Spending a day swimming is great exercise and a lot of fun for families with kids of all ages. If you’re looking for great places to swim in the Rochester, Minnesota, area, the team at Tom Kadlec Kia has you covered. We’ve compiled this list of six of the best swimming spots in and around Rochester. Whether you’re looking for an indoor pool, an outdoor pool, or a sandy beach, we’ve got the perfect suggestion to meet your needs.
Foster Arend Park
Foster Arend Park in Rochester offers many fun things for families to do, and, best of all, the park is free. You can swim on the beach, play sand volleyball on the park’s court, or try stand-up paddle boarding. The deeper part of the lake is roped off so that younger kids can play safely in the shallow water.
There’s also a picnic shelter where you can eat lunch with the kids and get out of the sun for a while as well as many trails for the family to explore. Your kids will be able to burn off any excess energy at the park’s two playgrounds. Restrooms are available with showers to make it easier to leave the sand behind.
- Location: 4051 E. River Road NE, Rochester.
- Hours: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
- Phone: 507-328-2900.
Rochester Recreation Center Sports Facility
The Rochester Recreation Center Sports Facility has two indoor pools to provide a year-round opportunity for swimming. The larger one is a 50-meter Olympic-length swimming pool that can be set for eight or 16 swimming lanes and has four diving boards. The water temperature is kept at 81 F to 82 F, and the pool ranges from 3.5 to 13.8 feet deep. Lap swimming in this pool is only available for ages 18 and older.
The recreational pool is a warm-water pool maintained at 88 F. This four-lane pool is 25 yards long and ranges in depth from 3.6 to 4.6 feet. The only flotation devices allowed here are approved life jackets. Be aware that you can’t take food, drink, and glass items into the pool area.
Online reservations are required for weekday swimming, and open swim hours are listed on the facility’s website. Walk-ins are allowed on weekends if space is available. The facility allows a maximum of 25 swimmers per session on weekdays and 30 on weekends.
The swimming fee at the recreation center is $6 per person. Three-month, six-month, and 12-month family passes are available to make membership more affordable for frequent users.
- Location: 21 Elton Hills Drive NW, Rochester.
- Hours: 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, excluding holidays. (Open swim is limited; please check the website for the current open swim schedule.)
- Phone: 507-328-2500.
Byron Public Pool
The nearby town of Byron has a public pool that’s a good place for families to spend hot summer days. A kiddy pool provides a place for toddlers and babies to play. For the older kids and adults, there’s a 12-foot-deep area with diving boards, and 3- to 5-feet-deep areas for swimming and wading.
General admission is $5 per person. Family passes are available for $130 for residents and $150 for non-residents.
- Location: 604 Byron Ave. N, Byron.
- Hours: 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
- Phone: 507-775-6916.
Natalie Webb Family Aquatic Center
Head to Dodge Center to the Natalie Webb Family Aquatic Center for more water fun. The water center offers Aqua Zumba classes, lap swim and water aerobics sessions, aqua strength classes, and swimming lessons. Daily open swim sessions are also offered. The pool has varying depths and a water slide.
The center has a food court where a concession stand offers a variety of snacks, drinks, and meals. This is open from noon to 6 p.m. daily. No outside food is permitted in the facility.
Daily swim passes are $6 per person, $3 for toddlers from 1 to 4 years old, and infants under 1 year are free. Season passes are $75 a person or start at $140 for a family of four.
- Location: 509 First Ave. NE, Dodge Center.
- Hours: Noon to 7 p.m. daily.
- Phone: 507-633-6300.
Mel Brownell Aquatic Center
The Mel Brownell Aquatic Center in St. Charles is an outdoor water park with several hours of open swim daily. There are six swim lanes and a diving board at the pool’s deep end. The aquatic center is known for its giant 181-foot water slide.
You can relax between swim sessions on the large sun deck, and there’s a concession area where you can purchase food and drinks.
Daily rates are $5 for adults and $4 for ages 18 and younger. You can purchase a 20-session punch card for $60, and multiple users can share the same punch card. Seasonal memberships are available for $70 for an individual or $160 for a family pass.
- Location: 642 East Ave., St. Charles.
- Hours: Open swim from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
- Phone: 507-932-5386.
Lake Louise State Park
If you love a scenic natural setting, Lake Louise State Park is the perfect destination for a family outing on a hot summer day. The park has a small, secluded swimming beach where you can relax in nature, far from the crowds.
In addition to the beach, the state park has many hiking or cycling trails. The popular 29-mile Shooting Star State Trail winds through the Lake Louise State Park. Look for wildlife, birds, plants, and wildflowers while walking along the trails. Pack a cooler with drinks and lunch so you can eat at the picnic grounds and enjoy the park the whole day.
Purchase an annual park permit for $35 for access to the beach throughout the summer.
- Location: 12385 766th Ave., Le Roy.
- Hours: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
- Phone: 507-352-5111.
That wraps up our list of some of the best swimming spots near Rochester. Did we mention your favorite swimming location? Send us a message to let us know where you love to go when you head out for a swim with the family on a hot summer day.
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