy for him to stay at his current level longer. My priority is that he truly masters the skills required for each level before moving on. The promotion felt rushed, and no one clearly explained why he was ready. The communication afterward was equally disappointing. We were told by one swim manager to change to a different class time because of the level change. When we returned, another swim manager looked at the schedule and told us we were "supposed to be in the 12:30 class but didn't come and wanted to change the schedule," making it sound as though we had caused the problem, even though we were simply following the instructions given to us by their own staff. When I asked which coach my child would have, I was met with a sarcastic response: "You don't remember the last coach you were with?" This was a perfectly reasonable question because my child had just moved to a new level, and I knew coach assignments could change. What made this interaction especially disappointing was that the parent immediately before us had asked the same question and was answered politely and cheerfully. When I asked, I received a sarcastic response instead. The contrast in how we were treated was difficult to ignore and left me feeling unwelcome and disrespected. Things became even more uncomfortable when my child was initially assigned to one coach, who audibly sighed upon seeing the assignment. He was then reassigned twice before ultimately ending up with the same coach who had previously made the "nowhere near ready" comment. During that lesson, I watched closely because my child was visibly anxious. The coach seemed impatient and dismissive. At one point, he aggressively pulled up the sleeve of my child's rash guard instead of calmly helping him. My child would try to communicate, but the coach often seemed more focused on getting him to comply than listening to what he was trying to say. Unfortunately, this wasn't an isolated observation. Throughout the program, I saw other coaches lose their patience with young children as well. I witnessed coaches speaking to children in irritated tones, yelling instructions while children were already crying, and continuing to push them instead of helping them calm down and regain confidence. I understand that teaching swimming requires firmness and that safety is the priority, but there is a significant difference between being firm and showing little empathy toward frightened beginners. Swimming is not just about teaching strokes. It's about building confidence and trust, especially for young children who may already be nervous in the water. Patience, encouragement, and kindness are just as important as technique. We completed the program because it had already been paid for, but this experience left us disappointed. We will not be returning and will be looking for a swim school where young beginners are treated with more patience, empathy, respect, and professionalism.

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?

Anytime I am in the Malibu area, I check out the daily schedule at the Mindry. Over the years, I've…read moretaken mostly breathwork and soundbath classes, but I'm sure all of the classes are great. The space is carefully curated and dreamy. The studio allows for a transcendent experience full of release and healing. Thank you to the team here!

Love that every experience is a unique one with The Mindry. Each individual sound bath has been…read moredifferent in happenings but equally enjoyable, and of course completely relaxing. I am thrilled that they offer the outdoor experiences and thankfully the weather was wonderfully cooperative. Highly recommend in every way!!