This summer’s heat has us all searching for a way to cool down and have some fun in the sun. The Yakima area boasts a variety of swimming options to enjoy this hot summer weather. There is something for everyone with a few excellent family-friendly swimming spots and some more adventurous ones too.
Franklin Pool
2101 Tieton Dr.
Yakima
Yakima’s Franklin Pool, located at Franklin Park, is an excellent start. Large swimming areas of varying depths and huge water slides give it a waterpark feel. Don’t let the slides intimidate, though, for this place can also have you feeling nostalgic, as it has that classic public pool atmosphere. After your swim, if you want to end the afternoon with a cherry-on-top treat, you can indulge in something sweet from the Museum Soda Fountain, which is located directly across from the pool. This pool will be closing for the season on August 20, 2021, so grab your swimsuit and head on over before it’s too late.
Lulu Layton
Lion’s Pool
509 West Pine St.
Yakima
If you like the Franklin Pool, but don’t feel like having the heat beating down on you, try taking a swim indoors at Lion’s Park Pool. This public pool is open year-round, apart from some holidays and annual renovations. They offer swim and water aerobics classes and recreational use of the pool for lap swimming and water walking.
YMCA of Yakima
3800 River Rd.
Yakima
YMCA of Yakima, or ‘The Y’ as it is called, has many indoor activities and amenities to keep you in the water and out of the sun. They have a sauna, hot tub, steam room, therapy pool, lap pool, and two slides available for guests. The Y also offers swimming lessons for people of all ages. They regularly host several aquatic activities, ranging from aerobic exercise to swim team participation.
Selah Aquatic Center
214 South 3rd St.
Selah
Let’s say you live closer to Selah and don’t feel like making the drive to Yakima. Well, the Selah Aquatic Center is much more than a small-town pool. Built relatively recently, the Aquatic Center is host to a few swimming options, such as a large public swimming area, a lazy river, and a shallow flat. If you’re looking to do some more of the competitive type of swimming, they also offer an eight-lane, twenty-five-yard competition designated area. But if you’re one of those looking for a simpler day of water and sun, the lazy river is just for you. Like the YMCA, swim lessons are also available.
Red’s Fly Shop
14706 State Route 821
Ellensburg
Summer fun doesn’t always mean taking a dip in the pool, occasionally it also means getting out for some fine fishing, and Red’s Fly Shop is just the place to go. Red’s Fly Shop, located in the Yakima River Canyon, has a large variety of fishing and boating equipment and offers fly fishing classes and hunting lessons. You can rent a raft to float down the river or opt for guided and unguided hunting excursions. Red’s Fly Shop provides transportation seven or fifteen miles up the river so that you might enjoy your float without the worry of how you will get back to your car. Prices vary depending on the number of members per raft and how many miles.
The summer heat might be at its peak, but with so many swimming options, you’re sure to find a way to cool off and have some good, old-fashioned summer fun in the Yakima area.
